Midnight Sun(88)

watched her eyes widen. "Ostentatious, isn't it?"
"Um, wow. If she has that, why does she ride with you?"
Rosalie would have enjoyed Bella's reaction...if she were being objective about Bella, which probably
wouldn't happen.
"Like I said, it's ostentatious. We try to blend in."
"You don't succeed," she told me, and then she laughed a carefree laugh. The blithe, wholly untroubled
sound of her laughter warmed my hollow chest even as it made my head swim with doubt.
"So why did Rosalie drive today if it's more conspicuous?" she wondered.
"Hadn't you noticed? I'm breaking all the rules now."
My answer should have been mildly frightening-so, of course, Bella smiled at it. She didn't wait for me to
open her door, just like last night. I had to feign normality here at school-so I couldn't move fast enough
to prevent this-but she was just going to have to get used to being treated with more courtesy, and get
used to it soon.
I walked as close to her as I dared, watching carefully for any sign that my proximity upset her. Twice her
hand twitched toward me and then she would snatch it back. It looked like she wanted to touch me...
My breath sped.
"Why do you have cars like that at all? If you're looking for privacy?" she asked as we walked.
"An indulgence," I admitted. "We all like to drive fast."
"Figures," she mumbled, her tone sour.
She didn't look up to see my answering grin.
Nuh-uh! I don't believe this! How the hell did Bella pull this off? I don't get it! Why? Jessica's mental
boggling interrupted my thoughts. She was waiting for Bella, taking refuge from the rain under the edge
of the cafeteria's roof, with Bella's winter jacket over her arm. Her eyes were wide with disbelief.
Bella noticed her, too, in the next moment. A faint pink touched her cheek when Bella registered
Jessica's expression. The thoughts in Jessica's head were fairly clear on her face.
"Hey, Jessica. Thanks for remembering," Bella greeted her. She reached out for the jacket and Jessica
handed it to her wordlessly.
I should be polite to Bella's friends, whether they were good friends or not. "Good morning, Jessica."
Whoa...
Jessica's eyes popped even wider. It was strange and amusing...and, honestly, a bit embarrassing...to
realize how much being near Bella had softened me. It seemed like no one was afraid of me any more. If
Emmett found out about this, he would be laughing for the next century.
"Er...hi," Jessica mumbled, and her eyes flashed to Bella's face, full of significance. "I guess I'll see you in
Trig."
You are so going to spill. I'm not taking no for an answer. Details. I have to have details! Edward freaking
CULLEN!! Life is so unfair.
Bella's mouth twitched. "Yeah, I'll see you then."
Jessica's thoughts ran wild as she hurried to her first class, peeking back at us now and then.
The whole story. I'm not accepting anything less. Did they plan to meet up last night? Are they dating?
How long? How could she keep this a secret? Why would she want to? It can't be a casual thing-she has
to be seriously into him. Is there any other option? I will find out. I can't stand not knowing. I wonder if
she's made out with him?#p#分页标题#e#
Oh, swoon... Jessica's thoughts were suddenly disjointed, and she let wordless fantasies swirl through
her head. I winced at her speculations, and not just because she'd replaced Bella with herself in the
mental pictures.
It couldn't be like that. And yet I...I wanted...
I resisted making the admission, even to myself. How many wrong ways would I want Bella in? Which
one would end up killing her?
I shook my head, and tried to lighten up.
"What are you going to tell her?" I asked Bella.
"Hey!" she whispered fiercely. "I thought you couldn't read my mind!"
"I can't." I stared at her, surprised, trying to make sense of her words. Ah-we must have been thinking
the same thing at the same time. Hmm...I rather liked that.
"However," I told her, "I can read hers-she'll be waiting to ambush you in class." Bella groaned, and then
let the jacket slide off her shoulders. I didn't realize that she was giving it back at first-I wouldn't have
asked for it; I would rather she kept it...a token-so I was too slow to offer her my help. She handed me
the jacket, and put her arms through her own, without looking up to see that my hands were extended
to assist. I frowned at that, and then controlled my expression before she noticed it.
"So, what are you going to tell her?" I pressed.
"A little help? What does she want to know?"
I smiled, and shook my head. I wanted to hear what she was thinking without a prompt. "That's not
fair."
Her eyes tightened. "No, you not sharing what you know-now that's unfair." Right-she didn't like double