behind　the　gym　and　scalped　her？　I　decided　it　wasn't　fair　for　me　to　judge　her

now　by　my　former　opinion。

For　all　I　knew；　she'd　turned　into　a　nice　person。

〃Ben's　got　the　stomach　flu；〃　Angela　said　in　her　quiet；　calm　voice。　〃Hopefully

it's　just　some　twenty…four

hour　thing。　He　was　really　sick　last　night。〃

Angela　had　changed　her　hair；　too。　She'd　grown　out　her　layers。

〃What　did　you　two　do　this　weekend？〃　Jessica　asked；　not　sounding　as　if　she

cared　about　the　answer。　I'd

bet　that　this　was　just　an　opener　so　she　could　tell　her　own　stories。　I　wondered

if　she　would　talk　about　Port

Angeles　with　me　sitting　two　seats　away？　Was　I　that　invisible；　that　no　one

would　feel　unfortable

discussing　me　while　I　was　here？

〃We　were　going　to　have　a　picnic　Saturday；　actually；　but　we　changed　our

minds；〃　Angela　said。　There

was　an　edge　to　her　voice　that　caught　my　interest。

Jess；　not　so　much。　〃That's　too　bad；〃　she　said；　about　to　launch　into　her　story。

But　I　wasn't　the　only　one

who　was　paying　attention。

〃What　happened？〃　Lauren　asked　curiously。

〃Well；〃　Angela　said；　seeming　more　hesitant　than　usual；　though　she　was　always

reserved；　〃we　drove　up

north；　almost　to　the　hot　springs—there's　a　good　spot　just　about　a　mile　up　the

trail。　But；　when　we　were

halfway　there　we　saw　something。〃

〃Saw　something？　What？〃　Lauren's　pale　eyebrows　pulled　together。　Even　Jess

seemed　to　be　listening　now。

〃I　don't　know；〃　Angela　said。　〃We　think　it　was　a　bear。　It　was　black；　anyway；

but　it　seemed　too　big。〃

Lauren　snorted。　〃Oh；　not　you；　too！〃　Her　eyes　turned　mocking；　and　I　decided　I

didn't　need　to　give　her　the

benefit　o