1 twilight暮色-第5部分

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fist　to　loosen？　It　never　did；　he　continued　to　sit　so　still　it　looked　like　
he　wasn't　breathing。　What　was　wrong　with　him？　Was　this　his　normal　
behavior？　I　questioned　my　judgment　on　Jessica's　bitterness　at　lunch　
today。　Maybe　she　was　not　as　resentful　as　I'd　thought。　

It　couldn't　have　anything　to　do　with　me。　He　didn't　know　me　from　Eve。　

I　peeked　up　at　him　one　more　time；　and　regretted　it。　He　was　glaring　down　
at　me　again；　his　black　eyes　full　of　revulsion。　As　I　flinched　away　from　
him；　shrinking　against　my　chair；　the　phrase　if　looks　could　kill　suddenly　
ran　through　my　mind。　

At　that　moment；　the　bell　rang　loudly；　making　me　jump；　and　Edward　Cullen　
was　out　of　his　seat。　Fluidly　he　rose　—　he　was　much　taller　than　I'd　
thought　—　his　back　to　me；　and　he　was　out　the　door　before　anyone　else　was　
out　of　their　seat。　

I　sat　frozen　in　my　seat；　staring　blankly　after　him。　He　was　so　mean。　It　
wasn't　fair。　I　began　gathering　up　my　things　slowly；　trying　to　block　the　
anger　that　filled　me；　for　fear　my　eyes　would　tear　up。　For　some　reason；　my　
temper　was　hardwired　to　my　tear　ducts。　I　usually　cried　when　I　was　angry；　
a　humiliating　tendency。　

〃Aren't　you　Isabella　Swan？〃　a　male　voice　asked。　

I　looked　up　to　see　a　cute；　babyfaced　boy；　his　pale　blond　hair　carefully　
gelled　into　orderly　spikes；　smiling　at　me　in　a　friendly　way。　He　obviously　
didn't　think　I　smelled　bad。　

〃Bella；〃　I　corrected　him；　with　a　smile。　

〃I'm　Mike。〃　

〃Hi；　Mike。〃　

〃Do　you　need　any　help　finding　your　next　class？〃　

〃I'm　headed　to　the　gym；　actually。　I　think　I　can　find　it。〃　

〃That's　my　next　class；　too。〃　He　seemed　thrilled；　though　it　wasn't　that　
big　of　a　coincidence　in　a　school　this　small。　

We　walked　to　class　together；　he　was　a　chatterer　—　he　supplied　most　of　the　
conversation；　which　made　it　easy　for　me。　He'd　lived　in　California　till　he　
was　ten；　so　he　knew　how　I　felt　about　the　sun。　It　turned　out　he　was　in　my　
English　class　also。　He　was　the　nicest　person　I'd　met　today。　

But　as　we　were　entering　the　gym；　he　asked；　〃So；　did　you　stab　Edward　
Cullen　with　a　pencil　or　what？　I've　never　seen　him　act　like　that。〃　

I　cringed。　So　I　wasn't　the　only　one　who　had　noticed。　And；　apparently；　
that　wasn't　Edward　Cullen's　usual　behavior。　I　decided　to　play　dumb。　

〃Was　that　the　boy　I　sat　next　to　in　Biology？〃　I　asked　artlessly。　

〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃He　looked　like　he　was　in　pain　or　something。〃　

〃I　don't　know；〃　I　responded。　〃I　never　spoke　to　him。〃　

〃He's　a　weird　guy。〃　Mike　lingered　by　me　instead　of　heading　to　the　
dressing　room。　〃If　I　were　lucky　enough　to　sit　by　you；　I　would　have　talked　
to　you。〃　

I　smiled　at　him　before　walking　through　the　girls'　locker　room　door。　He　
was　friendly　and　clearly　admiring。　But　it　wasn't　enough　to　ease　my　
irritation。　

The　Gym　teacher；　Coach　Clapp；　found　me　a　uniform　but　didn't　make　me　dress　
down　for　today's　class。　At　home；　only　two　years　of　RE。　were　required。　
Here；　P。E。　was　mandatory　all　four　years。　Forks　was　literally　my　personal　
hell　on　Earth。　

