第2部分(第2/7 頁)

〃Technically；〃　she　said；　keeping　her　tone　light。　〃Just　by　one　little　year；

though。〃

And　I　supposed　if　I　could　be　sure　of　the　future　I　wanted；　sure　that　I　would

get　to　spend　forever　with

Edward；　and　Alice　and　the　rest　of　the　Cullens　（preferably　not　as　a　wrinkled

little　old　lady）　then　a　year

or　two　one　direction　or　the　other　wouldn't　matter　to　me　so　much。　But　Edward

was　dead　set　against　any

future　that　changed　me。　Any　future　that　made　me　like　him—that　made　me

immortal；　too。

An　impasse；　he　called　it。

I　couldn't　really　see　Edward's　point；　to　be　honest。　What　was　so　great　about

mortality？　Being　a　vampire

didn't　look　like　such　a　terrible　thing—not　the　way　the　Cullens　did　it；

anyway。

〃What　time　will　you　be　at　the　house？〃　Alice　continued；　changing　the　subject。

From　her　expression；　she

was　up　to　exactly　the　kind　of　thing　I'd　been　hoping　to　avoid。

〃I　didn't　know　I　had　plans　to　be　there。〃

〃Oh；　be　fair；　Bella！〃　she　plained。　〃You　aren't　going　to　ruin　all　our　fun

like　that；　are　you？〃

〃I　thought　my　birthday　was　about　what　I　want。〃

〃I'll　get　her　from　Charlie's　right　after　school；〃　Edward　told　her；　ignoring　me

altogether。

〃I　have　to　work；〃　I　protested。

〃You　don't；　actually；〃　Alice　told　me　smugly。　〃I　already　spoke　to　Mrs。　Newton

about　it。　She's　trading　your

shifts。　She　said　to　tell　you　'Happy　Birthday。'〃

〃I—I　still　can't　e　over；〃　I　stammered；　scrambling　for　an　excuse。　〃I；　well；

I　haven't　watched　Romeo

and　Juliet　yet　for　English。〃

Alice　snorted。　〃You　have　Romeo　and　Juliet　memorized。〃

〃But　Mr。　Berty　said　we　needed　to　see　it　performed　to　fully　appreciate　it—