Midnight Sun(90)

her feet tapping impatiently against the floor as she waited for Bella to arrive.
Conversely, once I settled into my assigned seat in the classroom, I became utterly still. I had to remind
myself to fidget now and then. To keep up the charade. It was difficult, my thoughts were so focused on
Jessica's. I hoped she would pay attention, really try to read Bella's face for me.
Jessica's tapping intensified when Bella walked into the room.
She looks...glum. Why? Maybe there's nothing going on with Edward Cullen. That would be a
disappointment. Except...then he's still available... If he's suddenly interested in dating, I don't mind
helping out with that...
Bella's face didn't look glum, it looked reluctant. She was worried-she knew I would hear all of this. I
smiled to myself.
"Tell me everything!" Jess demanded while Bella was still removing her jacket to hang it on the back of
her seat. She was moving with deliberation, unwilling. Ugh, she's so slow. Let's get to the juicy stuff!
"What do you want to know?" Bella stalled as she took her seat.
"What happened last night?"
"He bought me dinner, and then he drove me home."
And then? C'mon, there has to be more than that! She's lying anyway, I know that. I'm going to call her
on it. "How did you get home so fast?"
I watched Bella roll her eyes at the suspicious Jessica.
"He drives like a maniac. It was terrifying."
She smiled a tiny smile, and I laughed out loud, interrupting Mr. Mason's announcements. I tried to turn
the laugh into a cough, but no one was fooled. Mr. Mason shot me an irritated look, but I didn't even
bother to listen to the thought behind it. I was hearing Jessica.
Huh. She sounds like she's telling the truth. Why is she making me pull this out of her, word by word? I
would be bragging at the top of my lungs if it were me. "Was it like a date-did you tell him to meet you
there?"
Jessica watched surprise cross Bella's expression, and was disappointed at how genuine it seemed.
"No-I was very surprised to see him there," Bella told her.
What is going on?? "But he picked you up for school today?" There has to be more to the story.
"Yes-that was a surprise, too. He noticed I didn't have a jacket last night."
That's not very much fun, Jessica thought, disappointed again.
I was tired of her line of questioning-I wanted to hear something I didn't already know. I hoped she
wasn't so dissatisfied that she would skip the questions I was waiting for.
"So are you going out again?" Jessica demanded.#p#分页标题#e#
"He offered to drive me to Seattle Saturday because he thinks my truck isn't up to it-does that count?"
Hmm. He sure is going out of his way to...well, take care of her, sort of. There must be something there
on his side, if not on hers. How could THAT be? Bella's crazy.
"Yes," Jessica answered Bella's question.
"Well, then," Bella concluded. "Yes."
"Wow...Edward Cullen." Whether she likes him or not, this is major.
"I know," Bella sighed.
The tone of her voice encouraged Jessica. Finally-she sounds like she gets it! She must realize...
"Wait!" Jessica said, suddenly remembering her most vital question. "Has he kissed you?" Please say yes.
And then describe every second!
"No," Bella mumbled, and then she looked down at her hands, her face falling. "It's not like that."
Damn. I wish... Ha. Looks like she does to.
I frowned. Bella did look upset about something, but it couldn't be disappointment like Jessica assumed.
She couldn't want that. Not knowing what she knew. She couldn't want to be that close to my teeth. For
all she knew, I had fangs.
I shuddered.
"Do you think Saturday...?" Jessica prodded.
Bella looked even more frustrated as she said, "I really doubt it."
Yeah, she does wish. That sucks for her.
Was it because I was watching all this through the filter of Jessica's perceptions that it seemed like
Jessica was right? For a half-second I was distracted by the idea, the impossibility, of what it would be
like to try to kiss her. My lips to her lips, cold stone to warm, yielding silk...
And then she dies.
I shook my head, wincing, and made myself pay attention.
"What did you talk about?" Did you talk to him, or did you make him drag every ounce of information
out of you like this?
I smiled ruefully. Jessica wasn't far off.
"I don't know, Jess, lots of stuff. We talked about the English essay a little."
A very little. I smiled wider.
Oh, c'MON. "Please, Bella! Give me some details."
Bella deliberated for a moment.
"Well...okay, I've got one. You should have seen the waitress flirting with him-it was over the top. But he
didn't pay any attention to her at all."
What a strange detail to share. I was surprised Bella had even noticed. It seemed a very inconsequential