I　watched　four　volleyball　games　running　simultaneously。　Remembering　how　
many　injuries　I　had　sustained　—　and　inflicted　—　playing　volleyball；　I　
felt　faintly　nauseated。　

The　final　bell　rang　at　last。　I　walked　slowly　to　the　office　to　return　my　
paperwork。　The　rain　had　drifted　away；　but　the　wind　was　strong；　and　
colder。　I　wrapped　my　arms　around　myself。　

When　I　walked　into　the　warm　office；　I　almost　turned　around　and　walked　
back　out。　

Edward　Cullen　stood　at　the　desk　in　front　of　me。　I　recognized　again　that　
tousled　bronze　hair。　He　didn't　appear　to　notice　the　sound　of　my　entrance。　
I　stood　pressed　against　the　back　wall；　waiting　for　the　receptionist　to　be　
free。　

He　was　arguing　with　her　in　a　low；　attractive　voice。　I　quickly　picked　up　
the　gist　of　the　argument。　He　was　trying　to　trade　from　sixthhour　Biology　
to　another　time　—　any　other　time。　

I　just　couldn't　believe　that　this　was　about　me。　It　had　to　be　something　
else；　something　that　happened　before　I　entered　the　Biology　room。　The　look　
on　his　face　must　have　been　about　another　aggravation　entirely。　It　was　
impossible　that　this　stranger　could　take　such　a　sudden；　intense　dislike　
to　me。　

The　door　opened　again；　and　the　cold　wind　suddenly　gusted　through　the　
room；　rustling　the　papers　on　the　desk；　swirling　my　hair　around　my　face。　
The　girl　who　came　in　merely　stepped　to　the　desk；　placed　a　note　in　the　
wire　basket；　and　walked　out　again。　But　Edward　Cullen's　back　stiffened；　
and　he　turned　slowly　to　glare　at　me　—　his　face　was　absurdly　handsome　—　
with　piercing；　hatefilled　eyes。　For　an　instant；　I　felt　a　thrill　of　
genuine　fear；　raising　the　hair　on　my　arms。　The　look　only　lasted　a　second；　
but　it　chilled　me　more　than　the　freezing　wind。　He　turned　back　to　the　
receptionist。　

〃Never　mind；　then；〃　he　said　hastily　in　a　voice　like　velvet。　〃I　can　see　
that　it's　impossible。　Thank　you　so　much　for　your　help。〃　And　he　turned　on　
his　heel　without　another　look　at　me；　and　disappeared　out　the　door。　

I　went　meekly　to　the　desk；　my　face　white　for　once　instead　of　red；　and　
handed　her　the　signed　slip。　

〃How　did　your　first　day　go；　dear？〃　the　receptionist　asked　maternally。　

〃Fine；〃　I　lied；　my　voice　weak。　She　didn't　look　convinced。　

When　I　got　to　the　truck；　it　was　almost　the　last　car　in　the　lot。　It　seemed　
like　a　haven；　already　the　closest　thing　to　home　I　had　in　this　damp　green　
hole。　I　sat　inside　for　a　while；　just　staring　out　the　windshield　blankly。　
But　soon　I　was　cold　enough　to　need　the　heater；　so　I　turned　the　key　and　
the　engine　roared　to　life。　I　headed　back　to　Charlie's　house；　fighting　
tears　the　whole　way　there。　

===========================================================================　


2。　OPEN　BOOK　

The　next　day　was　better…　and　worse。　

It　was　better　because　it　wasn't　raining　yet；　though　the　clouds　were　dense　
and　opaque。　It　was　easier　because　I　knew　what　to　expect　of　my　day。　Mike　
came　to　sit　by　me　in　English；　and　walked　me　to　my　next　class；　with　Chess　
Club　Eric　glaring　at　him　all　the　while；　that　was　nattering。　People　didn't　
look　at　me　quite　as　much　as　they　had　yesterday。　I　sat　with　a　big　group　at　
lunch　that　included　Mike；　Eric；　Jessica；　and　several　other　people　whose　
names　and　faces　I　now　remembered。　I　began　to　feel　like　I　was　treading　
water；　instead　of　drowning　in　it。　

