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！
“There’s nothing to worry about； Mr。 Greene。 There won’t be any trouble。”
“I hope that’s correct。 Well； then。 On to class。 You； too； Miss Swan。”
Edward nodded； and pulled me quickly along toward the English building。
“Do you feel well enough to go to class？” he whispered when we were past the principal。
“Yes；” I whispered back； not quite sure if this was a lie。
Whether I felt well or not was hardly the most important consideration。 I needed to talk to Edward right
away； and English class wasn’t the ideal place for the conversation I had in mind。
But with Mr。 Greene right behind us； there weren’t a lot of other options。
We got to class a little late and took our seats quickly。 Mr。 Berty was reciting a Frost poem。 He ignored
our entrance； refusing to let us break his rhythm。
I yanked a blank page out of my notebook and started writing； my handwriting more illegible than normal
thanks to my agitation。
What happened？ Tell me everything。 And screw the protecting me crap； please。
I shoved the note at Edward。 He sighed； and then began writing。 It took him less time than me； though he
wrote an entire paragraph in his own personal calligraphy before he slipped the paper back。
Alice saw that Victoria was coming back。 I took you out of town merely as a precaution — there
was never a chance that she would have gotten anywhere close to you。 Emmett and Jasper very
nearly had her； but Victoria seems to have some instinct for evasion。 She escaped right down the
Quileute boundary line as if she were reading it from a map。 It didn’t help that Alice’s abilities were
nullified by the Quileutes’ involvement。 To be fair； the Quileutes might have had her； too； if we
hadn’t gotten in the way。 The big gray one thought Emmett was over the line； and he got defensive。
Of course Rosalie reacted to that； and everyone left the chase to protect their companions。 Carlisle
and Jasper got things calmed down before it got out of hand。 But by then； Victoria had slipped
away。 That’s everything。
I frowned at the letters on the page。 All of them had been in on it — Emmett； Jasper； Alice； Rosalie； and
Carlisle。 Maybe even Esme； though he hadn’t mentioned her。 And then Paul and the rest of the Quileute pack。
It might so easily have turned into a fight； pitting my future family and my old friends against each other。 Any
one of them could have been hurt。 I imagined the wolves would be in the most danger； but picturing tiny Alice
next to one of the huge werewolves； fighting 。 。 。
I shuddered。
Carefully； I scrubbed out the entire paragraph with my eraser and then I wrote over the top：
What about Charlie？ She could have been after him。
Edward was shaking his head before I finished； obviously going to downplay any danger on Charlie’s
behalf。 He held a hand out； but I ignored that and started again。
You can’t know that she wasn’t thinking that； because you weren’t here。 Florida was a bad idea。
He took the paper from underneath my hand。
I wasn’t about to send you off alone。 With your luck； not even the black box would survive。
That wasn’t what I’d meant at all； I hadn’t thought of going without him。 I’d meant that we should have
stayed here together。 But I was sidetracked by his response； and a little miffed。 Like I couldn’t fly cross
country without bringing the plane down。 Very funny。
So let’s say my bad luck did crash the plane。 What exactly were you going to do about it？
Why is the plane crashing？
He was trying to hide a smile now。
The pilots are passed out drunk。
Easy。 I’d fly the plane。
Of course。 I pursed my lips and tried again。
Both engines have exploded and we’re falling in a death spiral toward the earth。
I’d wait till we were close enough to the ground； get a good grip on you； kick out the wall； and
jump。 Then I’d run you back to the scene of the accident； and we’d stumble around like the two
luckiest survivors in history。
I stared at him wordlessly。
“What？” he whispered。
I shook my head in awe。 “Nothing；” I mouthed。
I scrubbed out the disconcerting conversation and wrote one more line。
You will tell me next time。
I knew there would be a next time。 The pattern would continue until someone lost。
Edward stared into my eyes for a long moment。 I wondered what my face looked like — it felt cold； so
the blood hadn’t returned to my cheeks。 My eyelashes were still wet。
He sighed and then nodded once。
Thanks。
The paper disappeared from under my hand。 I looked up； blinkingin surprise； just as Mr。 Berty came
down the aisle。
“Is that something you’d like to share there； Mr。 Cullen？”
Edward looked up innocently and held out the sheet of paper on top of his folder。 “My notes？” he asked；
sounding confused。
Mr。 Berty scanned the notes — no doubt a perfect transcription of his lecture — and then walked away
frowning。
It was later； in Calculus — my one class without Edward — that I heard the gossip。
“My money’s on the big Indian；” someone was saying。
I peeked up to see that Tyler； Mike； Austin； and Ben had their heads bent together； deep in conversation。
“Yeah；” Mike whispered。 “Did you see the size of that Jacob kid？ I think he could take Cullen down。”
Mike sounded pleased by the idea。
“I don’t think so；” Ben disagreed。 “There’s something about Edward。 He’s always so 。 。 。 confident。 I
have a feeling he can take care of himself。”
“I’m with Ben；” Tyler agreed。 “Besides； if that other kid messed Edward up； you know those big brothers
of his would get involved。”
“Have you been down to La Push lately？” Mike asked。 “Lauren and I went to the beach a couple of
weeks ago； and believe me； Jacob’s friends are all just as big as he is。”
“Huh；” Tyler said。 “Too bad it didn’t turn into anything。 Guess we’ll never know how it would have turned
out。”
“It didn’t look over to me；” Austin said。 “Maybe we’ll get to see。”
Mike grinned。 “Anyone in the mood for a bet？”
“Ten on Jacob；” Austin said at once。
“Ten on Cullen；” Tyler chimed in。
“Ten on Edward；” Ben agreed。
“Jacob；” Mike said。
“Hey； do you guys know what it was about？” Austin wondered。 “That might affect the odds。”
“I can guess；” Mike said； and then he shot a glance at me at the same time that Ben and Tyler did。
From their expressions； none of them had realized I was in easy hearing distance。 They all looked away
quickly； shuffling the papers on their desks。
“I still say Jacob；” Mike muttered under his breath。
4。 NATURE
I WAS HAVING A BAD WEEK。
I knew that essentially nothing had changed。 Okay； so Victoria had not given up； but had I ever dreamed
for one moment that she had？ Her reappearance