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〃I heard what they were thinking；〃 he growled； his upper lip curling
slightly back over his teeth。 〃I saw your face in his mind。〃 He suddenly
leaned forward； one elbow appearing on the table； his hand covering his
eyes。 The movement was so swift it startled me。
〃It was very… hard — you can't imagine how hard — for me to simply take
you away； and leave them… alive。〃 His voice was muffled by his arm。 〃I
could have let you go with Jessica and Angela； but I was afraid if you
left me alone； I would go looking for them；〃 he admitted in a whisper。
I sat quietly； dazed； my thoughts incoherent。 My hands were folded in my
lap； and I was leaning weakly against the back of the seat。 He still had
his face in his hand； and he was as still as if he'd been carved from the
stone his skin resembled。
Finally he looked up； his eyes seeking mine； full of his own questions。
〃Are you ready to go home？〃 he asked。
〃I'm ready to leave；〃 I qualified； overly grateful that we had the
hourlong ride home together。 I wasn't ready to say goodbye to him。
The waitress appeared as if she'd been called。 Or watching。
〃How are we doing？〃 she asked Edward。
〃We're ready for the check； thank you。〃 His voice was quiet； rougher；
still reflecting the strain of our conversation。 It seemed to muddle her。
He looked up； waiting。
〃Ssure；〃 she stuttered。 〃Here you go。〃 She pulled a small leather folder
from the front pocket of her black apron and handed it to him。
There was a bill in his hand already。 He slipped it into the folder and
handed it right back to her。
〃No change。〃 He smiled。 Then he stood up； and I scrambled awkwardly to my
feet。
She smiled invitingly at him again。 〃You have a nice evening。〃
He didn't look away from me as he thanked her。 I suppressed a smile。
He walked close beside me to the door； still careful not to touch me。 I
remembered what Jessica had said about her relationship with Mike； how
they were almost to the firstkiss stage。 I sighed。 Edward seemed to hear
me； and he looked down curiously。 I looked at the sidewalk； grateful that
he didn't seem to be able to know what I was thinking。
He opened the passenger door； holding it for me as I stepped in； shutting
it softly behind me。 I watched him walk around the front of the car；
amazed； yet again； by how graceful he was。 I probably should have been
used to that by now — but I wasn't。 I had a feeling Edward wasn't the
kind of person anyone got used to。
Once inside the car； he started the engine and turned the heater on high。
It had gotten very cold； and I guessed the good weather was at an end。 I
was warm in his jacket； though； breathing in the scent of it when I
thought he couldn't see。
Edward pulled out through the traffic； apparently without a glance；
flipping around to head toward the freeway。
〃Now；〃 he said significantly； 〃it's your turn。〃
===========================================================================
9。 THEORY
〃Can I ask just one more？〃 I pleaded as Edward accelerated much too
quickly down the quiet street。 He didn't seem to be paying any attention
to the road。
He sighed。
〃One；〃 he agreed。 His lips pressed together into a cautious line。
〃Well… you said you knew I hadn't gone into the bookstore； and that I had
gone south。 I was just wondering how you knew that。〃
He looked away； deliberating。
〃I thought we were past all the evasiveness；〃 I grumbled。
He almost smiled。
〃Fine； then。 I followed your scent。〃 He looked at the road； giving me
time to pose my face。 I couldn't think of an acceptable response to
that； but I filed it carefully away for future study。 I tried to refocus。
I wasn't ready to let him be finished； now that he was finally explaining
things。
〃And then you didn't answer one of my first questions…〃 I stalled。
He looked at me with disapproval。 〃Which one？〃
〃How does it work — the mindreading thing？ Can you read anybody's mind；
anywhere？ How do you do it？ Can the rest of your family… ？〃 I felt silly；
asking for clarification on makebelieve。
〃That's more than one；〃 he pointed out。 I simply intertwined my fingers
and gazed at him； waiting。
〃No； it's just me。 And I can't hear anyone； anywhere。 I have to be fairly
close。 The more familiar someone's… 'voice' is； the farther away I can
hear them。 But still； no more than a few miles。〃 He paused thoughtfully。
〃It's a little like being in a huge hall filled with people； everyone
talking at once。 It's just a hum — a buzzing of voices in the background。
Until I focus on one voice； and then what they're thinking is clear。
〃Most of the time I tune it all out — it can be very distracting。 And
then it's easier to seem normal〃 — he frowned as he said the word — 〃when
I'm not accidentally answering someone's thoughts rather than their
words。〃
〃Why do you think you can't hear me？〃 I asked curiously。
He looked at me； his eyes enigmatic。
〃I don't know；〃 he murmured。 〃The only guess I have is that maybe your
mind doesn't work the same way the rest of theirs do。 Like your thoughts
are on the AM frequency and I'm only getting FM。〃 He grinned at me；
suddenly amused。
〃My mind doesn't work right？ I'm a freak？〃 The words bothered me more
than they should — probably because his speculation hit home。 I'd always
suspected as much； and it embarrassed me to have it confirmed。
〃I hear voices in my mind and you're worried that you're the freak；〃 he
laughed。 〃Don't worry； it's just a theory…〃 His face tightened。 〃Which
brings us back to you。〃
I sighed。 How to begin？
〃Aren't we past all the evasions now？〃 he reminded me softly。
I looked away from his face for the first time； trying to find words。 I
happened to notice the speedometer。
〃Holy crow！〃 I shouted。 〃Slow down！〃
〃What's wrong？〃 He was startled。 But the car didn't decelerate。
〃You're going a hundred miles an hour！〃 I was still shouting。 I shot a
panicky glance out the window； but it was too dark to see much。 The road
was only visible in the long patch of bluish brightness from the
headlights