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           Hesteppeduptothecounterandfilledatraywithfood.

           "Whatareyoudoing?"Iobjected."You’renotgettingallthatforme?"

           Heshookhishead,steppingforwardtobuythefood.

           "Halfisforme,ofcourse."

           Iraisedoneeyebrow.

           Heledthewaytothesameplacewe’dsatthatonetimebefore.Fromtheotherendofthelongtable,agroupofseniorsgazedatusinamazementaswesatacrossfromeachother.Edwardseemedoblivious.

           "Takewhateveryouwant,"hesaid,pushingthetraytowardme.

           "I’mcurious,"IsaidasIpickedupanapple,turningitaroundinmyhands,"whatwouldyoudoifsomeonedaredyoutoeatfood?"

           "You’realwayscurious."Hegrimaced,shakinghishead.Heglaredatme,holdingmyeyesasheliftedthesliceofpizzaoffthetray,anddeliberatelybitoffamouthful,chewedquickly,andthenswallowed.Iwatched,eyeswide.

           "Ifsomeonedaredyoutoeatdirt,youcould,couldn’tyou?"heaskedcondescendingly.

           Iwrinkledmynose."Ididonce...onadare,"Iadmitted."Itwasn’tsobad."

           Helaughed."IsupposeI’mnotsurprised."Somethingovermyshoulderseemedtocatchhisattention.

           "Jessica’sanalyzingeverythingIdo-she’llbreakitdownforyoulater."Hepushedtherestofthepizzatowardme.ThementionofJessicabroughtahintofhisformerirritationbacktohisfeatures.

           Iputdowntheappleandtookabiteofthepizza,lookingaway,knowinghewasabouttostart.

           "Sothewaitresswaspretty,wasshe?"heaskedcasually.

           "Youreallydidn’tnotice?"

           "No.Iwasn’tpayingattention.Ihadalotonmymind."