*by Stephenie Meyer*



TWILIGHT - chapter 10 - INTERROGATIONS


It was very hard, in the morning, to argue with the part of me that was sure last night was a dream. Logic wasn't on my side, au common sense. I clung to the parts I couldn't have imagined - like his smell. I was sure I could never have dreamed that up on my own.
It was foggy and dark outside my window, absolutely perfect. He had no reason not to be in school today. I dressed in my heavy clothes, remembering I didn't have a jacket. Further proof that my memory was real.
When I got downstairs. Charlie was gone again - I was running later than I realized. I swallowed a granola bar in three bites, chased it down with maziwa straight from the carton, and then hurried out the door. Hopefully the rain would hold off until I could find Jessica.
It was unusually foggy; the air was almost smoky with it. The mist was ice cold where it clung to the exposed skin on my face and neck. I couldn't wait to get the heat going in my truck. It was such a thick fog that I was a few feet down the driveway before I realized there was a car in it; a silver car. My moyo thudded, shuttered, and then picked up again in double time.
I didn't see where he came from, but suddenly he was there, pulling the door open for me.
"Do wewe want to ride with me today?" he asked, amused kwa my expression as he caught me kwa surprise yet again. There was uncertainty in his voice. He was really giving me a choice - I was free to refuse, and part of him hoped for that. It was a vain hope.
"Yes, thank you," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. As I stepped into the warm car, I noticed his tan koti, jacket was slung over the headrest of the passenger seat. The door closed behind me, and, sooner than should be possible, he was sitting inayofuata to me, starting the car.
"I brought the koti, jacket for you. I didn't want wewe to get sick au something." His voice was guarded. I noticed that he wore no koti, jacket himself, just a light gray knit V-neck shati with long sleeves. Again, the fabric clung to his perfectly muscled chest. It was a colossal tribute to his face that it kept my eyes away from his body.
"I'm not quite that delicate," I said, but I pulled the koti, jacket onto my lap, pushing my arms through the too-long sleeves, curious to see if the scent could possible be as good as I remembered. It was better.
"Aren't you?" he contradicted in a voice so low I wasn't sure if he meant for me to hear.
We drove through the fog-shrouded streets, always too fast, feeling awkward. I was, at least. Last night all the walls were down... almost all. I didn't know if we were still being as candid today. It left me tongue-tied. I waited for him to speak.
He turned to smirk at me. "What, no twenty maswali today?"
"Do my maswali bother you?" I asked, relieved.
"Not as much as your reactions do." He looked like he was joking, but I couldn't be sure.
I frowned. "Do I react badly?"
"No, that's the problem. wewe take everything so coolly - it's unnatural. It makes me wonder what you're really thinking."
"I always tell wewe what I'm really thinking."
"You edit," he accused.
"Not very much."
"Enough to drive me insane."
"You don't want to hear it," I mumbled, almost whispered. As soon as the words were out, I regretted them. The pain in my voice was very faint; I could only hope he hadn't noticed it.
He didn't respond, and I wondered if I had ruined the mood. His face was unreadable as we drove into the school parking lot. Something occurred to me belatedly.
"Where's the rest of your family?" I asked - zaidi than glad to be alone with him, but remembering that his car was usually full.
"They took Rosalie's car." He shrugged as he parked inayofuata to a glossy red convertible, kubadilishwa with the juu up. "Ostentatious isn't it?"
"Um, wow," I breathed. "If she has that, why does she ride with you?"
"Like I said, it's ostentatious. We try to blend in."
"You don't succeed." I laughed and shoock my head as we got out of the car. I wasn't late anymore; his lunatic driving had gotten me to school in plenty of time. "So why did Rosalie drive today if it's zaidi conspicuous?"
"Hadn't wewe noticed? I'm breaking all the rules now." He met me at the front of the car, staying very close to my side as we walked onto campus. I wanted to close that little distance, to reach out and touch him, but I was afraid he wouldn't like me to.
"Why do wewe have cars like that at all?" I wondered aloud. "If you're looking for privacy?"
"An indulgence," he admitted with an implish smile. "We all like to drive fast."
"Figures," I muttered under my breath.