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cheek almost touched mine。 I shifted away； turning my back toward the window。
〃Doesn't the radio work in this thing？〃 Mike asked with a hint of petulance； interrupting Jacob
mid…sentence。
〃Yes；〃 Jacob answered。 〃But Bella doesn't like music。〃
I stared at Jacob； surprised。 I'd never told him that。
〃Bella？〃 Mike asked； annoyed。
〃He's right；〃 I mumbled； still looking at Jacob's serene profile。
〃How can you not like music？〃 Mike demanded。
I shrugged。 〃I don't know。 It just irritates me。〃
〃Hmph。〃 Mike leaned away。
When we got to the theater； Jacob handed me a ten…dollar bill。
〃What's this？〃 I objected。
〃I'm not old enough to get into this one；〃 he reminded me。
I laughed out loud。 〃So much for relative ages。 Is Billy going to kill me if I sneak you in？〃
〃No。 I told him you were planning to corrupt my youthful innocence。〃
I snickered； and Mike quickened his pace to keep up with us。
I almost wished that Mike had decided to bow out。 He was still sullen—not much of an addition to the
party。 But I didn't want to end up on a date alone with Jacob； either。 That wouldn't help anything。
The movie was exactly what it professed to be。 In just the opening credits； four people got blown up and
one got beheaded。 The girl in front of me put her hands over her eyes and turned her face into her date's
chest。 He patted her shoulder； and winced occasionally； too。 Mike didn't look like he was watching。 His
face was stiff as he glared toward the fringe of curtain above the screen。
I settled in to endure the two hours； watching the colors and the movement on the screen rather than
seeing the shapes of people and cars and houses。 But then Jacob started sniggering。
〃What？〃 I whispered。
〃Oh； c'mon！〃 he hissed back。 〃The blood squirted twenty feet out of that guy。 How fake can you get？〃
He chuckled again； as a flagpole speared another man into a concrete wall。
After that； I really watched the show； laughing with him as the mayhem got more and more ridiculous。
How was I ever going to fight the blurring lines in our relationship when I enjoyed being with him so
much？
Both Jacob and Mike had claimed the armrests on either side of me。 Both of their hands rested lightly；
palms up； in an unnatural looking position。 Like steel bear traps； open and ready。 Jacob was in the habit
of taking my hand whenever the opportunity presented itself； but here in the darkened movie theater； with
Mike watching； it would have a different significance—and I was sure he knew that。 I couldn't believe
that Mike was thinking the same thing； but his hand was placed exactly like Jacob's。
I folded my arms tightly across my chest and hoped that both their hands fell asleep。
Mike gave up first。 About halfway through the movie； he pulled his arm back； and leaned forward to put
his head in his hands。 At first I thought he was reacting to something on the screen； but then he moaned。
〃Mike； are you okay？〃 I whispered。
The couple in front of us turned to look at him as he groaned again。
I could see the sheen of sweat across his face in the light from the screen。
Mike groaned again； and bolted for the door。 I got up to follow him； and Jacob copied me immediately。
〃No； stay；〃 I whispered。 〃I'll make sure he's okay。〃
Jacob came with me anyway。
〃You don't have to come。 Get your eight bucks worth of carnage；〃 I insisted as we walked up the aisle。
〃That's okay。 You sure can pick them； Bella。 This movie really sucks。〃 His voice rose from a whisper to
its normal pitch as we walked out of the theater。
There was no sign of Mike in the hallway； and I was glad then that Jacob had come with me—he ducked
into the men's bathroom to check for him there。
Jacob was back in a few seconds。
〃Oh； he's in there； all right；〃 he said； rolling his eyes。 〃What a marshmallow。 You should hold out for
someone with a stronger stomach。 Someone who laughs at the gore that makes weaker men vomit。〃
〃I'll keep my eyes open for someone like that。〃
We were all alone in the hallway。 Both theaters were halfway through the movie； and it was
deserted—quiet enough for us to hear the popcorn popping at the concession counter in the lobby。
Jacob went to sit on the velveteen…upholstered bench against the wall； patting the space beside him。
〃He sounded like he was going to be in there for a while；〃 he said； stretching his long legs out in front of
him as he settled in to wait。
I joined him with a sigh。 He looked like he was thinking about blurring more lines。 Sure enough； as soon
