5 midnigh+sun-第32章
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the room between us。 My body was too excited； too eager； my muscles tense and the
venom flowing。 She was so warm and fragrant。
〃She's just a little faint；〃 I reassured Mrs。 Hammond。 〃They're blood typing in
biology。〃
She nodded； understanding now。 〃There's always one。〃
I stifled a laugh。 Trust Bella to be that one。
〃Just lie down for a minute； honey；〃 Mrs。 Hammond said。 〃It'll pass。〃
〃I know；〃 Bella said。
〃Does this happen often？〃 the nurse asked。
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〃Sometimes；〃 Bella admitted。
I tried to disguise my laughter as coughing。
This brought me to the nurse's attention。 〃You can go back to class now；〃 she
said。
I looked her straight in the eye and lied with perfect confidence。 〃I'm supposed to
stay with her。〃
Hmm。 I wonder？ oh well。 Mrs。 Hammond nodded。
It worked just fine on her。 Why did Bella have to be so difficult？
〃I'll go get you some ice for your forehead； dear；〃 the nurse said； slightly
uncomfortable from looking into my eyes—the way a human should be—and left the
room。
〃You were right；〃 Bella moaned； closing her eyes。
What did she mean？ I jumped to the worst conclusion： she'd accepted my
warnings。
〃I usually am；〃 I said； trying to keep the amusement in my voice； it sounded sour
now。 〃But about what in particular this time？〃
〃Ditching is healthy；〃 she sighed。
Ah； relief again。
She was silent then。 She just breathed slowly in and out。 Her lips were beginning
to turn pink。 Her mouth was slightly out of balance； her lower lip just a little too full to
match the top。 Staring at her mouth made me feel strange。 Made me want to move closer
to her； which was not a good idea。
〃You scared me for a minute there；〃 I said—to restart the conversation so that I
could hear her voice again。 〃I thought Newton was dragging your dead body off to bury
it in the woods。〃
〃Ha ha；〃 she said。
〃Honestly—I've seen corpses with better color。〃 This was actually true。 〃I was
concerned that I might have to avenge your murder。〃 And I would have。
〃Poor Mike；〃 she sighed。 〃I'll bet he's mad。〃
Fury pulsed through me； but I contained it quickly。 Her concern was surely just
pity。 She was kind。 That was all。
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〃He absolutely loathes me；〃 I told her； cheered by that idea。
〃You can't know that。〃
〃I saw his face—I could tell。〃 It was probably true that reading his face would
have given me enough information to make that particular deduction。 All this practice
with Bella was sharpening my skill at reading human expressions。
〃How did you see me？ I thought you were ditching。〃 Her face looked better—
the green undertone had vanished from her translucent skin。
〃I was in my car； listening to a CD。〃
Her expression twitched； like my very ordinary answer had surprised her
somehow。
She opened her eyes again when Mrs。 Hammond returned with an ice pack。
〃Here you go； dear；〃 the nurse said as she laid it across Bella's forehead。 〃You're
looking better。〃
〃I think I'm fine；〃 Bella said； and she sat up while pulling the ice pack away。 Of
course。 She didn't like to be taken care of。
Mrs。 Hammond's wrinkled hands fluttered toward the girl； as if she were going to
push her back down； but just then Ms。 Cope opened the door to the office and leaned in。
With her appearance came the smell of fresh blood； just a whiff。
Invisible in the office behind her； Mike Newton was still very angry； wishing the
heavy boy he dragged now was the girl who was in here with me。
〃We've got another one；〃 Ms。 Cope said。
Bella quickly jumped down from the cot； eager to be out of the spotlight。
〃Here；〃 she said； handing the compress back to Mrs。 Hammond。 〃I don't need
this。〃
Mike grunted as he half…shoved Lee Stevens through the door。 Blood was still
dripping down the hand Lee held to his face； trickling toward his wrist。
〃Oh no。〃 This was my cue to leave—and Bella's； too； it seemed。 〃Get out to the
office； Bella。〃
She stared up at me with bewildered eyes。
〃Trust me—go。〃