It　was　worse　because　I　was　tired；　I　still　couldn't　sleep　with　the　wind　
echoing　around　the　house。　It　was　worse　because　Mr。　Varner　called　on　me　in　
Trig　when　my　hand　wasn't　raised　and　I　had　the　wrong　answer。　It　was　
miserable　because　I　had　to　play　volleyball；　and　the　one　time　I　didn't　
cringe　out　of　the　way　of　the　ball；　I　hit　my　teammate　in　the　head　with　it。　
And　it　was　worse　because　Edward　Cullen　wasn't　in　school　at　all。　

All　morning　I　was　dreading　lunch；　fearing　his　bizarre　glares。　Part　of　me　
wanted　to　confront　him　and　demand　to　know　what　his　problem　was。　While　I　
was　lying　sleepless　in　my　bed；　I　even　imagined　what　I　would　say。　But　I　
knew　myself　too　well　to　think　I　would　really　have　the　guts　to　do　it。　I　
made　the　Cowardly　Lion　look　like　the　terminator。　

But　when　I　walked　into　the　cafeteria　with　Jessica　—　trying　to　keep　my　
eyes　from　sweeping　the　place　for　him；　and　failing　entirely　—　I　saw　that　
his　four　siblings　of　sorts　were　sitting　together　at　the　same　table；　and　
he　was　not　with　them。　

Mike　intercepted　us　and　steered　us　to　his　table。　Jessica　seemed　elated　by　
the　attention；　and　her　friends　quickly　joined　us。　But　as　I　tried　to　
listen　to　their　easy　chatter；　I　was　terribly　unfortable；　waiting　
nervously　for　the　moment　he　would　arrive。　I　hoped　that　he　would　simply　
ignore　me　when　he　came；　and　prove　my　suspicions　false。　

He　didn't　e；　and　as　time　passed　I　grew　more　and　more　tense。　

I　walked　to　Biology　with　more　confidence　when；　by　the　end　of　lunch；　he　
still　hadn't　showed。　Mike；　who　was　taking　on　the　qualities　of　a　golden　
retriever；　walked　faithfully　by　my　side　to　class。　I　held　my　breath　at　the　
door；　but　Edward　Cullen　wasn't　there；　either。　I　exhaled　and　went　to　my　
seat。　Mike　followed；　talking　about　an　uping　trip　to　the　beach。　He　
lingered　by　my　desk　till　the　bell　rang。　Then　he　smiled　at　me　wistfully　
and　went　to　sit　by　a　girl　with　braces　and　a　bad　perm。　It　looked　like　I　
was　going　to　have　to　do　something　about　Mike；　and　it　wouldn't　be　easy。　In　
a　town　like　this；　where　everyone　lived　on　top　of　everyone　else；　diplomacy　
was　essential。　I　had　never　been　enormously　tactful；　I　had　no　practice　
dealing　with　overly　friendly　boys。　

I　was　relieved　that　I　had　the　desk　to　myself；　that　Edward　was　absent。　I　
told　myself　that　repeatedly。　But　I　couldn't　get　rid　of　the　nagging　
suspicion　that　I　was　the　reason　he　wasn't　there。　It　was　ridiculous；　and　
egotistical；　to　think　that　I　could　affect　anyone　that　strongly。　It　was　
impossible。　And　yet　I　couldn't　stop　worrying　that　it　was　true。　

When　the　school　day　was　finally　done；　and　the　blush　was　fading　out　of　my　
cheeks　from　the　volleyball　incident；　I　changed　quickly　back　into　my　jeans　
and　navy　blue　sweater。　I　hurried　from　the　girls'　locker　room；　pleased　to　
find　that　I　had　successfully　evaded　my　retriever　friend　for　the　moment。　I　
walked　swiftly　out　to　the　parking　lot。　It　was　crowded　now　with　fleeing