第25部分(第4/7 页)

〃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　u