第9部分(第6/7 頁)

ck　out　to　talk　to　you。？　Dan　remembered　himself　and　stood　up；　slinging　his

messenger　bag　over　one　shoulder。　He　grabbed　Greg？s　arm　before　he　walked　away。

？Hey；？　he　said；　moving　closer。　？Thanks　。　。　。　for　everything。？　Greg　smiled。　He　wrapped　his　arms

around　Dan？s　back　and　squeezed　tight；　clapping　him　on　the　shoulders　before　they　both　pulled

back。

As　Dan　watched　him　walk　away；　he　couldn？t　help　feeling　a　little　sad。　Not　about　Greg；　but　about

love　in　general。　He　wanted　what　Greg　had　described：　someone　to　sit　around　and　drink　coffee　with

in　the　morning。　Someone　he　could　do　all　those　dopey；　ridiculously　romantic　New　York　things　with

before　he　left　for　Evergreen？like　watch　every　Woody　Allen　movie　filmed　in　Manhattan；　or　take　a

carriage　ride　through　Central　Park　under　a　full　moon。　Someone　to　wake　up　with　every　morning；

the　light　covering　their　bare　skin　like　a　golden　blanket　。　。　。

Pale　fury。Why　did　you　leave　me？

He　pulled　out　his　notebook　and　scribbled　furiously；　unsure　of　what　he　was　writing。

Eyes　closed；　our　bones　ache。

This　isn？t　chemistry　or　geography。

It？s　physics。　Pure　physics。

Dan　still　wasn？t　sure　what　he　was　trying　to　say；　but　it　was　something　to　do　with　friction；　and

friction　caused　heat；　and　when　he　thought　about　heat　he　couldn？t　help　but　think　about　a　certain

prickly…headed　girl　lying　next　to　him　in　bed。　His　hands　began　to　sweat　as　he　continued　to　write。

Not　feeling　so　gay　anymore；　eh？

maybe　a　leopard　can　change　her　spots

？Watch　where　you？re　going；　man！？

A　yellow　cab　swerved　on　the　shimmering　black　asphalt；　almost　grazing　Vanessa？s　arm　as　she

crossed　Broadway；　squinting　into　the　annihilating　afternoon　sunlight。