5 midnigh+sun-第46部分

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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　moved　slowly　and　uncomfortably　down　my　throat。　
I　sighed　as　I　thought　of　how　I　would　have　to　choke　it　back　up　later。　　Disgusting。　
Bella's　expression　was　shocked。　　Impressed。　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
235　

I　wanted　to　roll　my　eyes。　　Of　course　we　would　have　perfected　such　deceptions。　
〃If　someone　dared　you　to　eat　dirt；　you　could；　couldn't　you？〃　
Her　nose　wrinkled　and　she　smiled。　　〃I　did　once？on　a　dare。　　It　wasn't　so　bad。〃　
I　laughed。　　〃I　suppose　I'm　not　surprised。〃　
They　look　cozy；　don't　they？　　Good　body　language。　　I'll　give　Bella　my　take　later。　
He's　leaning　toward　her　just　the　way　he　should；　if　he's　interested。　　He　looks　interested。　
He　looks？perfect。　　Jessica　sighed。　　Yum。　
I　met　Jessica's　curious　eyes；　and　she　looked　away　nervously；　giggling　to　the　girl　
next　to　her。　
Hmmm。　　Probably　better　to　stick　to　Mike。　　Reality；　not　fantasy？　
〃Jessica's　analyzing　everything　I　do；〃　I　informed　Bella。　　〃She'll　break　it　down　for　
you　later。〃　
I　pushed　the　plate　of　food　back　towards　her—pizza；　I　realized—wondering　how　
best　to　begin。　　My　former　frustration　flared　as　the　words　repeated　in　my　head：　More　than　
he　likes　me。　　But　I　don't　see　how　I　can　help　that。　
She　took　a　bite　from　the　same　slice　of　pizza。　　It　amazed　me　how　trusting　she　was。　
Of　course；　she　didn't　know　I　was　poisonous—not　that　sharing　food　would　hurt　her。　　Still；　
I　expected　her　to　treat　me　differently。　　As　something　other。　　She　never　did—at　least；　not　
in　a　negative　way？　
I　would　start　off　gently。　
〃So　the　waitress　was　pretty；　was　she？〃　
She　raised　the　eyebrow　again。　　〃You　really　didn't　notice？〃　
As　if　any　woman　could　hope　to　capture　my　attention　from　Bella。　　Absurd；　again。　
〃No。　I　wasn't　paying　attention。　　I　had　a　lot　on　my　mind。〃　　Not　the　least　of　which　
had　been　the　soft　cling　of　her　thin　blouse？　
Good　thing　she'd　worn　that　ugly　sweater　today。　
〃Poor　girl；〃　Bella　said；　smiling。　
She　liked　that　I　hadn't　found　the　waitress　interesting　in　any　way。　　I　could　
understand　that。　　How　many　times　had　I　imagined　crippling　Mike　Newton　in　the　biology　
room？　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
236　

She　couldn't　honestly　believe　that　her　human　feelings；　the　fruition　of　seventeen　
short　mortal　years；　could　be　stronger　than　the　immortal　passions　that　had　been　building　
up　in　me　for　a　century。　
〃Something　you　said　to　Jessica？〃　I　couldn't　keep　my　voice　casual。　　〃Well；　it　
bothers　me。〃　
She　was　immediately　on　the　defensive。　　〃I'm　not　surprised　you　heard　something　
you　didn't　like。　　You　know　what　they　say　about　eavesdroppers。〃　
Eavesdroppers　never　hear　good　of　themselves；　that　was　the　saying。　
〃I　warned　you　I　would　be　listening；〃　I　reminded　her。　
〃And　I　warned　you　that　you　didn't　want　to　know　everything　I　was　thinking。〃　
Ah；　she　was　thinking　of　when　I'd　made　her　cry。　　Remorse　made　my　voice　thicker。　
〃You　did。　　You　aren't　precisely　right；　though。　　I　do　want　to　know　what　you're　thinking—　
everything。　　I　just　wish？that　you　wouldn't　be　thinking　some　things。〃　
More　half…lies。　　I　knew　I　shouldn't　want　her　to　care　about　me。　　But　I　did。　　Of　
course　I　did。　
〃That's　quite　a　distinction；〃　she　grumbled；　scowling　at　me。　
〃But　that's　not　really　the　point　at　the　moment。〃　
〃Then　what　is？〃　
She　leaned　toward　me；　her　hand　cupped　lightly　around　her　throat。　　It　drew　my　
eye—distracted　me。　　How　soft　that　skin　must　feel？　
Focus；　I　commanded　myself。　
〃Do　you　truly　believe　that　you　care　more　for　me　than　I　do　for　you？〃　I　asked。　　The　
question　sounded　ridiculous　to　me；　like　the　words　were　scrambled。　
Her　eyes　were　wide；　her　breathing　stopped。　　Then　she　looked　away；　blinking　
quickly。　　Her　breath　came　in　a　low　gasp。　
〃You're　doing　it　again；〃　she　murmured。　
〃What？〃　
〃Dazzling　me；〃　she　admitted；　meeting　my　eyes　warily。　
〃Oh。〃　　Hmm。　　I　wasn't　quite　sure　what　to　do　about　that。　　Nor　was　I　sure　that　I　
didn't　want　to　dazzle　her。　　I　was　still　thrilled　that　I　could。　　But　it　wasn't　helping　the　
progression　of　the　conversation。　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
237　

〃It's　not　your　fault。〃　　She　sighed。