Сумерки

           AnIV,ontheotherhand..."

           Irolledmyeyes.Iwaspleasedtodiscoverthatthisreaction,atleast,waspain-free.Idecidedtochangethesubject.

           "Whyareyouhere?"Iasked.

           Hestaredatme,firstconfusionandthenhurttouchinghiseyes.Hisbrowspulledtogetherashefrowned."Doyouwantmetoleave?"

           "No!"Iprotested,horrifiedbythethought."No,Imeant,whydoesmy

           motherthinkyou’rehere?Ineedtohavemystorystraightbeforeshegetsback."

           "Oh,"hesaid,andhisforeheadsmoothedbackintomarble."IcametoPhoenixtotalksomesenseintoyou,toconvinceyoutocomebacktoForks."Hiswideeyesweresoearnestandsincere,Ialmostbelievedhimmyself."Youagreedtoseeme,andyoudroveouttothehotelwhereIwasstayingwithCarlisleandAlice-ofcourseIwasherewithparentalsupervision,"heinsertedvirtuously,"butyoutrippedonthestairsonthewaytomyroomand...well,youknowtherest.Youdon’tneedtorememberanydetails,though;youhaveagoodexcusetobealittlemuddledaboutthefinerpoints."

           Ithoughtaboutitforamoment."Thereareafewflawswiththatstory.Likenobrokenwindows."

           "Notreally,"hesaid."Alicehadalittlebittoomuchfunfabricatingevidence.It’sallbeentakencareofveryconvincingly-youcouldprobablysuethehotelifyouwantedto.Youhavenothingtoworryabout,"hepromised,strokingmycheekwiththelightestoftouches."Youronlyjobnowistoheal."

           Iwasn’tsolosttothesorenessorthefogofmedicationthatIdidn’trespondtohistouch.