e　somehow；　and　you　drive　up。〃　She　shook　her　head；　this　time

in　confusion。　Her　voice

was　strained。　〃I　saw　you　go　into　the　water　and　I　waited　and　waited　for　you　to

e　up；　but　you　didn't。

What　happened？　And　how　could　you　do　that　to　Charlie？　Did　you　stop　to　think

what　this　would　do　to

him？　And　my　brother？　Do　you　have　any　idea　what　Edward—〃

I　cut　her　off　then；　as　soon　as　she　said　his　name。　I'd　let　her　go　on；　even

after　I　realized　the

misunderstanding　she　was　under；　just　to　hear　the　perfect　bell　tone　of　her

voice。　But　it　was　time　to

interrupt。

〃Alice；　I　wasn't　mitting　suicide。〃

She　eyed　me　dubiously。　〃Are　you　saying　you　didn't　jump　off　a　cliff？〃

〃No；　but〃　I　grimaced。　〃It　was　for　recreational　purposes　only。〃

Her　expression　hardened。

〃I'd　seen　some　of　Jacob's　friends　cliff　diving；〃　I　insisted。　〃It　looked　like

fun；　and　I　was　bored〃

She　waited。

〃I　didn't　think　about　how　the　storm　would　affect　the　currents。　Actually；　I

didn't　think　about　the　water

much　at　all。〃

Alice　didn't　buy　it。　I　could　see　that　she　still　thought　I　had　been　trying　to

kill　myself。　I　decided　to　redirect。

〃So　if　you　saw　me　go　in；　why　didn't　you　see　Jacob？〃

She　cocked　her　head　to　the　side；　distracted。

I　continued。　〃It's　true　that　I　probably　would　have　drowned　if　Jacob　hadn't

jumped　in　after　me。　Well；

okay；　there's　no　probably　about　it。　But　he　did；　and　he　pulled　me　out；　and　I

guess　he　towed　me　back　to

shore；　though　I　was　kind　of　out　for　that　part。　It　couldn't　have　been　more　than

a　minute　that　I　was　under

before　he　grabbed　me。　How　e　you　didn't　see　that？〃

She　frowned　in　perplexity。　〃Someone　p