un。〃

〃Er；　right。　And　before　that；　with　the　motorcycle—〃

〃Motorcycle？〃　he　asked。　I　knew　his　voice　well　enough　to　hear　something　brewing

behind　the　calm。

〃I　guess　I　didn't　tell　Alice　about　that　part。〃

〃No。〃

〃Well；　about　that　See；　I　found　that　when　I　was　doing　something　dangerous

or　stupid　I　could

remember　you　more　clearly；〃　I　confessed；　feeling　pletely　mental。　〃I　could

remember　how　your　voice

sounded　when　you　were　angry。　I　could　hear　it；　like　you　were　standing　right

there　next　to　me。　Mostly　I

tried　not　to　think　about　you；　but　this　didn't　hurt　so　much—it　was　like　you

were　protecting　me　again。　Like

you　didn't　want　me　to　be　hurt。

〃And；　well；　I　wonder　if　the　reason　I　could　hear　you　so　clearly　was　because；

underneath　it　all。　I　always

knew　that　you　hadn't　stopped　loving　me。〃

Again；　as　I　spoke；　the　words　brought　with　them　a　sense　of　conviction。　Of

rightness。　Some　deep　place

inside　me　recognized　truth。

His　words　came　out　half…strangled。　〃You　were　risking　your　life　to　hear—

〃

〃Shh；〃　I　interrupted　him。　〃Hold　on　a　second。　I　think　I'm　having　an　epiphany

here。〃

I　thought　of　that　night　in　Port　Angeles　when　I'd　had　my　first　delusion。　I'd

e　up　with　two　options。

Insanity　or　wish　fulfillment。　I'd　seen　no　third　option。

But　what　if

What　if　you　sincerely　believed　something　was　true；　but　you　were　dead　wrong？

What　if　you　were　so

stubbornly　sure　that　you　were　right；　that　you　wouldn't　even　consider　the

truth？　Would　the　truth　be

silenced；　or　would　it　try　to　break　through？

Option　three：　Edward　loved　me。　The　bond　forged　between　us　was　not　one　that

could　be　br