5 midnight sun午夜阳光-第23章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


iting　for　you　to　believe　it。　If　you　re　smart；　you　ll　avoid　me。　Ah；　but　would　I　allow　her　to　do　that；　if　she　tried？　Her　eyes　tightened。　I　think　you　ve　made　your　opinion　on　the　subject　of　my　intellect　clear；　too。　I　wasn　t　exactly　sure　what　she　meant；　but　I　smiled　in　apology；　guessing　that　I　must　have　offended　her　accidentally。　So；　she　said　slowly。　As　long　as　I　m　being　not　smart；　we　ll　try　to　be　friends？　That　sounds　about　right。　She　looked　down；　staring　intently　at　the　lemonade　bottle　in　her　hands。　The　old　curiosity　tormented　me。　What　are　you　thinking？　I　asked　it　was　a　relief　to　say　the　words　out　loud　at　last。　She　met　my　gaze；　and　her　breathing　sped　while　her　cheeks　flushed　faint　pink。　inhaled；　tasting　that　in　the　air。　I　m　trying　to　figure　out　what　you　are。　I　held　the　smile　on　my　face；　locking　my　features　that　way；　while　panic　twisted　through　my　body。　Of　course　she　was　wondering　that。　She　wasn　t　stupid。　be　oblivious　to　something　so　obvious。　I　couldn　t　hope　for　her　to　I　Are　you　having　any　luck　with　that？　I　asked　as　lightly　as　I　could　manage。　Not　too　much；　she　admitted。　I　chuckled　in　sudden　relief。　What　are　your　theories？　They　couldn　t　be　worse　than　the　truth；　no　matter　what　she　d　e　up　with。　Her　cheeks　turned　brighter　red；　and　she　said　nothing。　I　could　feel　the　warmth　of　her　blush　in　the　air。

I　tried　using　my　persuasive　tone　on　her。　Won　t　you　tell　me？　She　shook　her　head。　It　worked　well　on　normal　humans。　I　smiled　encouragingly。　Too　embarrassing。　Why　would　her　speculations　Ugh。　Not　knowing　was　worse　than　anything　else。　embarrass　her？　I　couldn　t　stand　not　knowing。　That　s　really　frustrating；　you　know。　My　plaint　sparked　something　in　her。　swiftly　than　usual。　Her　eyes　flashed　and　her　words　flowed　more　No；　I　can　t　imagine　why　that　would　be　frustrating　at　all　just　because　someone　refuses　to　tell　you　what　they　re　thinking；　even　if　all　the　while　they　re　making　cryptic　little　remarks　specifically　designed　to　keep　you　up　at　night　wondering　what　they　could　possibly　mean　now；　why　would　that　be　frustrating？　I　frowned　at　her；　upset　to　realize　that　she　was　right。　She　went　on。　Or　better；　say　that　things　from　saving　your　life　under　you　like　a　pariah　the　next；　and　he　he　promised。　That；　also；　would　be　I　wasn　t　being　fair。　person　also　did　a　wide　range　of　bizarre　impossible　circumstances　one　day　to　treating　never　explained　any　of　that　either；　even　after　very　nonfrustrating。　It　was　the　longest　speech　I　d　ever　heard　her　make；　and　it　gave　me　a　new　quality　for　my　list。　You　ve　got　a　bit　of　a　temper；　don　t　you？　I　don　t　like　double　standards。　She　was　pletely　justified　in　her　irritation；　of　course。　I　stared　at　Bella；　wondering　how　I　could　possibly　do　anything　right　by　her；　until　the　silent　shouting　in　Mike　Newton　s　head　distracted　me。　He　was　so　irate　that　it　made　me　chuckle。　What？　she　demanded。　Your　boyfriend　seems　to　think　I　m　being　unpleasant　to　you　he　s　debating　whether　or　not　to　e　break　up　our　fight。　I　would　love　to　see　him　try。　I　laughed　again。　I　don　t　know　who　you　re　talking　about；　she　said　in　an　icy　voice。　you　re　wrong　anyway。　But　I　m　sure　I　very　much　enjoyed　the　way　she　disowned　him　with　her　dismissive　sentence。　I　m　not。　I　told　you；　most　people　are　easy　to　read。　Except　me；　of　course。　Yes。　Except　for　you。　Did　she　have　to　be　the　exception　to　everything？　Wouldn　t　it　have　been　more　fair　considering　everything　else　I　had　to　deal　with

