《2 new+moon新月》第119章

back；　so　I　didn"t　get　to　see　what　was　broken　in　the　living　room。　
It　was　a　quiet　trip　home。　I　was　feeling　triumphant；　and　a　little　smug。　Scared　stiff；　too；　of　course；　but　I　tried　
not　to　think　about　that　part。　It　did　me　no　good　to　worry　about　the　pain—the　physical　or　the　
emotional—so　I　wouldn"t。　Not　until　I　absolutely　had　to。　
When　we　got　to　my　house；　Edward　didn"t　pause。　He　dashed　up　the　wall　and　through　my　window　in　half　a　
second。　Then　he　pulled　my　arms　frcm　around　his　neck　and　set　me　on　the　bed。　
I　thought　I　had　a　pretty　good　idea　of　what　he　was　thinking；　but　his　expression　surprised　me。　Instead　of　
furious；　it　was　calculating。　He　paced　silently　back　and　forth　across　my　dark　room　while　I　watched　with　
growing　suspicion。　
〃Whatever　you"re　planning；　it"s　not　going　to　work；〃　I　told　him。　
〃Shh。　I"m　thinking。〃　
〃Ugh；〃　I　groaned；　throwing　myself　back　on　the　bed　and　pulling　the　quilt　over　my　head。　
There　was　no　sound；　but　suddenly　he　was　there。　He　flipped　the　cover　back　so　he　could　see　me。　He　was　
lying　next　to　me。　His　hand　reached　up　to　brush　my　hair　from　my　cheek。　
〃If　you　don"t　mind；　I"d　much　rather　you　didn"t　hide　your　face。　I"ve　lived　without　it　for　as　long　as　I　can　
stand。　Now…　tell　me　something。〃　
〃What？〃　I　asked；　unwilling。　
〃If　you　could　have　anything　in　the　world；　anything　at　all；　what　would　it　be？〃　
I　could　feel　the　skepticism　in　my　eyes。　〃You。〃　
He　shook　his　head　impatiently。　〃Something　you　don"t　already　have。〃　
I　wasn"t　sure　where　he　was　trying　to　lead　me；　so　I　thought　carefully　before　I　answered。　I　came　up　with　
something　that　was　both　true；　and　also　probably　impossible。　
〃I　would　want…　Carlisle　not　to　have　to　do　it。　I　would　want　you　to　change　me。〃　
I　watched　his　reaction　warily；　expecting　more　of　the　fury　I"d　seen　at　his　house。　I　was　surprised　that　his　
expression　didn"t　change。　It　was　still　calculating；　thoughtful。　
〃What　would　you　be　willing　to　trade　for　that？〃　
I　couldn"t　believe　my　ears。　I　gawked　at　his　posed　face　and　blurted　out　the　answer　before　I　could　
think　about　it。　
〃Anything。〃　
He　smiled　faintly；　and　then　pursed　his　lips。　〃Five　years？〃　
My　face　twisted　into　an　expression　somewhere　between　chagrin　and　horror。　
〃You　said　anything；〃　he　reminded　me。　
〃Yes；　but…　you"ll　use　the　time　to　find　a　way　out　of　it。　I　have　to　strike　while　the　iron　is　hot。　Besides；　it"s　
just　too　dangerous　to　be　human—for　me；　at　least。　So；　anything　but　that。〃　
He　frowned。　〃Three　years？〃　
〃No！〃　
〃Isn"t　it　worth　anyrhing　to　you　at　all？　〃　
I　thought　about　how　much　I　wanted　this。　Better　to　keep　a　poker　face；　I　decided；　and　not　let　him　know　
how　very　much　that　was。　It　would　give　me　more　leverage。　〃Six　months？〃　
He　rolled　his　eyes。　〃Not　good　enough。〃　
〃One　year；　then；〃　I　said。　〃That"s　my　limit。〃　
〃At　least　give　me　two。〃　
〃No　way。　Nieen　I"ll　do。　But　I"m　not　going　anywhere　near　twenty。　If　you"re　staying　in　your　teens　
forever；　then　so　am　I。〃　
He　thought　for　a　minute。　〃All　right。　Forget　time　limits。　If　you　want　me　to　be　the　one—then　you"ll　just　have　
to　meet　one　condition。〃　
