feature　or

something。　He's　gone　for　the　whole　day。〃

〃Well；　that's　a　relief。　I've　been　so　worried。　I'm　glad　he　felt　good　enough　to

get　out。〃　My　voice　sounded

horribly　phony　as　I　babbled　on。

Jacob　was　better；　but　not　well　enough　to　call　me。　He　was　out　with　friends。　I

was　sitting　home；　missing

him　more　every　hour。　I　was　lonely；　worried；　bored　perforated—and　now　also

desolate　as　I　realized

that　the　week　apart　had　not　had　the　same　effect　on　him。

〃Is　there　anything　in　particular　you　wanted？〃　Billy　asked　politely。

〃No；　not　really。〃

〃Well；　I'll　tell　him　that　you　called；〃　Billy　promised。　〃Bye；　Bella。〃

〃Bye；〃　I　replied；　but　he'd　already　hung　up。

I　stood　for　a　moment　with　the　phone　still　in　my　hand。

Jacob　must　have　changed　his　mind；　just　like　I'd　feared。　He　was　going　to　take

my　advice　and　not　waste

any　more　time　on　someone　who　couldn't　return　his　feelings。　I　felt　the　blood

run　out　of　my　face。

〃Something　wrong？〃　Charlie　asked　as　he　came　down　the　stairs。

〃No；〃　I　lied；　hanging　up　the　phone。　〃Billy　says　Jacob　is　feeling　better。　It

wasn't　mono。　So　that's　good。〃

〃Is　he　ing　here；　or　are　you　going　there？〃　Charlie　asked　absentmindedly　as

he　started　poking　through

the　fridge。

〃Neither；〃　I　admitted。　〃He's　going　out　with　some　other　friends。〃

The　tone　of　my　voice　finally　caught　Charlie's　attention。　He　looked　up　at　me

with　sudden　alarm；　his　hands

frozen　around　a　package　of　cheese　slices。

〃Isn't　it　a　little　early　for　lunch？〃　I　asked　as　lightly　as　I　could　manage；

trying　to　distract　him。

〃No；　I'm　just　packing　something　to　take　out　to　the　river〃

〃Oh；　fishing　today？〃

〃Well