"Yeah, Mike said that," he admitted. He already knew.
"You already knew!"
He shrugged. "I was hoping you were just letting him down gently. After all," he leaned in, "Mike is kind of a fag."
I laughed against my will, and unwillingly had a moment with that idiot Tyler.
"Sorry, Tyler," I said, working to hide my irritation as well as my laughter behind a completely emotionless facade.
"That's cool. We still have prom."
And before I could respond, he was walking back to his car. I could feel the shock on my face. I looked forward to see Alice, Rosalie, Emmet and Jasper—the whole incestuous gaggle of gorgeous geese—slide into that Volvo. Fredward's eyes were in his rear-view mirror and on me. He was shaking with laughter, as if he'd heard every word Tyler had said. My foot itched toward the gas pedal... one little bump wouldn't hurt any of them, just that glossy silver paint job. The paint would crack and flake off all over my big red truck. They'd cry. I'd laugh. It'd be nice. I revved the engine.
But they were all already in, and Fredward was speeding away at an ungodly speed.108 I drove home slowly, carefully, muttering to myself the whole way.109
When I got home, I decided to make chicken enchiladas for dinner. Jessica had told me how to make them at least five times, once in her sleep during Biology IV. It was a long process and it would keep me busy, away from my thoughts, my troubles. While I was simmering the onions and chilies, the phone rang. I was almost afraid to answer it, but it might be Charlie or my mom. Not that I wanted to talk to either of them, but I kind of had to. If I didn't talk to them now, I'd have to talk to them later, and that conversation would be elongated by having to include an explanation of why I didn't pick up the phone the first time. In the interest of avoiding an extended interaction, I grabbed the phone.
It was Jessica and she was jubilant; Mike had caught her after school to accept her invitation to the Forks High School Girl's Choice Spring Dance. I celebrated with her briefly while I stirred. After exploding her tunnel-visioned euphoria all over me via telephone, Jessica had to go; she wanted to call Angela and Lauren to tell them. I suggested—with cool, casual innocence—that maybe Angela, the shy girl who had Biology IV with us, could ask Chess Master Eric. And Lauren, a standoffish
108. Not unlike a god.
109. Bella has a lot on her mind. If she drives quickly, she will have less time alone in the truck before she has to deal with another over-accommodating man. At least, we can assume she reflects, Chief Duck won't ask her to the dance.