2 new+moon新月- 第38部分

〃I　hope　we　see　the　bear　tomorrow。　I'm　sort　of　disappointed　about　that。〃　

〃Yes；　me；　too；〃　I　agreed　sarcastically。　〃Maybe　we'll　get　lucky　tomorrow　and　something　will　eat　us！〃　

〃Bears　don't　want　to　eat　people。　We　don't　taste　that　good。〃　He　grinned　at　me　in　the　dark　cab。　〃Of　
course；　you　might　be　an　exception。　I　bet　you'd　taste　good。〃　

〃Thanks　so　much；〃　I　said；　looking　away。　He　wasn't　the　first　person　to　tell　me　that。　

9。　THIRD　WHEEL　

TIME　BEGAN　TO　TRIP　ALONG　MUCH　MORE　QUICKLY　than　before。　School；　work；　and　
Jacob—though　not　necessarily　in　that　order—created　a　neat　and　effortless　pattern　to　follow。　And　Charlie　
got　his　wish：　I　wasn't　miserable　anymore。　Of　course；　I　couldn't　fool　myself　pletely。　When　I　stopped　
to　take　stock　of　my　life；　which　I　tried　not　to　do　too　often；　I　couldn't　ignore　the　implications　of　my　
behavior。　

I　was　like　a　lost　moon—my　pla　destroyed　in　some　cataclysmic；　disastermovie　scenario　of　
desolation—that　continued；　nevertheless；　to　circle　in　a　tight　little　orbit　around　the　empty　space　left　behind；　
ignoring　the　laws　of　gravity。　

I　was　getting　better　with　my　bike；　which　meant　fewer　bandages　to　worry　Charlie。　But　it　also　meant　that　
the　voice　in　my　head　began　to　fade；　until　I　heard　it　no　more。　Quietly；　I　panicked。　I　threw　myself　into　the　
search　for　the　meadow　with　slightly　frenzied　intensity。　I　racked　my　brain　for　other　adrenalineproducing　
activities。　

I　didn't　keep　track　of　the　days　：hat　passed—there　was　no　reason；　as　I　tried　to　live　as　much　in　the　present　
as　possible；　no　past　fading；　no　future　impending。　So　I　was　surprised　by　the　date　when　Jacob　brought　it　
up　on　one　of　our　homework　days。　He　was　waiting　when　I　pulled　up　in　front　of　his　house。　

〃Happy　Valentine's　Day；〃　Jacob　said；　smiling；　but　ducking　his　head　as　he　greeted　me。　

He　held　out　a　small；　pink　box；　balancing　it　on　his　palm。　Conversation　hearts。　

〃Well；　I　feel　like　a　schmuck；〃　I　mumbled。　〃Is　today　Valentine's　Day？〃　

Jacob　shook　his　head　with　mock　sadness。　〃You　can　be　so　out　of　it　sometimes。　Yes；　it　is　the　fourteenth　
day　of　February。　So　are　you　going　to　be　my　Valentine？　Since　you　didn't　get　me　a　fiftycent　box　of　candy；　
it's　the　least　you　can　do。〃　

I　started　to　feel　unfortable。　The　words　were　teasing；　but　only　on　the　surface。　

〃What　exactly　does　that　entail？〃　I　hedged。　

〃The　usual—slave　for　life；　that　kind　of　thing。〃　

〃Oh；　well；　if　that's　all…〃　I　took　the　candy。　But　I　was　trying　to　think　of　some　way　to　make　the　boundaries　
clear。　Again。　They　seemed　to　get　blurred　a　lot　with　Jacob。　

〃So；　what　are　we　doing　tomorrow？　Hiking；　or　the　ER？〃　

〃Hiking；〃　I　decided。　〃You're　not　the　only　one　who　can　be　obsessive。　I'm　starting　to　think　I　imagined　that　
place…〃　I　frowned　into　space。　

〃We'll　find　it；〃　he　assured　me。　〃Bikes　Friday？〃　he　offered。　

I　saw　a　chance　and　took　it　without　taking　time　to　think　it　through。　

〃I'm　going　to　a　movie　Friday。　I've　been　promising　my　cafeteria　crowd　that　I　would　go　out　forever。〃　Mike　
would　be　pleased。　

But　Jacob's　face　fell。　I　caught　the　expression　in　his　dark　eyes　before　he　dropped　them　to　look　at　the　
ground。　

〃You'll　e　too；　right？〃　I　added　quickly。　〃Or　will　it　be　too　much　of　a　drag　with　a　bunch　of　boring　
seniors？〃　So　much　for　my　chance　to　put　some　distance　between　us。　I　couldn't　stand　hurting　Jacob；　we　

seemed　to　be　connected　in　an　odd　way；　and　his　pain　set　off　little　stabs　of　my　own。　Also；　the　idea　of　
having　his　pany　for　the　ordeal—I　had　promised　Mike；　but　really　didn't　feel　any　enthusiasm　at　the　
thought　of　following　through—was　just　too　tempting。　

