Сумерки

           Itriedtoconcentrateonmyfeet,buthekeptcreepingbackintomythoughtsjustwhenIreallyneededmybalance.

           Itwasarelief,asalways,toleave.Ialmostrantothetruck;therewerejustsomanypeopleIwantedtoavoid.Thetruckhadsufferedonlyminimaldamageintheaccident.I’dhadtoreplacethetaillights,andifI’dhadarealpaintjob,Iwouldhavetouchedthatup.Tyler’sparentshadtoselltheirvanforparts.

           IalmosthadastrokewhenIroundedthecornerandsawatall,darkfigureleaningagainstthesideofmytruck.ThenIrealizeditwasjustEric.Istartedwalkingagain.

           "Hey,Eric,"Icalled.

           "Hi,Bella."

           "What’sup?"IsaidasIwasunlockingthedoor.Iwasn’tpayingattentiontotheuncomfortableedgeinhisvoice,sohisnextwordstookmebysurprise.

           "Uh,Iwasjustwondering...ifyouwouldgotothespringdancewithme?"Hisvoicebrokeonthelastword.

           "Ithoughtitwasgirls’choice,"Isaid,toostartledtobediplomatic.

           "Well,yeah,"headmitted,shamefaced.

           Irecoveredmycomposureandtriedtomakemysmilewarm."Thankyouforaskingme,butI’mgoingtobeinSeattlethatday."

           "Oh,"hesaid."Well,maybenexttime."

           "Sure,"Iagreed,andthenbitmylip.Iwouldn’twanthimtotakethattooliterally.

           Heslouchedoff,backtowardtheschool.Iheardalowchuckle.

           Edwardwaswalkingpastthefrontofmytruck,lookingstraightforward,hislipspressedtogether.Iyankedthedooropenandjumpedinside,slammingitloudlybehindme.Irevvedtheenginedeafeninglyandreversedoutintotheaisle.