分节阅读_14

  te.
  i could hear people shoutio each other. the wind bit at my
  cheeks, my nose.
  ”wow,” mike said. ”it's snowing.”
  i looked at the little fluffs that were building up along the
  sidewalk and swirliically past my face.
  ”eent my good day.
  he looked surprised. ”don't you like snow?”
  ”no. that means it's too cold for rain.” obviously. ”besides, i thought
  it osed to e down in flakes — you know, eaique and
  all that. these just look like the ends of q-tips.”
  ”haven't you ever seen snow fall before?” he asked incredulously.
  ”sure i have.” i paused. ”on tv.”
  mike laughed. and then a big, squishy ball so
  the back of his head. we both tur . i had my
  suspis about eric, ay, his back toward us — in the
  wroion for his class. mike appatently had the same notion.
  he bent an sg together a pile of the white mush.
  ”i'll see you at lunch, okay?” i kept oke. ”once people
  start throwiuff, i go inside.”
  he just nodded, his eyes on eric's retreating figure.
  throughout the m, everyoedly about the snow;
  apparently it was the first snowfall of the net my mouth
  shut. sure, it was drier than rain — ued in your socks.
  i walked alertly to the cafeteria with jessica after spanish. mush balls
  were flying everywhere. i kept a binder in my hao use it as a
  shield if necessary. jessica thought i was hilarious, but something in my
  expressio her from lobbing a snowball at me herself.
  mike caught up to us as we walked in the dhing, with ice
  melting the spikes in his hair. he and jessica were talking animatedly
  about the snow fight as we got io buy food. i glaoward that
  table in the er out of habit. and then i froze where i stood. there
  were five people at the table.
  jessica pulled on my arm.
  ”hello? bella? what do you want?”
  i looked down; my ears were hot. i had o feel self-scious,
  i reminded myself. i hadn't dohing wrong.
  ”what's with bella?” mike asked jessica.
  ”nothing,” i answered. ”i'll just get a soda today.” i caught up to the
  end of the line.
  ”aren't you hungry?” jessica asked.
  ”actually, i feel a little sick,” i said, my eyes still on the floor.
  i waited for them to get their food, and theo a table,
  my eyes o.
  i sipped my soda slowly, my st. twice mike asked, with
  unnecessary , how i was feeling.
  i told him it was nothing, but i was w if i should play it up and
  escape to the nurse's office for the hour.
  ridiculous. i shouldn't have to run away.
  i deyself ohe family's table. if he
  was glaring at me, i would skip biology, like the coward i was.
  i kept my head do under my lashes. hem were
  looking this way. i lifted my head a little.
  they were laughing. eder, a all had their hair
  eurated with melting snow. alid r away
  as emmett sh hair toward them. they were enjoying the
  snowy day, just like everyohey looked more like a se
  from a movie tha of us.
  but, aside from the laughter and playfulhere was something
  different, and i 't quite pinpoint what that difference was. i
  examihe most carefully. his skin ale, i decided —
  flushed from the snow fight maybe — the der his eyes much less
  here was something more. i poaring, trying to
  isolate the ge.
  ”bella, what are y at?” jessitruded, her eyes following my
  stare.
  at that preent, his eyes flashed over to meet mine.
  i dropped my head, letting my hair fall to y face. i was sure,
  though, i our eyes met, that he didn't look harsh or
  unfriehe last time i'd seen him. he looked merely curious
  again, unsatisfied in so