5 midnigh+sun-第2节
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have asked about us。
Everyone's looking at me today； too； Jessica thought smugly in an aside。 Isn't it
lucky Bella had two classes with me？I'll bet Mike will want to ask me what she's—
I tried to block the inane chatter out of my head before the petty and the trivial
could drive me mad。
〃Jessica Stanley is giving the new Swan girl all the dirty laundry on the Cullen
clan；〃 I murmured to Emmett as a distraction。
He chuckled under his breath。 I hope she's making it good； he thought。
〃Rather unimaginative； actually。 Just the barest hint of scandal。 Not an ounce of
horror。 I'm a little disappointed。〃
And the new girl？ Is she disappointed in the gossip as well？
I listened to hear what this new girl； Bella； thought of Jessica's story。 What did
she see when she looked at the strange； chalky…skinned family that was universally
avoided？
It was sort of my responsibility to know her reaction。 I acted as a lookout； for
lack of a better word； for my family。 To protect us。 If anyone ever grew suspicious； I
could give us early warning and an easy retreat。 It happened occasionally—some human
with an active imagination would see in us the characters of a book or a movie。 Usually
they got it wrong； but it was better to move on somewhere new than to risk scrutiny。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
6
Very； very rarely； someone would guess right。 We didn't give them a chance to test their
hypothesis。 We simply disappeared； to become no more than a frightening memory？
I heard nothing； though I listened close beside where Jessica's frivolous internal
monologue continued to gush。 It was as if there was no one sitting beside her。 How
peculiar； had the girl moved？ That didn't seem likely； as Jessica was still babbling to her。
I looked up to check； feeling off…balance。 Checking on what my extra 'hearing' could tell
me—it wasn't something I ever had to do。
Again； my gaze locked on those same wide brown eyes。 She was sitting right
where she had been before； and looking at us； a natural thing to be doing； I supposed； as
Jessica was still regaling her with the local gossip about the Cullens。
Thinking about us； too； would be natural。
But I couldn't hear a whisper。
Inviting warm red stained her cheeks as she looked down； away from the
embarrassing gaffe of getting caught staring at a stranger。 It was good that Jasper was
still gazing out the window。 I didn't like to imagine what that easy pooling of blood
would do to his control。
The emotions had been as clear on her face as if they were spelled out in words
across her forehead： surprise； as she unknowingly absorbed the signs of the subtle
differences between her kind and mine； curiosity； as she listened to Jessica's tale； and
something more？fascination？ It wouldn't be the first time。 We were beautiful to them；
our intended prey。 Then； finally； embarrassment as I caught her staring at me。
And yet； though her thoughts had been so clear in her odd eyes—odd； because of
the depth to them； brown eyes often seemed flat in their darkness—I could hear nothing
but silence from the place she was sitting。 Nothing at all。
I felt a moment of unease。
This was nothing I'd ever encountered before。 Was there something wrong with
me？ I felt exactly the same as I always did。 Worried； I listened harder。
All the voices I'd been blocking were suddenly shouting in my head。
？wonder what music she likes？maybe I could mention that new CD？ Mike
Newton was thinking； two tables away—fixated on Bella Swan。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
7
Look at him staring at her。 Isn't it enough that he has half the girls in school
waiting for him to？ Eric Yorkie was thinking sulfurous thoughts； also revolving around
the girl。
？so disgusting。 You'd think she was famous or something？ Even Edward
Cullen； staring？ Lauren Mallory was so jealous that her face； by all rights； should be
dark jade in color。 And Jessica； flaunting her new best friend。 What a joke？ Vitriol
continued to spew from the girl's thoughts。
？I bet everyone has asked her that。 But I'd like to talk to her。 I'll think of a
more original question？ Ashley Dowling mused。
？maybe she'll be in my Spanish？ June Richardson hoped。
？tons left to do tonight！ Trig； and the English test。 I hope my mom？ Angela
Weber； a quiet girl； whose thoughts were unusually kind； was the only one at the table
who wasn't obsessed with this Bella。
I could hear them all； hear every insignificant thing they were thinking as it
