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           "Ididn’trealizeyouwerestillsoboredwithsmall-townlife,"hesaidconversationally,andIknewhewastryingtodistractme."Itseemedlikeyouwereadjustingfairlywell-especiallyrecently.MaybeIwasjustflatteringmyselfthatIwasmakinglifemoreinterestingforyou."

           "Iwasn’tbeingnice,"Iconfessed,ignoringhisattemptatdiversion,lookingdownatmyknees."Thatwasthesamethingmymomsaidwhenshelefthim.YoucouldsayIwashittingbelowthebelt."

           "Don’tworry.He’llforgiveyou."Hesmiledalittle,thoughitdidn’ttouchhiseyes.

           Istaredathimdesperately,andhesawthenakedpanicinmyeyes.

           "Bella,it’sgoingtobeallright."

           "Butitwon’tbeallrightwhenI’mnotwithyou,"Iwhispered.

           "We’llbetogetheragaininafewdays,"hesaid,tighteninghisarmaroundme."Don’tforgetthatthiswasyouridea."

           "Itwasthebestidea-ofcourseitwasmine."

           Hisansweringsmilewasbleakanddisappearedimmediately.

           "Whydidthishappen?"Iasked,myvoicecatching."Whyme?"

           Hestaredblacklyattheroadahead."It’smyfault-Iwasafooltoexposeyoulikethat."Therageinhisvoicewasdirectedinternally.

           "That’snotwhatImeant,"Iinsisted."Iwasthere,bigdeal.Itdidn’tbothertheothertwo.WhydidthisJamesdecidetokillmetThere’repeopleallovertheplace,whyme?"

           Hehesitated,thinkingbeforeheanswered.

           "Igotagoodlookathismindtonight,"hebeganinalowvoice."I’mnotsureifthere’sanythingIcouldhavedonetoavoidthis,oncehesawyou.Itispartiallyyourfault.