Сумерки

           Itriedtoturnawayfromhimagain,butheheldmefast.

           "Youweremad,"Iinsisted.

           "Yes."

           "Butyoujustsaid-"

           "ThatIwasn’tmadatyou.Can’tyouseethat,Bella?"Hewassuddenlyintense,alltraceofteasinggone."Don’tyouunderstand?"

           "Seewhat?"Idemanded,confusedbyhissuddenmoodswingasmuchashiswords.

           "I’mneverangrywithyou-howcouldIbe?Brave,trusting...warmasyouare."

           "Thenwhy?"Iwhispered,rememberingtheblackmoodsthatpulledhimawayfromme,thatI’dalwaysinterpretedaswell-justifiedfrustration-frustrationatmyweakness,myslowness,myunrulyhumanreactions...

           Heputhishandscarefullyonbothsidesofmyface."Iinfuriatemyself,"hesaidgently."ThewayIcan’tseemtokeepfromputtingyouindanger.Myveryexistenceputsyouatrisk.SometimesItrulyhatemyself.Ishouldbestronger,Ishouldbeableto-"

           Iplacedmyhandoverhismouth."Don’t."

           Hetookmyhand,movingitfromhislips,butholdingittohisface.

           "Iloveyou,"hesaid."It’sapoorexcuseforwhatI’mdoing,butit’sstilltrue."

           Itwasthefirsttimehe’dsaidhelovedme-insomanywords.Hemightnotrealizeit,butIcertainlydid.

           "Now,pleasetrytobehaveyourself,"hecontinued,andhebenttosoftlybrushhislipsagainstmine.

           Iheldproperlystill.ThenIsighed.

           "YoupromisedChiefSwanthatyouwouldhavemehomeearly,remember?We’dbettergetgoing."

           "Yes,ma’am."

           Hesmiledwistfullyandreleasedallofmebutonehand.