passed through their minds。 But nothing at all from the new student with the deceptively
communicative eyes。
And； of course； I could hear what the girl said when she spoke to Jessica。 I didn't
have to read minds to be able to hear her low； clear voice on the far side of the long room。
〃Which one is the boy with the reddish brown hair？〃 I heard her ask； sneaking a
look at me from the corner of her eye； only to look quickly away when she saw that I was
still staring。
If I'd had time to hope that hearing the sound of her voice would help me pinpoint
the tone of her thoughts； lost somewhere where I couldn't access them； I was instantly
disappointed。 Usually； people's thoughts came to them in a similar pitch as their physical
voices。 But this quiet； shy voice was unfamiliar； not one of the hundreds of thoughts
bouncing around the room； I was sure of that。 Entirely new。
Oh； good luck； idiot！ Jessica thought before answering the girl's question。
〃That's Edward。 He's gorgeous； of course； but don't waste your time。 He doesn't date。
Apparently none of the girls here are good…looking enough for him。〃 She sniffed。
I turned my head away to hide my smile。 Jessica and her classmates had no idea
how lucky they were that none of them particularly appealed to me。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
8
Beneath the transient humor； I felt a strange impulse； one I did not clearly
understand。 It had something to do with the vicious edge to Jessica's thoughts that the
new girl was unaware of？ I felt the strangest urge to step in between them； to shield this
Bella Swan from the darker workings of Jessica's mind。 What an odd thing to feel。
Trying to ferret out the motivations behind the impulse； I examined the new girl one more
time。
Perhaps it was just some long buried protective instinct—the strong for the weak。
This girl looked more fragile than her new classmates。 Her skin was so translucent it was
hard to believe it offered her much defense from the outside world。 I could see the
rhythmic pulse of blood through her veins under the clear； pale membrane？ But I
should not concentrate on that。 I was good at this life I'd chosen； but I was just as thirsty
as Jasper and there was no point in inviting temptation。
There was a faint crease between her eyebrows that she seemed unaware of。
It was unbelievable frustrating！ I could clearly see that it was a strain for her to
sit there； to make conversation with strangers； to be the center of attention。 I could sense
her shyness from the way she held her frail…looking shoulders； slightly hunched； as if she
was expecting a rebuff at any moment。 And yet I could only sense； could only see； could
only imagine。 There was nothing but silence from the very unexceptional human girl。 I
could hear nothing。 Why？
〃Shall we？〃 Rosalie murmured； interrupting my focus。
I looked away from the girl with a sense of relief。 I didn't want to continue to fail
at this—it irritated me。 And I didn't want to develop any interest in her hidden thoughts
simply because they were hidden from me。 No doubt； when I did decipher her
thoughts—and I would find a way to do so—they would be just as petty and trivial as any
human's thoughts。 Not worth the effort I would expend to reach them。
〃So； is the new one afraid of us yet？〃 Emmett asked； still waiting for my response
to his question before。
I shrugged。 He wasn't interested enough to press for a more information。 Nor
should I be interested。
We got up from the table and walked out of the cafeteria。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
9
Emmett； Rosalie； and Jasper were pretending to be seniors； they left for their
classes。 I was playing a younger role than they。 I headed off for my junior level biology
class； preparing my mind for the tedium。 It was doubtful Mr。 Banner； a man of no more
than average intellect； would manage to pull out anything in his lecture that would
surprise someone holding two graduate degrees in medicine。
In the classroom； I settled into my chair and let my books—props； again； they
held nothing I didn't already know—spill across the table。 I was the only student who
had a table to himself。 The humans weren't smart enough to know that they feared me；
but their survival instincts were enough to keep them away。
The room slowly filled as they trickled in from lunch。 I leaned back in my chair
and waited for the time to pass。 Again； I wished I was able to sleep。
Because I'd been thinking about her； when Angela Weber escorted the new girl
through the door； her name intruded on my attention。
Bella seems just as shy as me。 I'll bet today is really