〃You'd　like　me　to　e；　with　your　friends　there？〃　

〃Yes；〃　I　admitted　honestly；　knowing　as　I　continued　that　I　was　probably　shooting　myself　in　the　foot　with　
my　words。　〃I'll　have　a　lot　more　fun　if　you're　there。　Bring　Quil；　and　we'll　make　it　a　party。〃　

〃Quil's　gonna　freak。　Senior　girls。〃　He　chortled　and　rolled　his　eyes。　I　didn't　mention　Embry；　and　neither　did　
he。　I　laughed；　too。　〃I'll　try　to　get　hin　a　good　selection。〃　

I　broached　the　subject　with　Mike　in　English。　

〃Hey；　Mike；〃　I　said　when　class　was　over。　〃Are　you　free　Friday　night？〃　

He　looked　up；　his　blue　eyes　instantly　hopeful。　〃Yeah；　I　am。　You　want　to　go　out？〃　

I　worded　my　reply　carefully。　〃I　was　thinking　about　getting　a　group〃—I　emphasized　the　word—〃together　
to　go　see　Crosshairs。〃　I'd　done　my　homework　this　time—even　reading　the　movie　spoilers　to　be　sure　I　
wouldn't　be　caught　off　guard。　This　movie　was　supposed　to　be　a　bloodbath　from　start　to　finish。　I　wasn't　so　
recovered　that　I　could　stand　to　sit　through　a　romance。　〃Does　that　sound　like　fun？〃　

〃Sure；〃　he　agreed；　visibly　less　eager。　

〃Cool。〃　

After　a　second；　he　perked　back　up　to　near　his　former　excitement　level。　〃How　about　we　get　Angela　and　
Ben？　Or　Eric　and　Katie？〃　

He　was　determined　to　make　this　some　kind　of　double　date；　apparently。　

〃How　about　both？〃　I　suggested　〃And　Jessica；　too；　of　course。　And　Tyler　and　Conner；　and　maybe　
Lauren；〃　I　tacked　on　grudgingly。　I　had　promised　Quil　variety。　

〃Okay；〃　Mike　muttered；　foiled。　

〃And；〃　I　continued；　〃I've　got　a　couple　of　friends　from　La　Push　I'm　inviting。　So　it　sounds　like　we'll　need　
your　Suburban　if　everyone　es。〃　

Mike's　eyes　narrowed　in　suspicion。　

〃These　are　the　friends　you　spend　all　your　time　studying　with　now？〃　

〃Yep；　the　very　ones；〃　I　answered　cheerfully。　〃Though　you　could　look　at　it　as　tutoring—they're　only　
sophomores。〃　

〃Oh；〃　Mike　said；　surprised。　After　a　second　of　thought；　he　smiled。　

In　the　end；　though；　the　Suburban　wasn't　necessary。　

Jessica　and　Lauren　claimed　to　be　busy　as　soon　as　Mike　let　it　slip　that　I　was　involved　in　the　planning。　Eric　
and　Katie　already　had　plans—it　was　their　threeweek　anniversary　or　something。　Lauren　got　to　Tyler　and　
Conner　before　Mike　could；　so　those　two　were　also　busy。　Even　Quil　was　out—grounded　for　fighting　at　
school。　In　the　end；　only　Angela　and　Ben；　and；　of　course　Jacob；　were　able　to　go。　

The　diminished　numbers　didn't　dampen　Mike's　anticipation；　though。　It　was　all　he　could　talk　about　Friday。　

〃Are　you　sure　you　don't　want　to　see　Tomorrow　and　Forever　instead？〃　he　asked　at　lunch；　naming　the　
current　romantic　edy　that　was　ruling　the　box　office。　〃Rotten　Tomatoes　gave　it　a　better　review。〃　

〃I　want　to　see　Crosshairs〃　I　insisted。　〃I'm　in　the　mood　for　action。　Bring　on　the　blood　and　guts！〃　

〃Okay。〃　Mike　turned　away；　but　not　before　I　saw　his　maybeshe'scrazyafterall　expression。　

When　I　got　home　from　school；　a　very　familiar　car　was　parked　in　front　of　my　house。　Jacob　was　leaning　
against　the　hood；　a　huge　grin　lighting　up　his　face。　

〃No　way！〃　I　shouted　as　I　jumped　out　of　the　truck。　〃You're　done！　I　can't　believe　it！　You　finished　the　
Rabbit！〃　

He　beamed。　〃Just　last　night。　This　is　the　maiden　voyage。〃　

〃Incredible。〃　I　held　my　hand　up　for　a　high　five。　

He　smacked　his　hand　against　mine；　but　left　it　there；　twisting　his　fingers　through　mine。　〃So　do　I　get　to　drive　
tonight？〃　

〃Definitely；〃　I　said；　and　then　I　sighed。　

〃What's　wrong？〃　

〃I'm　giving　up—I　can't　top　this　one。　So　you　win。　You're　oldest。〃　

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

Mike's　Suburban　chugged　around　the　cor