2 new+moon新月- 第52部分

My　voice　was　lifeless。　〃Sam　Uley　says　Jacob　can't　be　my　friend　anymore。〃　

Charlie　shot　me　a　strange　look。　〃Who　told　you　that？〃　

〃Jacob；〃　I　stated；　though　that　wasn't　exactly　what　he'd　said。　It　was　still　true。　

Charlie's　eyebrows　pulled　together。　〃You　really　think　there's　something　wrong　with　the　Uley　kid？〃　

〃I　know　there　is。　Jacob　wouldn't　tell　me　what；　though。〃　I　could　hear　the　water　from　my　clothes　dripping　
to　the　floor　and　splashing　on　the　linoleum。　〃I'm　going　to　go　change。〃　

Charlie　was　lost　in　thought。　〃Okay；〃　he　said　absently。　

I　decided　to　take　a　shower　because　I　was　so　cold；　but　the　hot　water　didn't　seem　to　affect　the　
temperature　of　my　skin。　I　was　still　freezing　when　I　gave　up　and　shut　the　water　off。　In　the　sudden　quiet；　I　
could　hear　Charlie　talking　to　someone　downstairs。　I　wrapped　a　towel　around　me；　and　cracked　the　
bathroom　door。　

Charlie's　voice　was　angry。　〃I'm　not　buying　that。　It　doesn't　make　any　sense。〃　

It　was　quiet　then；　and　I　realized　he　was　on　the　phone。　A　minute　passed。　

〃Don't　you　put　this　on　Bella！〃　Charlie　suddenly　shouted。　

I　jumped。　When　he　spoke　again；　his　voice　was　careful　and　lower。　〃Bella's　made　it　very　clear　all　along　that　

she　and　Jacob　were　just　friends…　Well；　if　that　was　it；　then　why　didn't　you　say　so　at　first？　No；　Billy；　I　
think　she's　right　about　this…　Because　I　know　my　daughter；　and　if　she　says　Jacob　was　scared　before—〃　
He　was　cut　off　midsentence；　and　when　he　answered　he　was　almost　shouting　again。　

〃What　do　you　mean　I　don't　know　my　daughter　as　well　as　I　think　I　do！〃　He　listened　for　a　brief　second；　
and　his　response　was　almost　too　low　for　me　to　hear。　〃If　you　think　I'm　going　to　remind　her　about　that；　then　
you　had　better　think　again。　She's　only　just　starting　to　get　over　it；　and　mostly　because　of　Jacob；　I　think。　If　
whatever　Jacob　has　going　on　with　this　Sam　character　sends　her　back　into　that　depression；　then　Jacob　is　
going　to　have　to　answer　to　me。　You're　my　friend；　Billy；　but　this　is　hurting　my　family。〃　

There　was　another　break　for　Billy　to　respond。　

〃You　got　that　right—those　boys　set　one　toe　out　of　line　and　I'm　going　to　know　about　it。　We'll　be　keeping　
an　eye　on　the　situation；　you　can　be　sure　of　that。〃　He　was　no　longer　Charlie；　he　was　Chief　Swan　now。　

〃Fine。　Yeah。　Goodbye。〃　The　phone　slammed　into　the　cradle。　

I　tiptoed　quickly　across　the　hall　into　my　room。　Charlie　was　muttering　angrily　in　the　kitchen。　

So　Billy　was　going　to　blame　me。　I　was　leading　Jacob　on　and　he'd　finally　had　enough。　

It　was　strange；　for　I'd　feared　that　myself；　but　after　the　last　thing　Jacob　had　said　this　afternoon；　I　didn't　
believe　it　anymore。　There　was　much　more　to　this　than　an　unrequited　crush；　and　it　surprised　me　that　Billy　
would　stoop　to　claiming　that。　It　made　me　think　that　whatever　secret　they　were　keeping　was　bigger　than　
I'd　been　imagining。　At　least　Charlie　was　on　my　side　now。　

I　put　my　pajamas　on　and　crawled　into　bed。　Life　seemed　dark　enough　at　the　moment　chat　I　let　myself　
cheat。　The　hole—holes　now—were　already　aching；　so　why　not？　I　pulled　out　the　memory—nor　a　real　
memory　that　would　hurt　too　much；　but　the　false　memory　of　Edward's　voice　in　my　mind　this　
afternoon—and　played　it　over　and　over　in　my　head　until　I　fell　asleep　with　the　tears　still　streaming　calmly　
down　my　empty　face。　

