Сумерки

           "Heshookhishead,andthenseemedtoremembersomething."Well,nottotallyunscathed."

           "What?"

           "Yourhands,"heremindedme.Ilookeddownatmypalms,atthealmost-healedscrapesacrosstheheelsofmyhands.Hiseyesmissednothing.

           "Ifell,"Isighed.

           "That’swhatIthought."Hislipscurvedupatthecorners."Isuppose,beingyou,itcouldhavebeenmuchworse-andthatpossibilitytormentedmetheentiretimeIwasaway.Itwasaverylongthreedays.IreallygotonEmmett’snerves."Hesmiledruefullyatme.

           "Threedays?Didn’tyoujustgetbacktoday?"

           "No,wegotbackSunday."

           "Thenwhyweren’tanyofyouinschool?"Iwasfrustrated,almostangryasIthoughtofhowmuchdisappointmentIhadsufferedbecauseofhisabsence.

           "Well,youaskedifthesunhurtme,anditdoesn’t.ButIcan’tgooutinthesunlight-atleast,notwhereanyonecansee."

           "Why?"

           "I’llshowyousometime,"hepromised.

           Ithoughtaboutitforamoment.

           "Youmighthavecalledme,"Idecided.

           Hewaspuzzled."ButIknewyouweresafe."

           "ButIdidn’tknowwhereyouwere.I-"Ihesitated,droppingmyeyes.

           "What?"Hisvelvetyvoicewascompelling.

           "Ididn’tlikeit.Notseeingyou.Itmakesmeanxious,too."Iblushedtobesayingthisoutloud.

           Hewasquiet.Iglancedup,apprehensive,andsawthathisexpressionwaspained.

           "Ah,"hegroanedquietly."Thisiswrong."

           Icouldn’tunderstandhisresponse."WhatdidIsay?"

           "Don’tyousee,Bella?It’sonethingformetomakemyselfmiserable,butawhollyotherthingforyoutobesoinvolved.