Page 76 of Life and Death
“Please.” He punched my arm. “Edythe Cullen.C’mon. How did you swingthat?”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“How long has this been happening? Is it some kind of secret? Like, she doesn’t want her family to know? Is that why you pretended you were going to the movie with us?”
“I wasn’t pretending anything. I had no idea she was in Port Angeles last night. She was thelastperson I expected to see.”
He seemed deflated by my obvious honesty.
“Have you ever been out with her before last night?”
“Never.”
“Huh. Just a total coincidence?”
“I guess.”
It was obvious when I was telling the truth—and obvious when I was evading it. The suspicious, knowing look came back to his face.
“Because, you know, it’s not a secret that you’ve been, like, obsessed with her since you got here.”
I winced. “It’s not?”
“So, I have to wonder how you turned that around. Do you have a genie in a lamp? Did you find some blackmail on her? Or did you trade your soul to the devil or something?”
“Whatever, man.”
“Exactly how much did you get in the bargain? Bet it was a pretty wild night, eh?”
I was starting to get pissed, but I knew he would twist whatever reaction I showed to make it seem like something else.
I answered calmly, “It was an early night. Home by eight.”
“Are you serious?”
“It was just dinner and a ride home, Jeremy.”
“What about this morning, though? You were still with her.”
“Still?No! What—you thought she was with me all night?”
“She wasn’t?”
“No.”
“But you were in her car—”
“She picked me up for school this morning.”
“Why?”
“I have no idea. She offered me a ride. I wasn’t going to say no.”
“And that’s it?”
I shrugged.
“Really? Please tell me you at least made out with her—anything.”