as I sat down； he shifted over to put his arm around my shoulders。
〃Jake；〃 I protested； leaning away。 He dropped his arm； not looking bothered at all by the minor rejection。
He reached out and took my hand firmly； wrapping his other hand around my wrist when I tried to pull
away again。 Where did he get the confidence from？
〃Now； just hold on a minute； Bella；〃 he said in a calm voice。 〃Tell me something。〃
I grimaced。 I didn't want to do this。 Not just not now； but not ever。 There was nothing lett in my life at
this point that was more important than Jacob Black。 But he seemed determined to ruin everything。
〃What？〃 I muttered sourly。
〃You like me； right？〃
〃You know I do。〃
〃Better than that joker puking his guts out in there？〃 He gestured toward the bathroom door。
〃Yes；〃 I sighed。
〃Better than any of the other guys you know？〃 He was calm； serene—as if my answer didn't matter； or
he already knew what it was。
〃Better than the girls； too；〃 I pointed out。
〃But that's all；〃 he said； and it wasn't a question。
It was hard to answer； to say the word。 Would he get hurt and avoid me？ How would I stand that？
〃Yes；〃 I whispered。
He grinned down at me。 〃That's okay； you know。 As long as you like me the best。 And you think I'm
good…looking—sort of。 I'm prepared to be annoyingly persistent。〃
〃I'm not going to change；〃 I said； and though I tried to keep my voice normal； I could hear the sadness in
it。
His face was thoughtful； no longer teasing。 〃It's still the other one； isn't it？〃
I cringed。 Funny how he seemed to know not to say the name—just like before in the car with the music。
He picked up on so much about me that I never said。
〃You don't have to talk about it；〃 he told me。
I nodded； grateful。
〃But don't get mad at me for hanging around； okay？〃 Jacob patted the back of my hand。 〃Because I'm
not giving up。 I've got loads of time。〃
I sighed。 〃You shouldn't waste it on me；〃 I said； though I wanted him to。 Especially if he was willing to
accept me the way I was—damaged goods； as is。
〃It's what I want to do； as long as you still like to be with me。〃
〃I can't imagine how I could not like being with you；〃 I told him honestly。
Jacob beamed。 〃I can live with that。〃
〃Just don't expect more；〃 I warned him； trying to pull my hand away。 He held onto it obstinately。
〃This doesn't really bother you； does it？〃 he demanded； squeezing my fingers。
〃No；〃 I sighed。 Truthfully； it felt nice。 His hand was so much warmer than mine； I always felt too cold
these days。
〃And you don't care what he thinks。〃 Jacob jerked his thumb toward the bathroom。
〃I guess not。〃
〃So what's the problem？〃
〃The problem；〃 I said； 〃is； that it means something different to me than it does to you。〃
〃Well。〃 He tightened his hand around mine 〃That's my problem； isn't it？〃
〃Fine；〃 I grumbled。 〃Don't forget it； though。〃
〃I won't。 The pin's out of the grenade for me； now； eh？〃 He poked me in the ribs。
I rolled my eyes。 I guess if he felt like making a joke out of it； he was entitled。
He chuckled quietly for a minute while his pinky finger absently traced designs against the side of my
hand。
〃That's a funny scar you've got there；〃 he suddenly said； twisting my hand to examine it。 〃How did that
happen？〃
The index finger of his free hand followed the line of the long silvery crescent that was barely visible
against my pale skin。
I scowled。 〃Do you honestly expect me to remember where all my scars come from？〃
I waited for the memory to hit—to open the gaping hole。 But； as it so often did； Jacob's presence kept
me whole。
〃It's cold；〃 he murmured； pressing lightly against the place where James had cut me with his teeth。
And then Mike stumbled out of the bathroom； his face ashen and covered in sweat。 He looked horrible。
〃Oh； Mike；〃 I gasped。
〃Do you mind leaving early？〃 he whispered。
〃No； of course not。〃 I pulled my hand free and went to help Mike walk。 He looked unsteady。
〃Movie too much for you？〃 Jacob asked heartlessly。
Mike's glare was malevolent。 〃I didn't actually see any of it；〃 he mumbled。 〃I was nauseated before the
lights went down。〃
〃Why didn't you say something？〃 I scolded as we staggered toward the exit。
〃I was hoping it would pass；〃 he said。
〃Just a sec；〃 Jacob said as we reached the door。 He walked quickly back to the concession stand。
〃Could I have an empty popcorn bucket？〃 he asked the salesgirl。 She looked at Mike once； and then
thrust a bucket at Jacob。
〃Get him outside； please；〃 she begge