分节阅读_49

  there, absentminded. everyo-shirts, some even in
  shh the temperature 't be over sixty. mike was ing
  toward me in khaki shorts and a striped rugby shirt, waving.
  ”hey, mike,” i called, waving baable to be halfhearted
  like this.
  he e, the tidy spikes of his hair shihe
  light, his grig across his face. he was so delighted to see
  me, i 't help but feel gratified.
  ”i iced before — your hair has red ied,
  g between his firand that was flutteri
  breeze.
  ”only in the sun.”
  i became just a little unfortable as he tucked the lod my ear.
  ”great day, isn't it?”
  ”my kind of day,” i agreed.
  ”what did you do yesterday?” his to a bit too proprietary.
  ”i mostly worked on my essay.” i didn't add that i was fi —
  o sound smug.
  he hit his forehead with the heel of his ha's due
  thursday, right?”
  ”um, wedhink.”
  ”wednesday?” he frow's not good… what are y yours on?”
  ”whether shakespeare's treatment of the female characters is
  misogynistic.”
  he stared at me like i'd just spoken in pig latin.
  ”i guess i'll have to get to work on that tonight,” he said, deflated. ”i
  was going to ask if you wao go out.”
  ”oh.” i was taken off guard. why 't i ever have a pleasant
  versation with mike a it getting awkward?
  ”well, we could go to dinner or something… and i could work on it later.”
  he smiled at me hopefully.
  ”mike…” i hated being put o. ”i don't think that would be the
  best idea.”
  his face fell. ”why?” he asked, his eyes guarded. my thoughts flickered
  to edward, w if that's where his thoughts were as well.
  ”i think… and if you ever repeat what i'm saying right now i will
  cheerfully beat you to death,” i threate i think that would hurt
  jessica's feelings.”
  he was bewildered, obviously not thinking in that dire at all.
  ”jessica?”
  ”really, mike, are you blind?”
  ”oh,” he exhaled — clearly dazed. i took adva to make my
  escape.
  ”it's time for d i 't be late again.” i gathered my books up
  ahem in my bag.
  we walked io building three, and his expression was
  distracted. i hoped whatever thoughts he was immersed in were leading him
  i dire.
  when i saw jessi trig, she was bubblihusiasm. she,
  angela, and laureeles tonight to go dress
  shopping for the dand she wao e, too, even though i
  didn't need one. i was i would be of town
  with some girlfriends, but laurehere. a i
  could be doing tonight… but that was defihe wrong path to let my
  mind wander down. of course i y about the sunlight. but that
  wasn't pletely respohe euphoric mood i was in, not even
  close.
  so i gave her a maybe, telling her i'd have to talk with charlie first.
  she talked of nothing but the dao spanish, g as
  if without aion when ally ees late,
  and we were on our way to lunch. i was far too lost in my own frenzy of
  anti to notice much of what she said. i aio
  see not just him but all the s — to pare them with the new
  suspis that plagued my mind. as i crossed the threshold of the
  cafeteria, i felt the first true tiher down my spine and
  settle in my stomach. would they be able to knoas thinking? and
  the feelihrough me — aiting to
  sit with me again?
  as was my routine, i glaoward the s' table. a shiver of
  panic trembled in my stomach as i realized it ty. with dwindling
  hope, my eyes scoured the rest of the cafeteria, hoping to find him
  aloihe plaearly fil