5 midnigh+sun-第55章
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？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
223
I walked as close to her as I dared； watching carefully for any sign that my
proximity upset her。 Twice her hand twitched toward me and then she would snatch it
back。 It looked like she wanted to touch me？ My breath sped。
〃Why do you have cars like that at all？ If you're looking for privacy？〃 she asked
as we walked。
〃An indulgence；〃 I admitted。 〃We all like to drive fast。〃
〃Figures；〃 she mumbled； her tone sour。
She didn't look up to see my answering grin。
Nuh…uh！ I don't believe this！ How the hell did Bella pull this off？ I don't get it！
Why？
Jessica's mental boggling interrupted my thoughts。 She was waiting for Bella；
taking refuge from the rain under the edge of the cafeteria's roof； with Bella's winter
jacket over her arm。 Her eyes were wide with disbelief。
Bella noticed her； too； in the next moment。 A faint pink touched her cheek when
Bella registered Jessica's expression。 The thoughts in Jessica's head were fairly clear on
her face。
〃Hey； Jessica。 Thanks for remembering；〃 Bella greeted her。 She reached out for
the jacket and Jessica handed it to her wordlessly。
I should be polite to Bella's friends； whether they were good friends or not。
〃Good morning； Jessica。〃
Whoa？
Jessica's eyes popped even wider。 It was strange and amusing？and； honestly； a
bit embarrassing？to realize how much being near Bella had softened me。 It seemed like
no one was afraid of me any more。 If Emmett found out about this； he would be laughing
for the next century。
〃Er？hi；〃 Jessica mumbled； and her eyes flashed to Bella's face； full of
significance。 〃I guess I'll see you in Trig。〃
You are so going to spill。 I'm not taking no for an answer。 Details。 I have to
have details！ Edward freaking CULLEN！！ Life is so unfair。
Bella's mouth twitched。 〃Yeah； I'll see you then。〃
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
224
Jessica's thoughts ran wild as she hurried to her first class； peeking back at us
now and then。
The whole story。 I'm not accepting anything less。 Did they plan to meet up last
night？ Are they dating？ How long？ How could she keep this a secret？ Why would she
want to？ It can't be a casual thing—she has to be seriously into him。 Is there any other
option？ I will find out。 I can't stand not knowing。 I wonder if she's made out with him？
Oh； swoon？ Jessica's thoughts were suddenly disjointed； and she let wordless fantasies
swirl through her head。 I winced at her speculations； and not just because she'd replaced
Bella with herself in the mental pictures。
It couldn't be like that。 And yet I？I wanted？
I resisted making the admission； even to myself。 How many wrong ways would I
want Bella in？ Which one would end up killing her？
I shook my head； and tried to lighten up。
〃What are you going to tell her？〃 I asked Bella。
〃Hey！〃 she whispered fiercely。 〃I thought you couldn't read my mind！〃
〃I can't。〃 I stared at her； surprised； trying to make sense of her words。 Ah—we
must have been thinking the same thing at the same time。 Hmm？I rather liked that。
〃However；〃 I told her； 〃I can read hers—she'll be waiting to ambush you in class。〃
Bella groaned； and then let the jacket slide off her shoulders。 I didn't realize that
she was giving it back at first—I wouldn't have asked for it； I would rather she kept it？a
token—so I was too slow to offer her my help。 She handed me the jacket； and put her
arms through her own； without looking up to see that my hands were extended to assist。 I
frowned at that； and then controlled my expression before she noticed it。
〃So； what are you going to tell her？〃 I pressed。
〃A little help？ What does she want to know？〃
I smiled； and shook my head。 I wanted to hear what she was thinking without a
prompt。 〃That's not fair。〃
Her eyes tightened。 〃No； you not sharing what you know—now that's unfair。〃
Right—she didn't like double standards。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
225
We got to the door of her class—where I would have to leave her； I wondered idly
if Ms。 Cope would be more accommodating about a switch in the schedule of my English
class？ I made myself focus。 I could be fair。
〃She wants to know if we're secretly dating；〃 I said slowly。 〃And she wants to
know how you feel about me。〃
Her eyes were wide—not startled； but ingenious now。 They were open to me；
readable。 She was playing innocent。
〃Yikes；〃 she murmured。 〃What should I say？〃
〃Hmmm。〃 She always tried to make me give away more than she did。 I pondered
how to respond。
A wayward strand of her hair； slightly damp from the fog； draped across her
shoulder and curled around where her collar bone was hidden by the ridiculous sweater。
It drew my eyes？pulled them across the other hidden lines？
I reached for it carefully； not touching her skin—the morning was chill enough
without my touch—and twisted it back into place in her untidy bun so that it wouldn't
distract me again。 I remembered when Mike Newton had touched her hair； and my jaw
flexed at the memory。 She had flinched away from him then。 Her reaction now was
nothing the same； instead； there was a slight widening of her eyes； a rush of blood under
her skin； and a sudden； uneven thumping of her heart。
I tried to hide my smile as I answered her question。
〃I suppose you could say yes to the first？if you don't mind—；〃 her choice；
always her choice； 〃—it's easier than any other explanation。〃
〃I don't mind；〃 she whispered。 Her heart had not found its normal rhythm yet。
〃And as for her other question？〃 I couldn't hide my smile now。 〃Well； I'll be
listening to hear the answer to that one myself。〃
Let Bella consider that。 I held back my laugh as shock crossed her face。
I turned quickly； before she could ask for any more answers。 I had a difficult time
not giving her whatever she asked for。 And I wanted to hear her thoughts； not mine。
〃I'll see you at lunch；〃 I called back to her over my shoulder； an excuse to check
that she was still staring after me； wide…eyed。 Her mouth was hanging open。 I turned
away again； and laughed。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
226
As I paced away； I was vaguely aware of the shocked and speculative thoughts
that swirled around me—eyes bouncing back and forth between Bella's face and my
retreating figure。 I paid them little attention。 I couldn't concentrate。 It was hard enough
to keep my feet moving at an acceptable speed as I crossed the soggy grass to my next
class。 I wanted to run—really run； so fast that I would disappear； so fast that it would
feel like I was flying。 Part of me was flying already。
I put the jacket on when I got to class； letting her fragrance swim thick around me。
I would burn now—let the scent desensitize me—and then it would be easier to ignore it
later； when I was with her again at lunch？
It was a good thing that my teachers no longer bothered to call on me。 Today
might have been the day that they would have caught me out； unprepared and answerless。
My mind was in so many places this morning； only my body was in the classroom。
Of course I was watching Bella。 That was becoming natural—as automatic as
breathing。 I heard her conversation with a demoralized Mike Newton。 She quickly
directed the conversation to Jessica； and I grinned so wide that Rob Sawyer； who sat at
the desk to my right； flinched visibly and slid deeper into his seat； away from me。
Ugh。 Creepy。
Well； I hadn't lost it entirely。
I was also monitoring Jessica loosely； watching her refine her questions for Bella。
I could barely wait for fourth period； ten times as eager and anxious as the curious human
girl who wanted fresh gossip。
And I was also listening to Angela Weber。
I had not forgotten the gratitude I felt to her—for thinking nothing but kind things
toward Bella in the first place； and then for her help last night。 So I waited through the
morning； looking for something that she wanted。 I assumed it would be an easy； like any
other human； there must be some bauble or toy she wanted particularly。 Several；
probably。 I would deliver something anonymously and call us even。
But Angela pr
