5 midnigh+sun-第63章
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ending。 I was positive that Ben would follow through； and Angela would receive my
anonymous gift。 My debt was repaid。
How silly humans were； to let a six inch height differential confound their
happiness。
My success put me in a good mood。 I smiled again as I settled into my chair and
prepared to be entertained。 After all； as Bella had pointed out at lunch； I'd never seen her
in action in her gym class before。
Mike's thoughts were the easiest to pinpoint in the babble of voices that swarmed
through the gym。 His mind had gotten far too familiar over the last few weeks。 With a
sigh； I resigned myself to listening through him。 At least I could be sure that he would be
paying attention to Bella。
I was just in time to hear him offer to be her badminton partner； as he made the
suggestion； other partnerings ran through his mind。 My smile faded； my teeth clenched
together； and I had to remind myself that murdering Mike Newton was not a permissible
option。
〃Thanks； Mike—you don't have to do this； you know。〃
〃Don't worry； I'll keep out of your way。〃
They grinned at each other； and flashes of numerous accidents—always in some
way connected to Bella—flashed through Mike's head。
Mike played alone at first； while Bella hesitated on the back half of the court；
holding her racket gingerly； as if it was some kind of weapon。 Then Coach Clapp ambled
by and ordered Mike to let Bella play。
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Uh oh； Mike thought as Bella moved forward with a sigh； holding her racquet at
an awkward angle。
Jennifer Ford served the birdie directly toward Bella with a smug twist to her
thoughts。 Mike saw Bella lurch toward it； swinging the racket yards wide of her target；
and he rushed in to try to save the volley。
I watched the trajectory of Bella's racquet with alarm。 Sure enough； it hit the taut
net and sprung back at her； clipping her forehead before it spun out to strike Mike's arm
with a resounding thwack。
Ow。 Ow。 Ungh。 That's going to leave a bruise。
Bella was kneading her forehead。 It was hard to stay in my seat where I belonged；
knowing she was hurt。 But what could I do； if I were there？ And it didn't seem to be
serious？ I hesitated； watching。 If she intended to continue to try to play； I was going to
have to manufacture an excuse to pull her out of class。
The coach laughed。 〃Sorry； Newton。〃 That girl's the worst jinx I've ever seen。
Shouldn't inflict her on the others？
He turned his back deliberately and moved to watch another game so that Bella
could return to her former spectator's role。
Ow； Mike thought again； massaging his arm。 He turned to Bella。 〃Are you
okay？〃
〃Yeah； are you？〃 she asked sheepishly； blushing。
〃I think I'll make it。〃 Don't want to sound like a crybaby。 But； man； that hurts！
Mike swung his arm in a circle； wincing。
〃I'll just stay back here；〃 Bella said； embarrassment and chagrin on her face
rather than pain。 Maybe Mike had got the worst of it。 I certainly hoped that was the case。
At least she wasn't playing anymore。 She held her racquet so carefully behind her back；
her eyes wide with remorse？ I had to disguise my laugh as coughing。
What's funny？ Emmett wanted to know。
〃Tell you later；〃 I muttered。
Bella didn't venture into the game again。 The coach ignored her and let Mike
play alone。
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I breezed through the quiz at the end of the hour； and Mrs。 Goff let me go early。 I
was listening intently to Mike as I walked across the campus。 He'd decided to confront
Bella about me。
Jessica swears they're dating。 Why？ Why did he have to pick her？
He didn't recognize the real phenomenon—that she'd picked me。
〃So。〃
〃So what？〃 she wondered。
〃You and Cullen； huh？〃 You and the freak。 I guess； if a rich guy is that
important to you。。。
I gritted my teeth at his degrading assumption。
〃That's none of your business； Mike。〃
Defensive。 So it's true。 Crap。 〃I don't like it。〃
〃You don't have to；〃 she snapped。
Why can't she see what a circus sideshow he is？ Like they all are。 The way he
stares at her。 It gives me chills to watch。 〃He looks at you like？like you're something to
eat。〃
I cringed； waiting for her response。
Her face turned bright red； and her lips pressed together like she was holding her
breath。 Then； suddenly； a giggle burst through her lips。
Now she's laughing at me。 Great。
Mike turned； thoughts sullen； and wandered off to change。
I leaned against the gym wall and tried to compose myself。
How could she have laughed at Mike's accusation—so entirely on target that I
began to worry that Forks was becoming too aware？ Why would she laugh at the
suggestion that I could kill her； when she knew that it was entirely true？ Where was the
humor in that？
What was wrong with her？
Did she have morbid sense of humor？ That didn't fit with my idea of her
character； but how could I be sure？ Or maybe my daydream of the giddy angel was true
in the one respect； in that she had no sense of fear at all。 Brave—that was one word for
it。 Others might say stupid； but I knew how bright she was。 No matter what the reason；
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though； this lack of fear or twisted sense of humor wasn't good for her。 Was it this
strange lack that put her in danger so constantly？ Maybe she would always need me
here？
Just like that； my mood was soaring。
If I could just discipline myself； make myself safe； then perhaps it would be right
for me to stay with her。
When she walked through the gym doors； her shoulders were stiff and her lower
lip was between her teeth again—a sign of anxiety。 But as soon as her eyes met mine；
her rigid shoulders relaxed and a wide smile spread across her face。 It was an oddly
peaceful expression。 She walked right to my side without hesitation； only stopping when
she was so close that her body heat crashed over me like a tidal wave。
〃Hi；〃 she whispered。
The happiness I felt in this moment was； again； without precedent。
〃Hello；〃 I said； and then—because with my mood suddenly so light I couldn't
resist teasing her—I added； 〃How was gym？〃
Her smile wavered。 〃Fine。〃
She was a poor liar。
〃Really？〃 I asked； about to press the issue—I was still concerned about her head；
was she in pain？—but then Mike Newton's thoughts we so loud they broke my
concentration。
I hate him。 I wish he would die。 I hope he drives that shiny car right off a cliff。
Why couldn't he just leave her alone？ Stick to his own kind—to the freaks。
〃What？〃 Bella demanded。
My eyes refocused on her face。 She looked at Mike's retreating back； and then at
me again。
〃Newton's getting on my nerves；〃 I admitted。
Her mouth fell open； and her smile disappeared。 She must have forgotten that I'd
had the power to watch through her calamitous last hour； or hoped that I hadn't utilized it。
〃You weren't listening again？〃
〃How's your head？〃
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〃You're unbelievable！〃 she said through her teeth； and then she turned away from
me and stalked furiously toward the parking lot。 Her skin flushed dark red—she was
embarrassed。
I kept pace with her； hoping that her anger would pass soon。 She was usually
quick to forgive me。
〃You were the one who mentioned how I'd never seen you in Gym；〃 I explained。
〃It made me curious。〃
She didn't answer； her eyebrows pulled together。
She came to a sudden halt in the parking lot when she realized that the way to my
car was blocked by a crowd of male students。
I wonder how fast they've gone in this thing？
Look at the SMG shift paddles。 I've never seen those outside of a magazine？
Nice side grills？
Sure wish I had sixty thousand dollars laying around？
This was exactly why it was better for Rosalie to only use her car out of town。
I wound through the throng of lustful boys to my car； after a second of hesitation；
Bella followed suit。
〃Ostentatious；〃 I muttered as she climbed in。
〃What kind of car is that？〃 she wondered。
〃An M3。〃
She frowned。 〃I don't speak Car and Driver。〃
〃It's a BMW。〃 I rolled my eyes and then focused on backing out without runni
