按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Can you do me a favor？〃 I asked after a second of hesitation。
He was suddenly wary。 〃That depends on what you want。〃
〃It's not much；〃 I assured him。
He waited； guarded but curious。
〃I just wondered… if you could warn me beforehand the next time you
decide to ignore me for my own good。 Just so I'm prepared。〃 I looked at
the lemonade bottle as I spoke； tracing the circle of the opening with my
pinkie finger。
〃That sounds fair。〃 He was pressing his lips together to keep from
laughing when I looked up。
〃Thanks。〃
〃Then can I have one answer in return？〃 he demanded。
〃One。〃
〃Tell me one theory。〃
Whoops。 〃Not that one。〃
〃You didn't qualify； you just promised one answer；〃 he reminded me。
〃And you've broken promises yourself；〃 I reminded him back。
〃Just one theory — I won't laugh。〃
〃Yes； you will。〃 I was positive about that。
He looked down； and then glanced up at me through his long black lashes；
his ocher eyes scorching。
〃Please？〃 he breathed； leaning toward me。
I blinked； my mind going blank。 Holy crow； how did he do that？
〃Er； what？〃 I asked； dazed。
〃Please tell me just one little theory。〃 His eyes still smoldered at me。
〃Um； well； bitten by a radioactive spider？〃 Was he a hypnotist； too？ Or
was I just a hopeless pushover？
〃That's not very creative；〃 he scoffed。
〃I'm sorry； that's all I've got；〃 I said； miffed。
〃You're not even close；〃 he teased。
〃No spiders？〃
〃Nope。〃
〃And no radioactivity？〃
〃None。〃
〃Dang；〃 I sighed。
〃Kryptonite doesn't bother me； either；〃 he chuckled。
〃You're not supposed to laugh； remember？〃
He struggled to pose his face。
〃I'll figure it out eventually；〃 I warned him。
〃I wish you wouldn't try。〃 He was serious again。
〃Because… ？〃
〃What if I'm not a superhero？ What if I'm the bad guy？〃 He smiled
playfully； but his eyes were imperable。
〃Oh；〃 I said； as several things he'd hinted fell suddenly into place。 〃I
see。〃
〃Do you？〃 His face was abruptly severe； as if he were afraid that he'd
accidentally said too much。
〃You're dangerous？〃 I guessed； my pulse quickening as I intuitively
realized the truth of my own words。 He was dangerous。 He'd been trying to
tell me that all along。
He just looked at me； eyes full of some emotion I couldn't prehend。
〃But not bad；〃 I whispered； shaking my head。 〃No； I don't believe that
you're bad。〃
〃You're wrong。〃 His voice was almost inaudible。 He looked down； stealing
my bottle lid and then spinning it on its side between his fingers。 I
stared at him； wondering why I didn't feel afraid。 He meant what he was
saying — that was obvious。 But I just felt anxious； on edge… and； more
than anything else； fascinated。 The same way I always felt when I was
near him。
The silence lasted until I noticed that the cafeteria was almost empty。
I jumped to my feet。 〃We're going to be late。〃
〃I'm not going to class today；〃 he said； twirling the lid so fast it was
just a blur。
〃Why not？〃
〃It's healthy to ditch class now and then。〃 He smiled up at me； but his
eyes were still troubled。
〃Well； I'm going；〃 I told him。 I was far too big a coward to risk getting
caught。
He turned his attention back to his makeshift top。 〃I'll see you later；
then。〃
I hesitated； torn； but then the first bell sent me hurrying out the door
— with a last glance confirming that he hadn't moved a centimeter。
As I halfran to class； my head was spinning faster than the bottle cap。
So few questions had been answered in parison to how many new
questions had been raised。 At least the rain had stopped。
I was lucky； Mr。 Banner wasn't in the room yet when I arrived。 I settled
quickly into my seat； aware that both Mike and Angela were staring at me。
Mike looked resentful； Angela looked surprised； and slightly awed。
Mr。 Banner came in the room then； calling the class to order。 He was
juggling a few small cardboard boxes in his arms。 He put them down on
Mike's table； telling him to start passing them around the class。
〃Okay； guys； I want you all to take one piece from each box；〃 he said as
he produced a pair of rubber gloves from the pocket of his lab jacket and
pulled them on。 The sharp sound as the gloves snapped into place against
his wrists seemed ominous to me。 〃The first should be an indicator card；〃
he went on； grabbing a white card with four squares marked on it and
displaying it。 〃The second is a fourpronged applicator —〃 he held up
something that looked like a nearly toothless hair pick 〃— and the third
is a sterile microlancet。〃 He held up a small piece of blue plastic and
split it open。 The barb was invisible from this distance； but my stomach
flipped。
〃I'll be ing around with a dropper of water to prepare your cards； so
please don't start until I get to you。〃 He began at Mike's table again；
carefully putting one drop of water in each of the four squares。 〃Then I
want you to carefully prick your finger with the lancet…〃 He grabbed
Mike's hand and jabbed the spike into the tip of Mike's middle finger。 Oh
no。 Clammy moisture broke out across my forehead。
〃Put a small drop of blood on each of the prongs。〃 He demonstrated；
squeezing Mike's finger till the blood flowed。 I swallowed convulsively；
my stomach heaving。
〃And then apply it to the card；〃 he finished； holding up the dripping red
card for us to see。 I closed my eyes； trying to hear through the ringing
in my ears。
〃The Red Cross is having a blood drive in Port Angeles next weekend； so I
thought you should all know your blood type。〃 He sounded proud of
himself。 〃Those of you who aren't eighteen yet will need a parent's
permission — I have slips at my desk。〃
He continued through the room with his water drops。 I put my cheek
against the cool black tabletop and tried to hold on to my consciousness。
All around me I could hear squeals； plaints； and giggles as my
classmates skewered their fingers。 I breathed slowly in and out through
my mouth。
〃Bella； are you all right？〃 Mr。 Banner asked。 His voice was close to my
head； and it sounded alarmed。