第9部分(第1/7 頁)

After　school；　Edward　walked　me　back　to　the　parking　lot　in　silence。　I　had　to

work　again；　and　for　once；　I

was　glad。　Time　with　me　obviously　wasn't　helping　things。　Maybe　time　alone　would

be　better。

I　dropped　my　film　off　at　the　Thriftway　on　my　way　to　Newton's；　and　then　picked

up　the　developed

pictures　after　work。　At　home；　I　said　a　brief　hi　to　Charlie；　grabbed　a　granola

bar　from　the　kitchen；　and

hurried　up　to　my　room　with　the　envelope　of　photographs　tucked　under　my　arm。

I　sat　in　the　middle　of　my　bed　and　opened　the　envelope　with　wary　curiosity。

Ridiculously；　I　still　half

expected　the　first　print　to　be　a　blank。

When　I　pulled　it　out；　I　gasped　aloud。　Edward　looked　just　as　beautiful　as　he

did　in　real　life；　staring　at　me

out　of　the　picture　with　the　warm　eyes　I'd　missed　for　the　past　few　days。　It　was

almost　uncanny　that　anyone

could　look　so　so　beyond　description。　No　thousand　words　could　equal　this

picture。

I　flipped　through　the　rest　of　the　stack　quickly　once；　and　then　laid　three　of

them　out　on　the　bed　side　by

side。

The　first　was　the　picture　of　Edward　in　the　kitchen；　his　warm　eyes　touched　with

tolerant　amusement。　The

second　was　Edward　and　Charlie；　watching　ESPN。　The　difference　in　Edward's

expression　was　severe。

His　eyes　were　careful　here；　reserved。　Still　breathtakingly　beautiful；　but　his

face　was　colder；　more　like　a

sculpture；　less　alive。

The　last　was　the　picture　of　Edward　and　me　standing　awkwardly　side　by　side。

Edward's　face　was　the

same　as　the　last；　cold　and　statue…like。　But　that　wasn't　the　most　troubling

part　of　this　photograph。　The

contrast　between　the　two