now　if　I　could　have　at　least　heard　something　from　her　head？　ask？　I　wonder　why　that　is？　I　stared　into　her　eyes；　trying　again　She　looked　away。　table。　Was　that　so　much　to　She　opened　her　lemonade　and　took　a　quick　drink；　her　eyes　on　the　Aren　t　you　hungry？　I　asked。　No。　She　eyed　the　empty　table　between　us。　You？　No；　I　m　not　hungry；　I　said。　I　was　definitely　not　that。　She　stared　at　the　table　her　lips　pursed。　I　waited。　Could　you　do　me　a　favor？　she　asked；　suddenly　meeting　my　gaze　again。　What　would　she　want　from　me？　Would　she　ask　for　the　truth　that　I　wasn　t　allowed　to　tell　her　the　truth　I　didn　t　want　her　to　ever；　ever　know？　That　depends　on　what　you　want。　It　s　not　much；　she　promised。　I　waited；　curious　again。　I　just　wondered　she　said　slowly；　staring　at　the　lemonade　bottle；　tracing　its　lip　with　her　littlest　finger。　If　you　could　warn　me　beforehand　the　next　time　you　decide　to　ignore　me　for　my　own　good？　Just　so　I　m　prepared。　She　wanted　a　warning？　Then　being　ignored　by　me　must　be　a　bad　thing　I　smiled。　That　sounds　fair；　I　agreed。　Thanks；　she　said；　looking　up。　with　my　own　relief。　Her　face　was　so　relieved　that　I　wanted　to　laugh　Then　can　I　have　one　in　return？　I　asked　hopefully。　One；　she　allowed。　Tell　me　one　theory。　She　flushed。　Not　that　one。　You　didn　t　qualify；　you　just　promised　one　answer；　I　argued。　And　you　ve　broken　promises　yourself；　she　argued　back。　She　had　me　there。　Just　one　theory　I　won　t　laugh。　Yes；　you　will。　She　seemed　very　sure　of　that；　though　I　couldn　t　imagine　anything　that　would　be　funny　about　it。　I　gave　persuasion　another　try。　I　stared　deep　into　her　eyes　an　easy　thing　to　do；　with　eyes　so　deep　and　whispered；　Please？

She　blinked；　and　her　face　went　blank。　Well；　that　wasn　t　exactly　the　reaction　I　d　been　going　for。　Er；　what？　she　asked。　She　looked　dizzy。　What　was　wrong　with　her？　But　I　wasn　t　giving　up　yet。　Please　tell　me　just　one　little　theory；　I　pleaded　in　my　soft；　nonscary　voice；　holding　her　eyes　in　mine。　To　my　surprise　and　satisfaction；　it　finally　worked。　Um；　well；　bitten　by　a　radioactive　spider？　ic　books？　No　wonder　she　thought　I　would　laugh。　That　s　not　very　creative；　I　chided　her；　trying　to　hide　my　fresh　relief。　I　m　sorry；　that　s　all　I　ve　got；　she　said；　offended。　This　relieved　me　even　more。　You　re　not　even　close。　No　spiders？　Nope。　And　no　radioactivity？　None。　Dang；　she　sighed。　Kryptonite　doesn　t　bother　me　either；　I　said　quickly　before　she　could　ask　about　bites　and　then　I　had　to　laugh；　because　she　thought　I　was　a　superhero。　You　re　not　supposed　to　laugh；　remember？　I　pressed　my　lips　together。　I　ll　figure　it　out　eventually；　she　promised。　And　when　she　did；　she　would　run。　I　wish　you　wouldn　t　try；　I　said；　all　teasing　gone。　Because　？　I　owed　her　honesty。　Still；　I　tried　to　smile；　to　make　my　words　sound　less　threatening。　What　if　I　m　not　a　superhero？　What　if　I　m　the　bad　guy？　Her　eyes　widened　by　a　fraction　and　her　lips　fell　slightly　apart。　And　then；　after　another　second；　I　see。　She　d　finally　heard　me。　Oh；　she　said。　I　was　able　to　tease　her　again。

