2 new+moon新月- 第39部分

He　shrugged；　unsurprised　by　my　capitulation。　〃Of　course　I　am。〃　

Mike's　Suburban　chugged　around　the　corner。　I　pulled　my　hand　out　of　Jacob's；　and　he　nude　a　face　that　I　
wasn't　meant　to　see。　

〃I　remember　this　guy；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice　as　Mike　parked　across　the　street。　〃The　one　who　thought　
you　were　his　girlfriend。　Is　he　still　confused？〃　

I　raised　one　eyebrow。　〃Some　people　are　hard　to　discourage。〃　

〃Then　again；〃　Jacob　said　thoughtfully；　〃sometimes　persistence　pays　off。〃　

〃Most　of　the　time　it's　just　annoying；　though。〃　

Mike　got　out　of　his　car　and　crossed　the　road。　

〃Hey；　Bella；〃　he　greeted　me；　and　then　his　eyes　turned　wary　as　he　looked　up　at　Jacob。　I　glanced　briefly　at　
Jacob；　too；　trying　to　be　objective。　He　really　didn't　look　like　a　sophomore　at　all。　He　was　just　so　
big—Mike's　head　barely　cleared　Jacob's　shoulder；　I　didn't　even　want　to　think　where　I　measured　next　to　
him—and　then　his　face　was　olderlooking　than　it　used　to　be；　even　a　month　ago。　

〃Hey；　Mike！　Do　you　remember　Jacob　Black？〃　

〃Not　really。〃　Mike　held　out　his　hand。　

〃Old　family　friend；〃　Jacob　introduced　himself；　shaking　hands。　They　locked　hands　with　more　force　than　
necessary。　When　their　grip　broke；　Mike　flexed　his　fingers。　

I　heard　the　phone　ringing　from　the　kitchen。　

〃I'd　better　get　that—it　might　be　Charlie；〃　I　told　them；　and　dashed　inside。　

It　was　Ben。　Angela　was　sick　with　the　stomach　flu；　and　he　didn't　feel　like　ing　without　her。　He　
apologized　for　bailing　on　us。　

I　walked　slowly　back　to　the　waiting　boys；　shaking　my　head。　I　really　hoped　Angela　would　feel　better　
soon；　but　I　had　to　admit　that　I　was　selfishly　upset　by　this　development。　Just　the　three　of　us；　Mike　and　
Jacob　and　me；　together　for　the　evening—this　had　worked　out　brilliantly；　I　thought　with　grim　sarcasm。　

It　didn't　seem　like　Jake　and　Mike　had　made　any　progress　towards　friendship　in　my　absence。　They　were　
several　yards　apart；　facing　away　from　each　other　as　they　waited　for　me；　Mike's　expression　was　sullen；　
though　Jacob's　was　cheerful　as　always。　

〃Ang　is　sick；〃　I　told　them　glumly。　〃She　and　Ben　aren't　ing。〃　

〃I　guess　the　flu　is　making　another　round。　Austin　and　Conner　were　out　today；　too。　Maybe　we　should　do　
this　another　time；〃　Mike　suggested。　

Before　I　could　agree；　Jacob　spoke。　

〃I'm　still　up　for　it。　But　if　you'd　rather　to　stay　behind；　Mike—〃　

〃No；　I'm　ing；〃　Mike　interrupted。　〃I　was　just　thinking　of　Angela　and　Ben。　Let's　go。〃　He　started　toward　
his　Suburban。　

〃Hey；　do　you　mind　if　Jacob　drives？〃　I　asked。　〃I　told　him　he　could—he　just　finished　his　car。　He　built　it　
from　scratch；　all　by　himself；〃　I　bragged；　proud　as　a　PTA　mom　with　a　student　on　the　principal's　list。　

〃Fine；〃　Mike　snapped。　

〃All　right；　then；〃　Jacob　said；　as　if　that　settled　everything。　He　seemed　more　fortable　than　anyone　else。　

Mike　climbed　in　the　backseat　of　the　Rabbit　with　a　disgusted　expression。　

Jacob　was　his　normal　sunny　self；　chattering　away　until　I'd　all　but　forgotten　Mike　sulking　silently　in　the　
back。　

And　then　Mike　changed　his　strategy。　He　leaned　forward；　resting　his　chin　on　the　shoulder　of　my　seat；　his　
cheek　almost　touched　mine。　I　shifted　away；　turning　my　back　toward　the　window。　

〃Doesn't　the　radio　work　in　this　thing？〃　Mike　asked　with　a　hint　of　petulance；　interrupting　Jacob　
midsentence。　

