When the bell rang, a nasal buzzing sound, a gangly boy with skin problems and hair black as an oil slick leaned across the aisle to talk to me.
下课铃响了——发出一阵刺耳的嗡嗡声，一个瘦长瘦长有皮肤病、头发黑得跟抹了发油似的男生从过道的另一边倾过身来对我说。
"You're Isabella Swan, aren't you?" He looked like the overly helpful, chess club type.
"你是伊萨贝拉·斯旺，对吧？"他看上去像那种过分热情、像那种典型的象棋俱乐部的人。
"Bella," I corrected. Everyone within a three-seat radius turned to look at me.
"贝拉，"我纠正道。距我只有三张课桌之遥的同学，全都扭头看了我一眼。
"Where's your next class?" he asked.
"你下一节课在哪儿上？"他问。
I had to check in my bag. "Um, Government, with Jefferson, in building six."
我不得不在书包里查对了一下："嗯，政府课，有关杰弗逊政府的，在6号楼。"
There was nowhere to look without meeting curious eyes.
往哪个方向看，都避不开好奇的眼神。
"I'm headed toward building four, I could show you the way…" Definitely over-helpful. "I'm Eric," he added.
"我去4号楼，可以告诉你怎么走。……"确实是过分热情，"我是埃里克，"他补充道。
I smiled tentatively. "Thanks."
我很勉强地笑了笑："谢谢。"
We got our jackets and headed out into the rain, which had picked up. I could have sworn several people behind us were walking close enough to eavesdrop. I hoped I wasn't getting paranoid.
我们取了上衣，出来走进了雨中，外面早就又下起来了。我可以肯定，我们后面有好几个人跟得非常近，可以偷听到我们说的话。我希望自己不是在犯多疑症。
"So, this is a lot different than Phoenix, huh?" he asked.
"这么说，这儿跟凤凰城很不一样喽？"他问。
"Very."
"非常不一样。"
"It doesn't rain much there, does it?"
"那儿不怎么下雨，是不是？"
"Three or four times a year."
"一年三四次。"
"Wow, what must that be like?" he wondered.
"哇塞，那会是个什么样子？"他感到很惊讶。
"Sunny," I told him.
"阳光灿烂，"我告诉他。
"You don't look very tan."
"可你晒得也不怎么黑呀？"
"My mother is part albino."
"我母亲是半个白化病患者。"
He studied my face apprehensively, and I sighed. It looked like clouds and a sense of humor didn't mix. A few months of this and I'd forget how to use sarcasm.
他担心地审视了下我的脸，我叹了一口气。乌云跟幽默感似乎不相溶。几个月下来，我已经不会说挖苦话了。
We walked back around the cafeteria, to the south buildings by the gym. Eric walked me right to the door, though it was clearly marked.
我们绕着自助餐厅往回走，去往南边体育馆边上的教学楼。埃里克把我一直送到门口，尽管楼号标得清清楚楚。
"Well, good luck," he said as I touched the handle. "Maybe we'll have some other classes together." He sounded hopeful.
"好了，祝你好运，"我拉把手的时候他说，"说不定我们还会一起上别的课。"他说得满怀期待。
I smiled at him vaguely and went inside.
我给了他一个生硬的微笑，进了楼门。
