分节阅读_27

  “sorry, tyler,” i said, w to hide my irritation. ”i really am going
  out of town.”
  ”that's cool. we still have prom.”
  and before i could respond, he was walking back to his car. i could feel
  the shoy face. i looked forward to see alimett, and
  jasper all sliding into the volvo. in his rearview mirror, edward's eyes
  were on me. he was uionably shaking with laughter, as if he'd heard
  every word tyler had said. my foot itched tas pedal… one
  little bump wouldn't hurt ahat glossy silver paint job.
  i revved the engine.
  but they were all in, and edeeding away. i drove home slowly,
  carefully, mutterihe whole way.
  when i got home, i deake chiladas for di was
  a long prod it would keep me busy. while i was simmering the
  onions ahe ph. i was almost afraid to a
  it might be .
  it was jessid she was jubilant; mike had caught her after school to
  accept her invitatioed with her briefly while i stirred. she
  had to go, she wao gela aell them. i suggested
  — with oce — that maybe ahe shy girl who had biology
  with me, could ask erid lauren, a standoffish girl who had always
  ighe lunch table, could ask tyler; i'd heard he was still
  available. jess thought that was a great idea. now that she was sure of
  mike, she actually sounded sin she said she wished i would go to
  the dance. i gave her my seattle excuse.
  after i hung up, i tried to trate the
  especially; i didn't waher trip ten. but
  my head inning, trying to analyze every oken
  today. what did he mean, it was better if we weren't friends?
  my stomach twisted as i realized what he must have mea see how
  absorbed i was by him; he must not want to lead me on… so we 't
  even be friends… because he wasn't ied i all.
  of course he wasn't ied ihought angrily, my eyes stinging
  — a delayed rea to the onions. i wasn't iing. and he was.
  iing… and brilliant… and mysterious… a… aiful…
  and possibly able to lift full-sized vans with one hand.
  well, that was fine. i could leave him alone. i would leave him alone. i
  would get through my self-imposed senten purgatory, and then
  hopefully some s the southwest, or possibly hawaii, would offer
  me a scholarship. i focused my thoughts on sunny bead palm trees
  as i fihe enchiladas ahe oven.
  charlie seemed suspi he elled the green
  peppers. i 't blame him — the closest edible mexi food was
  probably in southern ia. but he , even if just a
  small-town cop, so he was brave enough to take the first bite. he seemed
  to like it. it was fun to watch as he slowly began trustihe
  kit.
  ”dad?” i asked when he was almost done.
  ”yeah, bella?”
  ”um, i just wa you know that i'm goile for the day
  a week from saturday… if that's okay?” i didn't ermission —
  it set a bad pret — but i felt rude, so i ta at the end.
  ”why?” he sounded surprised, as if he were uo imagihing
  that forks 't offer.
  ”well, i wa few books — the library here is pretty limited —
  a some clothes.” i had more mohan i was used to
  havihanks to charlie, i hadn't had to pay for a ot that
  the tru't e quite a bit in the gas department.
  ”that truck probably does very good gas mileage,” he said, eg
  my thoughts.
  ”i know, i'll stop in montesano and olympia — and taa if i have to.”
  ”are you going all by yourself?” he asked, and i 't tell if he was
  suspicious i had a secret boyfriend or just worried about car trouble.
  ”yes.”
  ”seattle is a big city — you could get lost,” he fretted.
  ”dad, phoenix is five times the size of seattle — and i read a map,
  don't worry about it.”
  ”do you w