Сумерки

           Disappointmentfloodedthroughmeasmyeyesunerringlyfocusedonhistable.Theotherfourwerethere,buthewasabsent.Hadhegonehome?Ifollowedthestill-babblingJessicathroughtheline,crushed.I’dlostmyappetite-Iboughtnothingbutabottleoflemonade.Ijustwantedtogositdownandsulk.

           "EdwardCullenisstaringatyouagain,"Jessicasaid,finallybreakingthroughmyabstractionwithhisname."Iwonderwhyhe’ssittingalonetoday."

           Myheadsnappedup.IfollowedhergazetoseeEdward,smilingcrookedly,staringatmefromanemptytableacrossthecafeteriafromwhereheusuallysat.Oncehe’dcaughtmyeye,heraisedonehandandmotionedwithhisindexfingerformetojoinhim.AsIstaredindisbelief,hewinked.

           "Doeshemeanyou?"Jessicaaskedwithinsultingastonishmentinhervoice.

           "MaybeheneedshelpwithhisBiologyhomework,"Imutteredforherbenefit."Um,I’dbettergoseewhathewants."

           IcouldfeelherstaringaftermeasIwalkedaway.

           WhenIreachedhistable,Istoodbehindthechairacrossfromhim,unsure.

           "Whydon’tyousitwithmetoday?"heasked,smiling.

           Isatdownautomatically,watchinghimwithcaution.Hewasstillsmiling.Itwashardtobelievethatsomeonesobeautifulcouldbereal.Iwasafraidthathemightdisappearinasuddenpuffofsmoke,andIwouldwakeup.

           Heseemedtobewaitingformetosaysomething.

           "Thisisdifferent,"Ifinallymanaged.

           "Well..."Hepaused,andthentherestofthewordsfollowedinarush.