It　was　a　new　dream　tonight。　Rain　was　falling　and　Jacob　was　walking　soundlessly　beside　me；　though　
beneath　my　feet　the　ground　crunched　like　dry　gravel。　But　he　wasn't　my　Jacob；　he　was　the　new；　bitter；　
graceful　Jacob。　The　smooth　suppleness　of　his　walk　reminded　me　of　someone　else；　and；　as　I　watched；　his　
features　started　to　change。　The　russet　color　of　his　skin　leached　away；　leaving　his　face　pale　white　like　
bone。　His　eyes　turned　gold；　and　then　crimson；　and　then　back　to　gold　again。　His　shorn　hair　twisted　in　the　
breeze；　turning　bronze　where　the　wind　touched　it。　And　his　face　became　so　beautiful　that　it　shattered　my　
heart。　I　reached　for　him；　but　he　took　a　step　away；　raising　his　hands　like　a　shield。　And　then　Edward　
vanished。　

I　wasn't　sure；　when　I　woke　in　the　dark；　if　I'd　just　begun　crying；　or　if　my　tears　had　run　while　I　slept　and　
simply　continued　now。　I　stared　at　my　dark　ceiling。　I　could　feel　that　it　was　the　middle　of　the　night—I　was　
still　halfasleep；　maybe　more　than　half。　I　closed　my　eyes　wearily　and　prayed　for　a　dreamless　sleep。　

That's　when　I　heard　the　noise　that　must　have　wakened　me　in　the　first　place。　Something　sharp　scraped　
along　the　length　of　my　window　with　a　highpitched　squeal；　like　fingernails　against　the　glass。　

12。　INTRUDER　

MY　EYES　FLEW　WIDE　OPEN　WITH　FRIGHT；　THOUGH　I　WAS　so　exhausted　and　muddled　that　I　
was　not　yet　positive　whether　I　was　awake　or　asleep。　

Something　scratched　against　my　window　again　with　the　same　thin；　highpitched　sound。　

Confused　and　clumsy　with　sleep；　I　stumbled　out　of　my　bed　and　to　the　window；　blinking　the　lingering　tears　
from　my　eyes　on　the　way。　

A　huge；　dark　shape　wobbled　erratically　on　the　other　side　of　the　glass；　lurching　toward　me　like　it　was　
going　to　smash　right　through。　I　staggered　back；　terrified；　my　throat　closing　around　a　scream。　

Victoria。　

She'd　e　for　me。　

I　was　dead。　

Not　Charlie；　too！　

I　choked　back　the　building　scream。　I　would　have　to　keep　quiet　through　this。　Somehow。　I　had　to　keep　
Charlie　from　ing　to　investigate…　

And　then　a　familiar；　husky　voice　called　from　the　dark　shape。　

〃Bella！〃　it　hissed。　〃Ouch！　Damn　it；　open　the　window！　OUCH！〃　

I　needed　two　seconds　to　shake　off　the　horror　before　I　could　move；　but　then　I　hurried　to　the　window　and　
shoved　the　glass　out　of　the　way。　The　clouds　were　dimly　lit　from　behind；　enough　for　me　to　make　sense　of　
the　shapes。　

〃What　are　you　doing？〃　I　gasped。　

Jacob　was　clinging　precariously　to　the　top　of　the　spruce　that　grew　in　the　middle　of　Charlie's　little　front　
yard。　His　weight　had　bowed　the　tree　toward　the　house　and　he　now　swung—his　legs　dangling　twenty　feet　
above　the　ground—not　a　yard　away　from　me。　The　thin　branches　at　the　tip　of　the　tree　scraped　against　the　
side　of　the　house　again　with　a　grating　squeal。　

〃I'm　trying　to　keep〃—he　huffed；　shifting　his　weight　as　the　treetop　bounced　him—〃my　promise！〃　

I　blinked　my　wet　blurry　eyes；　suddenly　sure　that　I　was　dreaming。　

〃When　did　you　ever　promise　to　kill　yourself　falling　out　of　Charlie's　tree？〃　

He　snorted；　unamused；　swinging　his　legs　to　improve　his　balance。　〃Get　out　of　the　way；〃　he　ordered。　

〃What？〃　

He　swung　his　legs　again；　backwards　and　forward；　increasing　his　momentum。　I　realized　what　he　was　ttying　
to　do。　

〃No；　Jake！〃　

But　I　ducked　to　the　side；　aecause　it　was　too　late。　With　a　grunt；　he　launched　himself　toward　my　open　
window。　

Another　scream　built　in　my　throat　as　I　waited　for　him　to　fall　to　his　death—or　at　least　maim　himself　against　

the　wooden　siding。　To　my　shock；　he　swung　agilely　into　my　room；　landing　on　the　balls　of　his　feet　with　a　
low　thud。　

We　both　looked　to　the　door　automatically；　holding　our　breath；　waiting　to　see　if　the　noise　had　woken　
Charlie。　A　short　moment　of　silence　passed；　and　then　we　heard　the　muffled　sound　of　Charlie's　snore。　

A　wide　grin　spread　slowly　across　Jacob's　face；　he　seemed　extreme