Сумерки

           Theyweren’ttalking,andtheyweren’teating,thoughtheyeachhadatrayofuntouchedfoodinfrontofthem.Theyweren’tgawkingatme,unlikemostoftheotherstudents,soitwassafetostareatthemwithoutfearofmeetinganexcessivelyinterestedpairofeyes.Butitwasnoneofthesethingsthatcaught,andheld,myattention.

           Theydidn’tlookanythingalike.Ofthethreeboys,onewasbig-muscledlikeaseriousweightlifter,withdark,curlyhair.Anotherwastaller,leaner,butstillmuscular,andhoneyblond.Thelastwaslanky,lessbulky,withuntidy,bronze-coloredhair.Hewasmoreboyishthantheothers,wholookedliketheycouldbeincollege,oreventeachershereratherthanstudents.

           Thegirlswereopposites.Thetallonewasstatuesque.Shehadabeautifulfigure,thekindyousawonthecoveroftheSportsIllustratedswimsuitissue,thekindthatmadeeverygirlaroundhertakeahitonherself-esteemjustbybeinginthesameroom.Herhairwasgolden,gentlywavingtothemiddleofherback.Theshortgirlwaspixielike,thinintheextreme,withsmallfeatures.Herhairwasadeepblack,croppedshortandpointingineverydirection.

           Andyet,theywereallexactlyalike.Everyoneofthemwaschalkypale,thepalestofallthestudentslivinginthissunlesstown.Palerthanme,thealbino.Theyallhadverydarkeyesdespitetherangeinhairtones.Theyalsohaddarkshadowsunderthoseeyes-purplish,bruiselikeshadows.Asiftheywereallsufferingfromasleeplessnight,oralmostdonerecoveringfromabrokennose.