5 midnigh+sun-第57章
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The feeling I felt now was loosely similar to how it felt when Carlisle or Esme
praised me beyond what I deserved。 Similar； but more intense； more consuming。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
231
Sell stupid somewhere else—there's nothing better than that face！ Unless it's his
body。 Swoon。 〃Is that possible？〃 Jessica giggled。
Bella didn't turn。 She continued to stare into the distance； ignoring Jessica。
A normal person would be gloating。 Maybe if I keep the questions simple。 Ha ha。
Like I'm talking to a kindergartener。 〃So you like him； then？〃
I was rigid again。
Bella didn't look at Jessica。 〃Yes。〃
〃I mean； do you really like him？〃
〃Yes。〃
Look at that blush！
I was。
〃How much do you like him？〃 Jessica demanded。
The English room could have gone up in flames and I wouldn't have noticed。
Bella's face was bright red now—I could almost feel the heat from the mental
picture。
〃Too much；〃 she whispered。 〃More than he likes me。 But I don't see how I can
help that。〃
Shoot！ What did Mr。 Varner just ask？ 〃Um—which number； Mr。 Varner？〃
It was good that Jessica could no longer quiz Bella。 I needed a minute。
What on earth was that girl thinking now？ More than he likes me？ How did she
come up with that？ But I don't see how I can help that？ What was that supposed to
mean？ I couldn't fit a rational explanation to the words。 They were practically senseless。
It seemed I couldn't take anything for granted。 Obvious things； things that made
perfect sense； somehow got twisted up and turned backwards in that bizarre brain of hers。
More than he likes me？ Maybe I shouldn't rule out the institution just yet。
I glared at the clock； gritting my teeth。 How could mere minutes feel so
impossibly long to an immortal？ Where was my perspective？
My jaw was tight throughout Mr。 Varner's entire trigonometry lesson。 I heard
more of that than the lecture in my own class。 Bella and Jessica didn't speak again； but
Jessica peeked at Bella several times； and once her face was brilliant scarlet again for no
apparent reason。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
232
Lunch couldn't come fast enough。
I wasn't sure if Jessica would get some of the answers I was waiting for when the
class was over； but Bella was quicker than she was。
As soon as the bell sounded； Bella turned to Jessica。
〃In English； Mike asked me if you said anything about Monday night；〃 Bella said；
a smile pulling at the corners of her lips。 I understood this for what is was—offence as
the best defense。
Mike asked about me？ Joy made Jessica's mind suddenly unguarded； softer；
without its usual snide edge。 〃You're kidding！ What did you say？〃
〃I told him you said you had a lot of fun—and he looked pleased。〃
〃Tell me exactly what he said； and your exact answer！〃
That was all I was going to get from Jessica today； clearly。 Bella was smiling like
she was thinking the same thing。 Like she'd won the round。
Well； lunch would be another story。 I would have better success with getting
answers out of her than Jessica； I would make sure of that。
I could hardly bear to check in occasionally with Jessica through the fourth hour。
I had no patience for her obsessive thoughts of Mike Newton。 I'd had more than enough
of him in the last two weeks。 He was lucky to be alive。
I moved apathetically through gym class with Alice； the way we always moved
when it came to physical activity with humans。 She was my teammate； naturally。 It was
the first day of badminton。 I sighed with boredom； swinging the racket in slow motion to
tap the birdie back to the other side。 Lauren Mallory was on the other team； she missed。
Alice was twirling her racket like a baton； staring at the ceiling。
We all hated gym； Emmett especially。 Throwing games was an affront to his
personal philosophy。 Gym seemed worse today than usual—I felt just as irritated as
Emmett always did。
Before my head could explode with impatience； Coach Clapp called the games
and sent us out early。 I was ridiculously grateful that he'd skipped breakfast—a fresh
attempt to diet—and the consequent hunger had him in a hurry to leave campus to find a
greasy lunch somewhere。 He promised himself he would start over tomorrow。。。
This gave me enough time to get to the math building before Bella's class ended。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
233
Enjoy yourself； Alice thought as she headed off to meet Jasper。 Just a few days
more to be patient。 I suppose you won't say hi to Bella for me； will you？
I shook my head； exasperated。 Were all psychics so smug？
FYI； it's going to be sunny on both sides of the sound this weekend。 You might
want to rearrange your plans。
I sighed as I continued in the opposite direction。 Smug； but definitely useful。
I leaned against the wall by the door； waiting。 I was close enough that I could
hear Jessica's voice through the bricks as well as her thoughts。
〃You're not sitting with us today； are you？〃 She looks all？lit up。 I bet there's
tons she didn't tell me。
〃I don't think so；〃 Bella answered； oddly unsure。
Hadn't I promised to spend lunch with her？ What was she thinking？
They came out of the class together； and both girls' eyes widened when they saw
me。 But I could only hear Jessica。
Nice。 Wow。 Oh； yeah； there's more going on here than she's telling me。 Maybe
I'll call her tonight？ Or maybe I shouldn't encourage her。 Huh。 I hope he moves past
her in a hurry。 Mike is cute but？wow。
〃See you later； Bella。〃
Bella walked toward me； pausing a step away； still unsure。 Her skin was pink
across her cheekbones。
I knew her well enough now to be sure that there was no fear behind her
hesitation。 Apparently； this was about some gulf she imagined between her feelings and
mine。 More than he likes me。 Absurd！
〃Hello；〃 I said； my voice a tad curt。
Her face got brighter。 〃Hi。〃
She didn't seem inclined to say anything else； so I led the way to the cafeteria and
she walked silently beside me。
The jacket had worked—her scent was not the blow it usually was。 It was just an
intensification of the pain I already felt。 I could ignore it more easily than I once would
have believed possible。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
234
Bella was restless as we waited in line； toying absently with the zipper on her
jacket and shifting nervously from foot to foot。 She glanced at me often； but whenever
she met my gaze； she looked down as if she were embarrassed。 Was this because so
many people were staring at us？ Maybe she could hear the loud whispers—the gossip
was verbal as well as mental today。
Or maybe she realized； from my expression； that she was in trouble。
She didn't say anything until I was assembling her lunch。 I didn't know what she
liked—not yet—so I grabbed one of everything。
〃What are you doing？〃 she hissed in a low voice。 〃You're not getting all that for
me？〃
I shook my head； and shoved the tray up to the register。 〃Half is for me； of
course。〃
She raised one eyebrow skeptically； but said nothing more as I paid for the food
and escorted her to the table we'd sat at last week before her disastrous experience with
blood typing。 It seemed like much more than a few days。 Everything was different now。
She sat across from me again。 I pushed the tray toward her。
〃Take whatever you want；〃 I encouraged。
She picked up an apple and twisted it in her hands； a speculative look on her face。
〃I'm curious。〃
What a surprise。
〃What would you do if someone dared you to eat food？〃 she continued in a low
voice that wouldn't carry to human ears。 Immortal ears were another matter； if those ears
were paying attention。 I probably should have mentioned something to them earlier？
〃You're always curious；〃 I complained。 Oh well。 It wasn't like I hadn't had to
eat before。 It was part of the charade。 An unpleasant part。
I reached for the closest thing； and held her eyes while I bite off a small bite of
whatever it was。 Without looking； I couldn't tell。 It was as slimy and chunky and
repulsive as any other human food。 I chewed swiftly and swallowed； trying to keep the
grimace off my face。 The gob of food mov
