第24部分(第7/7 頁)

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recovered　that　I　could　stand　to　sit　through　a　romance。　〃Does　that　sound　like

fun？〃

〃Sure；〃　he　agreed；　visibly　less　eager。

〃Cool。〃

After　a　second；　he　perked　back　up　to　near　his　former　excitement　level。　〃How

about　we　get　Angela　and

Ben？　Or　Eric　and　Katie？〃

He　was　determined　to　make　this　some　kind　of　double　date；　apparently。

〃How　about　both？〃　I　suggested　〃And　Jessica；　too；　of　course。　And　Tyler　and

Conner；　and　maybe

Lauren；〃　I　tacked　on　grudgingly。　I　had　promised　Quil　variety。

〃Okay；〃　Mike　muttered；　foiled。

〃And；〃　I　continued；　〃I've　got　a　couple　of　friends　from　La　Push　I'm　inviting。

So　it　sounds　like　we'll　need

your　Suburban　if　everyone　es。〃

Mike's　eyes　narrowed　in　suspicion。

〃These　are　the　friends　you　spend　all　your　time　studying　with　now？〃

〃Yep；　the　very　ones；〃　I　answered　cheerfully。　〃Though　you　could　look　at　it　as

tutoring—they're　only

sophomores。〃

〃Oh；〃　Mike　said；　surprised。　After　a　second　of　thought；　he　smiled。

In　the　end；　though；　the　Suburban　wasn't　necessary。

Jessica　and　Lauren　claimed　to　be　busy　as　soon　as　Mike　let　it　slip　that　I　was

involved　in　the　planning。　Eric

and　Katie　already　had　plans—it　was　their　three…week　anniversary　or　something。

Lauren　got　to　Tyler　and

Conner　before　Mike　could；　so　those　two　were　also　busy。　Even　Quil　was　out—

grounded　for　fighting　at

school。　In　the　end；　only　Angela　and　Ben；　and；　of　course　Jacob；　were　able　to

go。

The　diminished　numbers　didn't　dampen　Mike's　anticipation；　though。　It　was　all

he　could　talk　about