5 midnigh+sun-第56章
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probably。 I would deliver something anonymously and call us even。
But Angela proved almost as unaccommodating as Bella with her thoughts。 She
was oddly content for a teenager。 Happy。 Perhaps this was the reason for her unusual
kindness—she was one of those rare people who had what they wanted and wanted what
they had。 If she wasn't paying attention to her teachers and her notes； she was thinking
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of the twin little brothers she was taking to the beach this weekend—anticipating their
excitement with an almost maternal pleasure。 She cared for them often； but was not
resentful of this fact？ It was very sweet。
But not really helpful to me。
There had to be something she wanted。 I would just have to keep looking。 But
later。 It was time for Bella's trig class with Jessica。
I wasn't watching where I was going as I made my way to English。 Jessica was
already in her seat； both her feet tapping impatiently against the floor as she waited for
Bella to arrive。
Conversely； once I settled into my assigned seat in the classroom； I became
utterly still。 I had to remind myself to fidget now and then。 To keep up the charade。 It
was difficult； my thoughts were so focused on Jessica's。 I hoped she would pay attention；
really try to read Bella's face for me。
Jessica's tapping intensified when Bella walked into the room。
She looks？glum。 Why？ Maybe there's nothing going on with Edward Cullen。
That would be a disappointment。 Except？then he's still available？ If he's suddenly
interested in dating； I don't mind helping out with that？
Bella's face didn't look glum； it looked reluctant。 She was worried—she knew I
would hear all of this。 I smiled to myself。
〃Tell me everything！〃 Jess demanded while Bella was still removing her jacket to
hang it on the back of her seat。 She was moving with deliberation； unwilling。
Ugh； she's so slow。 Let's get to the juicy stuff！
〃What do you want to know？〃 Bella stalled as she took her seat。
〃What happened last night？〃
〃He bought me dinner； and then he drove me home。〃
And then？ C'mon； there has to be more than that！ She's lying anyway； I know
that。 I'm going to call her on it。
〃How did you get home so fast？〃
I watched Bella roll her eyes at the suspicious Jessica。
〃He drives like a maniac。 It was terrifying。〃
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She smiled a tiny smile； and I laughed out loud； interrupting Mr。 Mason's
announcements。 I tried to turn the laugh into a cough； but no one was fooled。 Mr。 Mason
shot me an irritated look； but I didn't even bother to listen to the thought behind it。 I was
hearing Jessica。
Huh。 She sounds like she's telling the truth。 Why is she making me pull this out
of her； word by word？ I would be bragging at the top of my lungs if it were me。
〃Was it like a date—did you tell him to meet you there？〃
Jessica watched surprise cross Bella's expression； and was disappointed at how
genuine it seemed。
〃No—I was very surprised to see him there；〃 Bella told her。
What is going on？？ 〃But he picked you up for school today？〃 There has to be
more to the story。
〃Yes—that was a surprise； too。 He noticed I didn't have a jacket last night。〃
That's not very much fun； Jessica thought； disappointed again。
I was tired of her line of questioning—I wanted to hear something I didn't already
know。 I hoped she wasn't so dissatisfied that she would skip the questions I was waiting
for。
〃So are you going out again？〃 Jessica demanded。
〃He offered to drive me to Seattle Saturday because he thinks my truck isn't up to
it—does that count？〃
Hmm。 He sure is going out of his way to？well； take care of her； sort of。 There
must be something there on his side； if not on hers。 How could THAT be？ Bella's crazy。
〃Yes；〃 Jessica answered Bella's question。
〃Well； then；〃 Bella concluded。 〃Yes。〃
〃Wow？Edward Cullen。〃 Whether she likes him or not； this is major。
〃I know；〃 Bella sighed。
The tone of her voice encouraged Jessica。 Finally—she sounds like she gets it！
She must realize？
〃Wait！〃 Jessica said； suddenly remembering her most vital question。 〃Has he
kissed you？〃 Please say yes。 And then describe every second！
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〃No；〃 Bella mumbled； and then she looked down at her hands； her face falling。
〃It's not like that。〃
Damn。 I wish？ Ha。 Looks like she does to。
I frowned。 Bella did look upset about something； but it couldn't be
disappointment like Jessica assumed。 She couldn't want that。 Not knowing what she
knew。 She couldn't want to be that close to my teeth。 For all she knew； I had fangs。
I shuddered。
〃Do you think Saturday？？〃 Jessica prodded。
Bella looked even more frustrated as she said； 〃I really doubt it。〃
Yeah； she does wish。 That sucks for her。
Was it because I was watching all this through the filter of Jessica's perceptions
that it seemed like Jessica was right？
For a half…second I was distracted by the idea； the impossibility； of what it would
be like to try to kiss her。 My lips to her lips； cold stone to warm； yielding silk？
And then she dies。
I shook my head； wincing； and made myself pay attention。
〃What did you talk about？〃 Did you talk to him； or did you make him drag every
ounce of information out of you like this？
I smiled ruefully。 Jessica wasn't far off。
〃I don't know； Jess； lots of stuff。 We talked about the English essay a little。〃
A very little。 I smiled wider。
Oh； c'MON。 〃Please； Bella！ Give me some details。〃
Bella deliberated for a moment。
〃Well？okay； I've got one。 You should have seen the waitress flirting with him—
it was over the top。 But he didn't pay any attention to her at all。〃
What a strange detail to share。 I was surprised Bella had even noticed。 It seemed
a very inconsequential thing。
Interesting？ 〃That's a good sign。 Was she pretty？〃
Hmm。 Jessica thought more of it that I did。 Must be a female thing。
〃Very；〃 Bella told her。 〃And probably nineteen or twenty。〃
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Jessica was momentarily distracted by a memory of Mike on her date Monday
night—Mike being a little too friendly with a waitress who Jessica did not consider pretty
at all。 She shoved the memory away and returned； stifling her irritation； to her quest for
details。
〃Even better。 He must like you。〃
〃I think so；〃 Bella said slowly； and I was on the edge of my seat； my body rigidly
still。 〃But it's hard to tell。 He's always so cryptic。〃
I must not have been as transparently obvious and out of control as I'd thought。
Still？observant as she was？ How could she not realize that I was in love with her？ I
sifted through our conversation； almost surprised that I hadn't said the words out loud。 It
had felt like that knowledge had been the subtext of every word between us。
Wow。 How do you sit there across from a male model and make conversation？
〃I don't know how you're brave enough to be alone with him；〃 Jessica said。
Shock flashed across Bella's face。 〃Why？〃
Weird reaction。 What does she think I meant？ 〃He's so？〃 What's the right
word？ 〃Intimidating。 I wouldn't know what to say to him。〃 I couldn't even speak
English to him today； and all he said was good morning。 I must have sounded like such
an idiot。
Bella smiled。 〃I do have some trouble with incoherency when I'm around him。〃
She must be trying to make Jessica feel better。 She was almost unnaturally self…
possessed when we were together。
〃Oh well；〃 Jessica sighed。 〃He is unbelievably gorgeous。〃
Bella's face was suddenly colder。 Her eyes flashed the same way they did when
she resented some injustice。 Jessica didn't process the change in her expression。
〃There's a lot more to him than that；〃 Bella snapped。
Oooh。 Now we're getting somewhere。 〃Really？ Like what？〃
Bella gnawed her lip for a moment。 〃I can't explain it right；〃 she finally said。
〃But he's even more unbelievable behind the face。〃 She looked away from Jessica； her
eyes slightly unfocused as if she was staring at something very far away。
The feeling I felt now was loosely similar to how it felt when Carlisle or Esm
