seat。

〃Sure。　Unless　you　want　to　go　without　me　so　I　don't　tie　you　down　to　my　gimpy

pace。〃

〃I'll　survive；〃　he　assured　me。　〃If　we're　hiking　again；　though；　you　might　want

to　pick　up　some　moleskin。　I

bet　you　can　feel　those　new　boots　right　now。〃

〃A　little；〃　I　confessed。　It　felt　like　I　had　more　blisters　than　I　had　space　to

fit　them。

〃I　hope　we　see　the　bear　tomorrow。　I'm　sort　of　disappointed　about　that。〃

〃Yes；　me；　too；〃　I　agreed　sarcastically。　〃Maybe　we'll　get　lucky　tomorrow　and

something　will　eat　us！〃

〃Bears　don't　want　to　eat　people。　We　don't　taste　that　good。〃　He　grinned　at　me

in　the　dark　cab。　〃Of

course；　you　might　be　an　exception。　I　bet　you'd　taste　good。〃

〃Thanks　so　much；〃　I　said；　looking　away。　He　wasn't　the　first　person　to　tell　me

that。

9。　THIRD　WHEEL

TIME　BEGAN　TO　TRIP　ALONG　MUCH　MORE　QUICKLY　than　before。　School；　work；　and

Jacob—though　not　necessarily　in　that　order—created　a　neat　and　effortless

pattern　to　follow。　And　Charlie

got　his　wish：　I　wasn't　miserable　anymore。　Of　course；　I　couldn't　fool　myself

pletely。　When　I　stopped

to　take　stock　of　my　life；　which　I　tried　not　to　do　too　often；　I　couldn't　ignore

the　implications　of　my

behavior。

I　was　like　a　lost　moon—my　planet　destroyed　in　some　cataclysmic；　disaster…

movie　scenario　of

desolation—that　continued；　nevertheless；　to　circle　in　a　tight　little　orbit

around　the　empty　space　left　behind；

ignoring　the　laws　of　gravity。

I　was　getting　better　with　my　bike；　which　meant　fewer　bandages　to　worry

Charlie。　But　it　also　meant　that

the　voice　in　my　head　began　to　fade；　until　I　heard　it　no　more。　Quietly；　I

panic