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3 eclipse月食-第3部分
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“Outside of school?” Charlie asked; calling my attention back。
“I haven’t seen anyone outside of school; Dad。 Grounded; remember? And Angela has a boyfriend; too。
She’s always with Ben。 If I’m really free;” I added; heavy on the skepticism; “maybe we could double。”
“Okay。 But then 。 。 。” He hesitated。 “You and Jake used to be joined at the hip; and now —”
I cut him off。 “Can you get to the point; Dad? What’s your condition — exactly?”
“I don’t think you should dump all your other friends for your boyfriend; Bella;” he said in a stern voice。
“It’s not nice; and I think your life would be better balanced if you kept some other people in it。 What
happened last September 。 。 。”
I flinched。
“Well;” he said defensively。 “If you’d had more of a life outside of Edward Cullen; it might not have been
like that。”
“It would have been exactly like that;” I muttered。
“Maybe; maybe not。”
“The point?” I reminded him。
“Use your new freedom to see your other friends; too。 Keep it balanced。”
I nodded slowly。 “Balance is good。 Do I have specific time quotas to fill; though?”
He made a face; but shook his head。 “I don’t want to make this complicated。 Just don’t forget your
friends 。 。 。”
It was a dilemma I was already struggling with。 My friends。 People who; for their own safety; I would
never be able to see again after graduation。
So what was the better course of action? Spend time with them while I could? Or start the separation now
to make it more gradual? I quailed at the idea of the second option。
“。 。 。 particularly Jacob;” Charlie added before I could think things through more than that。
A greater dilemma than the first。 It took me a moment to find the right words。 “Jacob might be 。 。 。
difficult。”
“The Blacks are practically family; Bella;” he said; stern and fatherly again。 “And Jacob has been a very;
very good friend to you。”
“I know that。”
“Don’t you miss him at all?” Charlie asked; frustrated。
My throat suddenly felt swollen; I had to clear it twice before I answered。 “Yes; I do miss him;” I
admitted; still looking down。 “I miss him a lot。”
“Then why is it difficult?”
It wasn’t something I was at liberty to explain。 It was against the rules for normal people — human
people like me and Charlie — to know about the clandestine world full of myths and monsters that existed
secretly around us。 I knew all about that world — and I was in no small amount of trouble as a result。 I wasn’t
about to get Charlie in the same trouble。
“With Jacob there is a 。 。 。 conflict;” I said slowly。 “A conflict about the friendship thing; I mean。
Friendship doesn’t always seem to be enough for Jake。” I wound my excuse out of details that were true but
insignificant; hardly crucial compared to the fact that Jacob’s werewolf pack bitterly hated Edward’s vampire
family — and therefore me; too; as I fully intended to join that family。 It just wasn’t something I could work
out with him in a note; and he wouldn’t answer my calls。 But my plan to deal with the werewolf in person had
definitely not gone over well with the vampires。
“Isn’t Edward up for a little healthy competition?” Charlie’s voice was sarcastic now。
I leveled a dark look at him。 “There’s no competition。”
“You’re hurting Jake’s feelings; avoiding him like this。 He’d rather be just friends than nothing。”
Oh; now I was avoiding him?
“I’m pretty sure Jake doesn’t want to be friends at all。” The words burned in my mouth。 “Where’d you get
that idea; anyway?”
Charlie looked embarrassed now。 “The subject might have come up today with Billy。 。 。 。”
“You and Billy gossip like old women;” I complained; stabbing my fork viciously into the congealed
spaghetti on my plate。
“Billy’s worried about Jacob;” Charlie said。 “Jake’s having a hard time right now。 。 。 。 He’s depressed。”
I winced; but kept my eyes on the blob。
“And then you were always so happy after spending the day with Jake。” Charlie sighed。
“I’m happy now;” I growled fiercely through my teeth。
The contrast between my words and tone broke through the tension。 Charlie burst into laughter; and I had
to join in。
“Okay; okay;” I agreed。 “Balance。”
“And Jacob;” he insisted。
“I’ll try。”
“Good。 Find that balance; Bella。 And; oh; yeah; you’ve got some mail;” Charlie said; closing the subject
with no attempt at subtlety。 “It’s by the stove。”
I didn’t move; my thoughts twisting into snarls around Jacob’s name。 It was most likely junk mail; I’d just
gotten a package from my mom yesterday and I wasn’t expecting anything else。
Charlie shoved his chair away from the table and stretched as he got to his feet。 He took his plate to the
sink; but before he turned the water on to rinse it; he paused to toss a thick envelope at me。 The letter skidded
across the table and thunked into my elbow。
“Er; thanks;” I muttered; puzzled by his pushiness。 Then I saw the return address — the letter was from
the University of Alaska Southeast。 “That was quick。 I guess I missed the deadline on that one; too。”
Charlie chuckled。
I flipped the envelope over and then glared up at him。 “It’s open。”
“I was curious。”
“I’m shocked; Sheriff。 That’s a federal crime。”
“Oh; just read it。”
I pulled out the letter; and a folded schedule of courses。
“Congratulations;” he said before I could read anything。 “Your first acceptance。”
“Thanks; Dad。”
“We should talk about tuition。 I’ve got some money saved up —”
“Hey; hey; none of that。 I’m not touching your retirement; Dad。 I’ve got my college fund。” What was left
of it — and there hadn’t been much to begin with。
Charlie frowned。 “Some of these places are pretty pricey; Bells。 I want to help。 You don’t have to go to
all the way to Alaska just because it’s cheaper。”
It wasn’t cheaper; not at all。 But it was far away; and Juneau had an average of three hundred twenty…one
overcast days per year。 The first was my prerequisite; the second was Edward’s。
“I’ve got it covered。 Besides; there’s lots of financial aid out there。 It’s easy to get loans。” I hoped my bluff
wasn’t too obvious。 I hadn’t actually done a lot of research on the subject。
“So 。 。 。 ;” Charlie began; and then he pursed his lips and looked away。
“So what?”
“Nothing。 I was just 。 。 。” He frowned。 “Just wondering what 。 。 。 Edward’s plans are for next year?”
“Oh。”
“Well?”
Three quick raps on the door saved me。 Charlie rolled his eyes and I jumped up。
“Coming!” I called while Charlie mumbled something that sounded like; “Go away。” I ignored him and
went to let Edward in。
I wrenched the door out of my way — ridiculously eager — and there he was; my personal miracle。
Time had not
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