Сумерки

           ButIonlythoughtofthatexcuselater.Atthetime,allIcouldthinkwas,’Nother.’"

           Heclosedhiseyes,lostinhisagonizedconfession.Ilistened,moreeagerthanrational.CommonsensetoldmeIshouldbeterrified.Instead,Iwasrelievedtofinallyunderstand.AndIwasfilledwithcompassionforhissuffering,evennow,asheconfessedhiscravingtotakemylife.

           Ifinallywasabletospeak,thoughmyvoicewasfaint."Inthehospital?"

           Hiseyesflasheduptomine."Iwasappalled.Icouldn’tbelieveIhadputusindangerafterall,putmyselfinyourpower-youofallpeople.AsifIneededanothermotivetokillyou."Webothflinchedasthatwordslippedout."Butithadtheoppositeeffect,"hecontinuedquickly."IfoughtwithRosalie,Emmett,andJasperwhentheysuggestedthatnowwasthetime...theworstfightwe’veeverhad.Carlislesidedwithme,andAlice."Hegrimacedwhenhesaidhername.Icouldn’timaginewhy."EsmetoldmetodowhateverIhadtoinordertostay."Heshookhisheadindulgently.

           "AllthatnextdayIeavesdroppedonthemindsofeveryoneyouspoketo,shockedthatyoukeptyourword.Ididn’tunderstandyouatall.ButIknewthatIcouldn’tbecomemoreinvolvedwithyou.Ididmyverybesttostayasfarfromyouaspossible.Andeverydaytheperfumeofyourskin,yourbreath,yourhair...ithitmeashardastheveryfirstday."

           Hemetmyeyesagain,andtheyweresurprisinglytender.