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

He sighed again. УI know youТre satisfied to spend all of your time with Edward ЧФ

УI spend time with Alice, too,Ф I interjected. EdwardТs sister had no hours of visitation; she came and went as she pleased. Charlie was putty in her capable hands.

УThatТs true,Ф he said. УBut you have other friends besides the Cullens, Bella. Or youused to.Ф

We stared at each other for a long moment.

УWhen was the last time you spoke to Angela Weber?Ф he threw at me.

УFriday at lunch,Ф I answered immediately.

Before EdwardТs return, my school friends had polarized into two groups. I liked to think of those groups asgood vs.evil. Us andthem worked, too. The good guys were Angela, her steady boyfriend Ben Cheney, and Mike Newton; these three had all very generously forgiven me for going crazy when Edward left. Lauren Mallory was the evil core of thethem side, and almost everyone else, including my first friend in Forks, Jessica Stanley, seemed content to go along with her anti-Bella agenda.

With Edward back at school, the dividing line had become even more distinct.

EdwardТs return had taken its toll on MikeТs friendship, but Angela was unswervingly loyal, and Ben followed her lead. Despite the natural aversion most humans felt toward the Cullens, Angela sat dutifully beside Alice every day at lunch. After a few weeks, Angela even looked comfortable there. It was difficult not to be charmed by the Cullens Ч once one gave them the chance to be charming.

УOutside of school?Ф Charlie asked, calling my attention back.

УI havenТt seenanyone outside of school, Dad. Grounded, remember? And Angela has a boyfriend, too. SheТs always with Ben.If IТm really free,Ф I added, heavy on the skepticism, Уmaybe we could double.Ф

УOkay. But then . . .Ф He hesitated. УYou and Jake used to be joined at the hip, and now ЧФ

I cut him off. УCan you get to the point, Dad? WhatТs your condition Ч exactly?Ф

УI donТt think you should dump all your other friends for your boyfriend, Bella,Ф he said in a stern voice. УItТs not nice, and I think your life would be better balanced if you kept some other people in it. What happened last September . . .Ф

I flinched.

УWell,Ф he said defensively. УIf youТd had more of a life outside of Edward Cullen, it might not have been like that.Ф

УIt would have been exactly like that,Ф I muttered.

УMaybe, maybe not.Ф

УThe point?Ф I reminded him.

УUse your new freedom to see your other friends, too. Keep it balanced.Ф

I nodded slowly. УBalance is good. Do I have specific time quotas to fill, though?Ф

He made a face, but shook his head. УI donТt want to make this complicated. Just donТt forget your friends . . .Ф

It was a dilemma I was already struggling with. My friends. People who, for their own safety, I would never be able to see again after graduation.

So what was the better course of action? Spend time with them while I could? Or start the separation now to make it more gradual? I quailed at the idea of the second option.

У. . . particularly Jacob,Ф Charlie added before I could think things through more than that.