第25部分(第5/7 页)

p；　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　e。　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

e　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　f