〃Yes；〃　Jacob　answered。　〃But　Bella　doesn't　like　music。〃　

I　stared　at　Jacob；　surprised。　I'd　never　told　him　that。　

〃Bella？〃　Mike　asked；　annoyed。　

〃He's　right；〃　I　mumbled；　still　looking　at　Jacob's　serene　profile。　

〃How　can　you　not　like　music？〃　Mike　demanded。　

I　shrugged。　〃I　don't　know。　It　just　irritates　me。〃　

〃Hmph。〃　Mike　leaned　away。　

When　we　got　to　the　theater；　Jacob　handed　me　a　tendollar　bill。　

〃What's　this？〃　I　objected。　

〃I'm　not　old　enough　to　get　into　this　one；〃　he　reminded　me。　

I　laughed　out　loud。　〃So　much　for　relative　ages。　Is　Billy　going　to　kill　me　if　I　sneak　you　in？〃　

〃No。　I　told　him　you　were　planning　to　corrupt　my　youthful　innocence。〃　

I　snickered；　and　Mike　quickened　his　pace　to　keep　up　with　us。　

I　almost　wished　that　Mike　had　decided　to　bow　out。　He　was　still　sullen—not　much　of　an　addition　to　the　
party。　But　I　didn't　want　to　end　up　on　a　date　alone　with　Jacob；　either。　That　wouldn't　help　anything。　

The　movie　was　exactly　what　it　professed　to　be。　In　just　the　opening　credits；　four　people　got　blown　up　and　
one　got　beheaded。　The　girl　in　front　of　me　put　her　hands　over　her　eyes　and　turned　her　face　into　her　date's　
chest。　He　patted　her　shoulder；　and　winced　occasionally；　too。　Mike　didn't　look　like　he　was　watching。　His　
face　was　stiff　as　he　glared　toward　the　fringe　of　curtain　above　the　screen。　

I　settled　in　to　endure　the　two　hours；　watching　the　colors　and　the　movement　on　the　screen　rather　than　
seeing　the　shapes　of　people　and　cars　and　houses。　But　then　Jacob　started　sniggering。　

〃What？〃　I　whispered。　

〃Oh；　c'mon！〃　he　hissed　back。　〃The　blood　squirted　twenty　feet　out　of　that　guy。　How　fake　can　you　get？〃　

He　chuckled　again；　as　a　flagpole　speared　another　man　into　a　concrete　wall。　

After　that；　I　really　watched　the　show；　laughing　with　him　as　the　mayhem　got　more　and　more　ridiculous。　
How　was　I　ever　going　to　fight　the　blurring　lines　in　our　relationship　when　I　enjoyed　being　with　him　so　
much？　

Both　Jacob　and　Mike　had　claimed　the　armrests　on　either　side　of　me。　Both　of　their　hands　rested　lightly；　
palms　up；　in　an　unnatural　looking　position。　Like　steel　bear　traps；　open　and　ready。　Jacob　was　in　the　habit　
of　taking　my　hand　whenever　the　opportunity　presented　itself；　but　here　in　the　darkened　movie　theater；　with　
Mike　watching；　it　would　have　a　different　significance—and　I　was　sure　he　knew　that。　I　couldn't　believe　
that　Mike　was　thinking　the　same　thing；　but　his　hand　was　placed　exactly　like　Jacob's。　

I　folded　my　arms　tightly　across　my　chest　and　hoped　that　both　their　hands　fell　asleep。　

Mike　gave　up　first。　About　halfway　through　the　movie；　he　pulled　his　arm　back；　and　leaned　forward　to　put　
his　head　in　his　hands。　At　first　I　thought　he　was　reacting　to　something　on　the　screen；　but　then　he　moaned。　

〃Mike；　are　you　okay？〃　I　whispered。　

The　couple　in　front　of　us　turned　to　look　at　him　as　he　groaned　again。　

I　could　see　the　sheen　of　sweat　across　his　face　in　the　light　from　the　screen。　

Mike　groaned　again；　and　bolted　for　the　door。　I　got　up　to　follow　him；　and　Jacob　copied　me　immediately。　

〃No；　stay；〃　I　whispered。　〃I'll　make　sure　he's　okay。〃　

Jacob　came　with　me　anyway。　

〃You　don't　have　to　e。　Get　your　eight　bucks　worth　of　carnage；〃　I　insisted　as　we　walked　up　the　aisle。　

〃That's　okay。　You　sure　can　pick　them；　Bella。　This　movie　really　sucks。〃　His　voice　rose　from　a　whisper　to　
its　normal　pitch　as　we　walked　out　of　the　theater。　

There　was　no　sign　of　Mike　in　the　hallway；　and　I　was　glad　then　that　Jacob　had　e　with　me—he　ducked　
into　the　men's　bathroom　to　check　for　him　there。　

Jacob　was　back　in　a　few　seconds。　

〃Oh；　he's　in　there；　all　right；〃　he　said；　rolling　his　eyes。　〃What　a　marshmallow。　You　should　hold　out　for　
someone　with　a　stronger　stomach。　Someone　who　laughs　at　the　gore　that　makes　weaker　men　vomit。〃　

〃I'll　keep　my　eyes　open　for　someone　like　that。〃　

We　were　all　alone　in　the　hal