Сумерки

           "Youdon’twanttohearit,"Imumbled,almostwhispered.Assoonasthewordswereout,Iregrettedthem.Thepaininmyvoicewasveryfaint;Icouldonlyhopehehadn’tnoticedit.

           Hedidn’trespond,andIwonderedifIhadruinedthemood.Hisfacewasunreadableaswedroveintotheschoolparkinglot.Somethingoccurredtomebelatedly.

           "Where’stherestofyourfamily?"Iasked-morethangladtobealonewithhim,butrememberingthathiscarwasusuallyfull.

           "TheytookRosalie’scar."Heshruggedasheparkednexttoaglossyredconvertiblewiththetopup."Ostentatious,isn’tit?"

           "Um,wow,"Ibreathed."Ifshehasthat,whydoessheridewithyou?"

           "LikeIsaid,it’sostentatious.Wetrytoblendin."

           "Youdon’tsucceed."Ilaughedandshookmyheadaswegotoutofthecar.Iwasn’tlateanymore;hislunaticdrivinghadgottenmetoschoolinplentyoftime."SowhydidRosaliedrivetodayifit’smoreconspicuous?"

           "Hadn’tyounoticed?I’mbreakingalltherulesnow."Hemetmeatthefrontofthecar,stayingveryclosetomysideaswewalkedontocampus.Iwantedtoclosethatlittledistance,toreachoutandtouchhim,butIwasafraidhewouldn’tlikemeto.

           "Whydoyouhavecarslikethatatall?"Iwonderedaloud."Ifyou’relookingforprivacy?"

           "Anindulgence,"headmittedwithanimpishsmile."Weallliketodrivefast."

           "Figures,"Imutteredundermybreath.

           Undertheshelterofthecafeteriaroof’soverhang,Jessicawaswaiting,hereyesabouttobugoutoftheirsockets.Overherarm,blessher,wasmyjacket.