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She whirled and caught the door before it had swung shut； rushing through to the
office。 I followed a few inches behind her。 Her swinging hair brushed my hand？
She turned to look at me； still wide…eyed。
〃You actually listened to me。〃 That was a first。
Her small nose wrinkled。 〃I smelled the blood。〃
I stared at her in blank surprise。 〃People can't smell blood。〃
〃Well； I can—that's what makes me sick。 It smells like rust？and salt。〃
My face froze； still staring。
Was she really even human？ She looked human。 She felt soft as a human。 She
smelled human—well； better actually。 She acted human？sort of。 But she didn't think
like a human； or respond like one。
What other option was there； though？
〃What？〃 she demanded。
〃It's nothing。〃
Mike Newton interrupted us then； entering the room with resentful； violent
thoughts。
〃You look better；〃 he said to her rudely。
My hand twitched； wanting to teach him some manners。 I would have to watch
myself； or I would end up actually killing this obnoxious boy。
〃Just keep your hand in your pocket；〃 she said。 For one wild second； I thought
she was talking to me。
〃It's not bleeding anymore；〃 he answered sullenly。 〃Are you going back to
class？〃
〃Are you kidding？ I'd just have to turn around and come back。〃
That was very good。 I'd thought I was going to have to miss this whole hour with
her； and now I got extra time instead。 I felt greedy； a miser hording over each minute。
〃Yeah； I guess？〃 Mike mumbled。 〃So are you going this weekend？ To the
beach？〃
Ah； they had plans。 Anger froze me in place。 It was a group trip； though。 I'd
seen some of this in other students' heads。 It wasn't just the two of them。 I was still
furious。 I leaned motionlessly against the counter； trying to control myself。
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〃Sure； I said I was in；〃 she promised him。
So she'd said yes to him； too。 The jealousy burned； more painful than thirst。
No； it was just a group outing； I tried to convince myself。 She was just spending
the day with friends。 Nothing more。
〃We're meeting at my dad's store； at ten。〃 And Cullen's NOT invited。
〃I'll be there；〃 she said。
〃I'll see you in Gym； then。〃
〃See you；〃 she replied。
He shuffled off to his class； his thoughts full of ire。 What does she see in that
freak？ Sure； he's rich； I guess。 Chicks think he's hot； but I don't see that。 Too？too
perfect。 I bet his dad experiments with plastic surgery on all of them。 That's why they're
all so white and pretty。 It's not natural。 And he's sort of？scary…looking。 Sometimes；
when he stares at me； I'd swear he's thinking about killing me？ Freak？
Mike wasn't entirely unperceptive。
〃Gym；〃 Bella repeated quietly。 A groan。
I looked at her； and saw that she was sad about something again。 I wasn't sure
why； but it was clear that she didn't want to go to her next class with Mike； and I was all
for that plan。
I went to her side and bent close to her face； feeling the warmth of her skin
radiating out to my lips。 I didn't dare breathe。
〃I can take care of that；〃 I murmured。 〃Go sit down and look pale。〃
She did as I asked； sitting in one of the folding chairs and leaning her head back
against the wall； while； behind me； Ms。 Cope came out of the back room and went to her
desk。 With her eyes closed； Bella looked as if she'd passed out again。 Her full color
hadn't returned yet。
I turned to the secretary。 Hopefully Bella was paying attention to this； I thought
sardonically。 This was how a human was supposed to respond。
〃Ms。 Cope？〃 I asked； using my persuasive voice again。
Her eyelashes fluttered； and her heart sped up。 Too young； get a hold of yourself！
〃Yes？〃
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That was interesting。 When Shelly Cope's pulse quickened； it was because she
found me physically attractive； not because she was frightened。 I was used to that around
human females？yet I hadn't considered that explanation for Bella's racing heart。
I rather liked that。 Too much； in fact。 I smiled； and Mrs。 Cope's breathing got
loud