Do　you？　I　asked；　working　to　conceal　my　agony。　You　re　dangerous？　she　guessed。　Her　breathing　hiked；　and　her　heart　raced。　I　couldn　t　answer　her。　Was　this　my　last　moment　with　her？　Would　she　run　now？　Could　I　be　allowed　to　tell　her　that　I　loved　her　before　she　left？　Or　would　that　frighten　her　more？　But　not　bad；　she　whispered；　shaking　her　head；　no　fear　in　her　clear　eyes。　don　t　believe　that　you　re　bad。　You　re　wrong；　I　breathed。　Of　course　I　was　bad。　Wasn　t　I　rejoicing　now；　that　she　thought　better　of　me　than　I　deserved？　If　I　were　a　good　person；　I　would　have　stayed　away　from　her。　I　stretched　my　hand　across　the　table；　reaching　for　the　lid　to　her　lemonade　bottle　as　an　excuse。　She　did　not　flinch　away　from　my　suddenly　closer　hand。　She　really　was　not　afraid　of　me。　Not　yet。　I　spun　the　lid　like　a　top；　watching　it　instead　of　her。　My　thoughts　were　in　a　snarl。　Run；　Bella；　run。　I　couldn　t　make　myself　say　the　words　out　loud。　She　jumped　to　her　feet。　We　re　going　to　be　late；　she　said；　just　as　I　d　started　to　worry　that　she　d　somehow　heard　my　silent　warning。　I　m　not　going　to　class。　Why　not？　Because　I　don　t　want　to　kill　you。　It　s　healthy　to　ditch　class　now　and　then。　No；　I　To　be　precise；　it　was　healthier　for　the　humans　if　the　vampires　ditched　on　days　when　human　blood　would　be　spilt。　Mr。　Banner　was　blood　typing　today。　Alice　had　already　ditched　her　morning　class。　Well；　I　m　going；　she　said。　always　did　the　right　thing。　She　was　my　opposite。　I　ll　see　you　later　then；　I　said；　trying　for　casual　again；　staring　down　at　the　whirling　lid。　And；　by　the　way；　I　adore　you　in　frightening；　dangerous　ways。　She　hesitated；　and　I　hoped　for　a　moment　that　she　would　stay　with　me　after　all。　But　the　bell　rang　and　she　hurried　away。　I　waited　until　she　was　gone；　and　then　I　put　the　lid　in　my　pocket　a　souvenir　of　this　most　consequential　conversation　and　walked　through　the　rain　to　my　car。　I　put　on　my　favorite　calming　CD　the　same　one　I　d　listened　to　that　first　day　but　I　wasn　t　hearing　Debussy　s　notes　for　long。　Other　notes　were　running　through　my　head；　a　fragment　of　a　tune　that　pleased　and　intrigued　me。　I　turned　down　the　stereo　and　listened　to　the　music　in　my　head；　playing　with　the　fragment　until　it　evolved　into　a　fuller　harmony。　Instinctively；　my　fingers　moved　in　the　air　over　imaginary　piano　keys。　The　new　position　was　really　ing　along　when　my　attention　was　caught　by　a　wave　of　mental　anguish。　This　didn　t　surprise　me。　She　was　responsible　she

I　looked　toward　the　distress。　Is　she　going　to　pass　out？　What　do　I　do？　Mike　panicked。　A　hundred　yards　away；　Mike　Newton　was　lowering　Bella　s　limp　body　to　the　sidewalk。　She　slumped　unresponsively　against　the　wet　concrete；　her　eyes　closed；　her　skin　chalky　as　a　corpse。　I　almost　took　the　door　off　the　car。　Bella？　I　shouted。　There　was　no　change　in　her　lifeless　face　when　I　yelled　her　name。　My　whole　body　went　colder　than　ice。　I　was　aware　of　Mike　s　aggravated　surprise　as　I　sifted　furiously　through　his　thoughts。　He　was　only　thinking　of　his　anger　toward　me；　so　I　didn　t　know　what　was　wrong　with　Bella。　If　he　d　done　something　to　harm　her；　I　would　annihilate　him。　What　s　wrong　is　she　hurt？　I　demanded；　trying　to　focus　his　thoughts。　It　was　maddening　to　have　to　walk　at　a　human　pace。　I　should　not　have　called　attention　to　my　approach。　Then　I　could　hear　her　heart　beating　and　her　even　breath。　As　I　watched；　she　squeezed　her　eyes　more　tightly　shut。　That　eased　some　of　my　panic。　I　saw　a　flicker　of　memories　in　Mike　s　head；　a　splash　of　images　from　the　Biology　room。　Bella　s　head　on　our　table；　her　fair　skin　turning　green。　Drops　of　red　against　the　white　cards　Blood　typing。　I　stopped　where　I　was；　holding　my　breath。　blood　was　another　altogether。　Her　scent　was　one　thing；　her　flowing　I　I　think　she　s　fainted；　Mike　said；　anxious　and　resentful　at　the　same　time。　don　t　know　what　happened；　she　didn　t　even　stick　her　finger。　Relief　washed　through　me；　and　I　breathed　again；　tasting　the　air。　Ah；　I　could　smell　the　tiny　flow　of　Mike　Newton　s　puncture　wound。　Once；　that　might　have　appealed　to