第22部分(第1/7 頁)

Not　human　beings。

〃If　this　is　how　you're　going　to　react；　I'll　freak　out　more　often。〃　Jacob's

voice　was　light；　normal　again；　and

his　laughter　rumbled　against　my　ear。　His　fingers　touched　my　hair；　soft　and

tentative。

Well；　it　was　friendship　for　me。

I　pulled　away　quickly；　laughing　with　him；　but　determined　to　put　things　back　in

perspective　at　once。

〃It's　hard　to　believe　I'm　two　years　older　than　you；〃　I　said；　emphasizing　the

word　older。　〃You　make　me

feel　like　a　dwarf。〃　Standing　this　close　to　him；　I　really　had　to　crane　my　neck

to　see　his　face。

〃You're　forgetting　I'm　in　my　forties；　of　course。〃

〃Oh；　that's　right。〃

He　patted　my　head。　〃You're　like　a　little　doll；〃　he　teased。　〃A　porcelain　doll。〃

I　rolled　my　eyes；　taking　another　step　away。　〃Let's　not　start　with　the　albino

cracks。〃

〃Seriously；　Bella；　are　you　sure　you're　not？〃　He　stretched　his　russet　arm　out

next　to　mine。　The　difference

wasn't　flattering。　〃I've　never　seen　anyone　paler　than　you　well；　except　for—

〃　He　broke　off；　and　I

looked　away；　trying　to　not　understand　what　he　had　been　about　to　say。

〃So　are　we　going　to　ride　or　what？〃

〃Let's　do　it；〃　I　agreed；　more　enthusiastic　than　I　would　have　been　half　a

minute　ago。　His　unfinished

sentence　reminded　me　of　why　I　was　here。

8。　ADRENALINE

〃OKAY；　WHERE'S　YOUR　CLUTCH？〃

I　pointed　to　the　lever　on　my　left　handlebar。　Letting　go　of　the　grip　was　a

mistake。　The　heavy　bike　wobbled

underneath　me；　threatening　to　knock　me　sidewise。　I　grabbed　the　handle　again；

trying　to　hold　it　straight。

〃Jacob；　it　won't　stay　up；〃　I　plained。

〃It　will　when　you're　moving；〃　he　promised。　〃Now