〃Condition？〃　My　voice　went　flat。　〃What　condition？〃　
His　eyes　were　cautious—he　spoke　slowly。　〃Marry　me　first。〃　
I　stared　at　him；　waiting…　〃Okay。　What"s　the　punch　line？〃　
He　sighed。　〃You"re　wounding　my　ego；　Bella。　I　just　proposed　to　you；　and　you　think　it"s　a　joke。〃　
〃Edward；　please　be　serious。〃　
〃I　am　one　hundred　percent　serious。〃　He　gazed　at　me　with　no　hint　of　humor　in　his　face。　
〃Oh；　c"mon；〃　I　said；　an　edge　of　hysteria　in　my　voice。　〃I"m　only　eighteen。〃　
〃Well；　I"m　nearly　a　hundred　and　ten。　It"s　time　I　settled　down。〃　
I　looked　away；　out　the　dark　window；　trying　to　control　the　panic　before　it　gave　me　away。　
〃Look；　marriage　isn"t　exactly　that　high　on　my　list　of　priorities；　you　know？　It　was　sort　of　the　kiss　of　death　
for　Renee　and　Charlie。〃　
〃Interesting　choice　of　words。〃　
〃You　know　what　I　mean。〃　
He　inhaled　deeply。　〃Please　don"t　tell　me　that　you"re　afraid　of　the　mitment；〃　his　voice　was　disbelieving；　
and　I　understood　what　he　meant。　
〃That"s　not　it　exactly；〃　I　hedged。　〃I"m…　afraid　of　Renee。　She　has　some　really　intense　opinions　on　getting　
married　before　you"re　thirty。〃　
〃Because　she"d　rather　you　became　one　of　the　eternal　damned　than　get　married。〃　He　laughed　darkly。　
〃You　think　you"re　joking。〃　
〃Bella；　if　you　pare　the　level　of　mitment　between　a　marital　union　as　opposed　to　bartering　your　soul　
in　exchange　for　an　eternity　as　a　vampire…〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃If　you"re　not　brave　enough　to　marry　me；　
then—〃　
〃Well；〃　I　interrupted。　〃What　if　I　did？　What　if　I　told　you　to　take　me　to　Vegas　now？　Would　I　be　a　vampire　
in　three　days？〃　
He　smiled；　his　teeth　flashing　in　the　dark。　〃Sure；〃　he　said；　calling　my　bluff。　〃I"ll　get　my　car。〃　
〃Dammit。〃　I　muttered。　〃I"ll　give　you　eighteen　months。〃　
〃No　deal；〃　he　said；　grinning。　〃I　like　this　condition。〃　
〃Fine。　I"ll　have　Carlisle　do　it　when　I　graduate。〃　
〃If　that"s　what　you　really　want。〃　He　shrugged；　and　his　smile　became　absolutely　angelic。　
〃You"re　impossible；〃　I　groaned。　〃A　monster。〃　
He　chuckled。　〃Is　that　why　you　won"t　marry　me？〃　
I　groaned　again。　
He　leaned　toward　me；　his　nightdark　eyes　melted　and　smoldered　and　shattered　my　concentration。　〃　
Please；　Bella？〃　he　breathed。　
I　forgot　how　to　breathe　for　a　moment。　When　I　recovered；　I　shook　my　head　quickly；　trying　to　clear　my　
suddenly　clouded　mind。　
〃Would　this　have　gone　better　if　I　d　had　time　to　get　a　ring。"〃　
〃No！　No　rings！〃　I　very　nearly　snouted。　
〃Now　you"ve　done　it；〃　he　whispered。　
〃Oops。〃　
〃Charlie"s　getting　up；　I"d　better　leave；〃　Edward　said　with　resignation。　
My　heart　stopped　beating。　
He　gauged　my　expression　for　a　second。　〃Would　it　be　childish　of　me　to　hide　in　your　closet；　then？〃　
〃No；〃　I　whispered　eagerly。　〃Stay。　Please。〃　
Edward　smiled　and　disappeared。　
I　seethed　in　the　darkness　as　I　waited　for　Charlie　to　check　on　me。　Edward　knew　exactly　what　he　was　
doing；　and　I　was　willing　to　bet　that　all　the　injured　surprise　was　part　of　the　ploy。　Of　course；　I　still　had　the　
Carlisle　option；　but　now　that　I　knew　there　was　a　chance　that　Edward　would　change　me　himself；