could have e later；
smelling the food Anyway； they're setting traps for it now。〃
〃Oh；〃 I said vaguely。 I wasn't really listening to his warnings； I was much
more upset by the situation with
Jacob than by the possibility of being eaten by a bear。
I was glad that Charlie was in a hurry。 He didn't wait for me to call Jessica；
so I didn't have to put on that
charade。 I went through the motions of gathering my school…books on the
kitchen table to pack them in
my bag； that was probably too much； and if he hadn't been eager to hit the
holes； it might have made him
suspicious。
I was so busy looking busy that the ferociously empty day ahead didn't really
crash down on me until
after I'd watched him drive away。 It only took about two minutes of staring at
the silent kitchen phone to
decide that I wasn't staying home today。 I considered my options。
I wasn't going to call Jessica。 As far as I could tell； Jessica had crossed
over to the dark side。
I could drive to La Push and get my motorcycle—an appealing thought but for
one minor problem： who
was going to drive me to the emergency room if I needed it afterward？
Or I already had our map and pass in the truck。 I was pretty sure I
understood the process well
enough by now that I wouldn't get lost。 Maybe I could eliminate two lines
today； putting us ahead of
schedule for whenever Jacob decided to honor me with his presence again。 I
refused to think about how
long that might be。 Or if it was going to be never。
I felt a brief twinge of guilt as I realized how Charlie would feel about
this； but I ignored it。 I just couldn't