"Twilight - 03 - Eclipse" - читать интересную книгу автора (Meyer Stephanie)

I waited till the TV was on, so that Charlie wouldnТt be able to hear me.

УWhat Ч,Ф I started to ask.

УHold on,Ф Edward said without looking up from the paper. His eyes stayed focused on the page as he pushed the first application toward me across the table. УI think you can recycle your essays for this one. Same questions.Ф

Charlie must still be listening. I sighed and started to fill out the repetitive information: name, address, social. . . . After a few minutes I glanced up, but Edward was now staring pensively out the window. As I bent my head back to my work, I noticed for the first time the name of the school.

I snorted and shoved the papers aside.

УBella?Ф

УBe serious, Edward.Dartmouth ?Ф

Edward lifted the discarded application and laid it gently in front of me again. УI think youТd like New Hampshire,Ф he said. УThereТs a full complement of night courses for me, and the forests are very conveniently located for the avid hiker. Plentiful wildlife.Ф He pulled out the crooked smile he knew I couldnТt resist.

I took a deep breath through my nose.

УIТll let you pay me back, if that makes you happy,Ф he promised. УIf you want, I can charge you interest.Ф

УLike I could even get in without some enormous bribe. Or was that part of the loan? The new Cullen wing of the library? Ugh. Why are we having this discussion again?Ф

УWill you just fill out the application, please, Bella? It wonТt hurt you to apply.Ф

My jaw flexed. УYou know what? I donТt think I will.Ф

I reached for the papers, planning to crumple them into a suitable shape for lobbing at the trashcan, but they were already gone. I stared at the empty table for a moment, and then at Edward. He didnТt appear to have moved, but the application was probably already tucked away in his jacket.

УWhat are you doing?Ф I demanded.

УI sign your name better than you do yourself. YouТve already written the essays.Ф

УYouТre going way overboard with this, you know.Ф I whispered on the off chance that Charlie wasnТt completely lost in his game. УI really donТt need to apply anywhere else. IТve been accepted in Alaska. I can almost afford the first semesterТs tuition. ItТs as good an alibi as any. ThereТs no need to throw away a bunch of money, no matter whose it is.Ф

A pained looked tightened his face. УBella ЧФ

УDonТt start. I agree that I need to go through the motions for CharlieТs sake, but we both know IТm not going to be in any condition to go to school next fall. To be anywhere near people.Ф

My knowledge of those first few years as a new vampire was sketchy. Edward had never gone into details Ч it wasnТt his favorite subject Ч but I knew it wasnТt pretty. Self-control was apparently an acquired skill. Anything more than correspondence school was out of the question.

УI thought the timing was still undecided,Ф Edward reminded me softly. УYou might enjoy a semester or two of college. There are a lot of human experiences youТve never had.Ф

УIТll get to those afterward.Ф

УThey wonТt behuman experiences afterward. You donТt get a second chance at humanity, Bella.Ф

I sighed. УYouТve got to be reasonable about the timing, Edward. ItТs just too dangerous to mess around with.Ф

УThereТs no danger yet,Ф he insisted.