第2部分(第3/7 頁)

that's　how　Shakespeare

intended　it　to　be　presented。〃

Edward　rolled　his　eyes。

〃You've　already　seen　the　movie；〃　Alice　accused。

〃But　not　the　nineteen…sixties　version。　Mr。　Berty　said　it　was　the　best。〃

Finally；　Alice　lost　the　smug　smile　and　glared　at　me。　〃This　can　be　easy；　or

this　can　be　hard；　Bella；　but　one

way　or　the　other—〃

Edward　interrupted　her　threat。　〃Relax；　Alice。　If　Bella　wants　to　watch　a　movie；

then　she　can。　It's　her

birthday。〃

〃So　there；〃　I　added。

〃I'll　bring　her　over　around　seven；〃　he　continued。　〃That　will　give　you　more

time　to　set　up。〃

Alice's　laughter　chimed　again。　〃Sounds　good。　See　you　tonight；　Bella！　It'll　be

fun；　you'll　see。〃　She

grinned—the　wide　smile　exposed　all　her　perfect；　glistening　teeth—then　pecked

me　on　the　cheek　and

danced　off　toward　her　first　class　before　I　could　respond。

〃Edward；　please—〃　I　started　to　beg；　but　he　pressed　one　cool　finger　to　my

lips。

〃Let's　discuss　it　later。　We're　going　to　be　late　for　class。〃

No　one　bothered　to　stare　at　us　as　we　took　our　usual　seats　in　the　back　of　the

classroom　（we　had　almost

every　class　together　now—it　was　amazing　the　favors　Edward　could　get　the

female　administrators　to　do

for　him）。　Edward　and　I　had　been　together　too　long　now　to　be　an　object　of

gossip　anymore。　Even　Mike

Newton　didn't　bother　to　give　me　the　glum　stare　that　used　to　make　me　feel　a

little　guilty。　He　smiled　now

instead；　and　I　was　glad　he　seemed　to　have　accepted　that　we　could　only　be

friends。　Mike　had　changed

over　the　summer—his　face　had　lost　some　of　the　roundness；　making　his

cheekbones　more　prominent；　and

he　was　wearin