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           "Ohyeah-that’sdueThursday,right?"

           "Um,Wednesday,Ithink."

           "Wednesday?"Hefrowned."That’snotgood...Whatareyouwritingyourson?"

           "WhetherShakespeare’streatmentofthefemalecharactersismisogynistic."

           HestaredatmelikeI’djustspokeninpigLatin.

           "IguessI’llhavetogettoworkonthattonight,"hesaid,deflated."Iwasgoingtoaskifyouwantedtogoout."

           "Oh."Iwastakenoffguard.Whycouldn’tIeverhaveapleasantconversationwithMikeanymorewithoutitgettingawkward?

           "Well,wecouldgotodinnerorsomething...andIcouldworkonitlater."Hesmiledatmehopefully.

           "Mike..."Ihatedbeingputonthespot."Idon’tthinkthatwouldbethebestidea."

           Hisfacefell."Why?"heasked,hiseyesguarded.MythoughtsflickeredtoEdward,wonderingifthat’swherehisthoughtswereaswell.

           "Ithink...andifyoueverrepeatwhatI’msayingrightnowIwillcheerfullybeatyoutodeath,"Ithreatened,"butIthinkthatwouldhurtJessica’sfeelings."

           Hewasbewildered,obviouslynotthinkinginthatdirectionatall."Jessica?"

           "Really,Mike,areyoublind?"

           "Oh,"heexhaled-clearlydazed.Itookadvantageofthattomakemyescape.

           "It’stimeforclass,andIcan’tbelateagain."Igatheredmybooksupandstuffedtheminmybag.

           Wewalkedinsilencetobuildingthree,andhisexpressionwas

           distracted.Ihopedwhateverthoughtshewasimmersedinwereleadinghimintherightdirection.

           WhenIsawJessicainTrig,shewasbubblingwithenthusiasm.