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she shakes me off and says； “Go on。”
Juli would've tramped right in if my mother hadn't noticed her shoes and told her to take them
off。 And after those were off； my mom told her that
her dirty socks had to go； too。 Juli wasn't embarrassed。 Not a bit。 She just peeled them off
and left them in a crusty heap on our porch。
I didn't exactly give her a tour。 I locked myself in the bathroom instead。 And after about ten
minutes of yelling back at her that no； I wasn't ing
out anytime soon； things got quiet out in the hall。 Another ten minutes went by before I got
the nerve to peek out the door。
No Juli。
I snuck out and looked around； and yes！ She was gone。
Not a very sophisticated ditch； but hey； I was only seven。
My troubles were far from over； though。 Every day she came back； over and over again。
“Can Bryce play？” I could hear her asking from my hiding
place behind the couch。 “Is he ready yet？” One time she even cut across the yard and looked
through my window。 I spotted her in the nick of time
and dove under my bed； but man； that right there tells you something about Juli Baker。 She's
got no concept of personal space。 No respect for
privacy。 The world is her playground； and watch out below — Juli's on the slide！
Lucky for me； my dad was willing to run block。 And he did it over and over again。 He told her
I was busy or sleeping or just plain gone。 He was a
lifesaver。
My sister； on the other hand； tried to sabotage me any chance she got。 Lyta's like that。
She's four years older than me； and buddy； I've learned
from watching her how not to run your life。 She's got ANTAGONIZE written all over her。 Just
look at her — not cross…eyed or with your tongue sticking
out or anything — just look at her and you've started an argument。
I used to knock…down…drag…out with her； but it's just not worth it。 Girls don't fight fair。 They pull
your hair and gouge you and pinch you； then they run
off gasping to mommy when you try and defend yourself with a fist。 Then you get locked into
time…out； and for what？ No； my friend； the secret is；
don't snap at the bait。 Let it dangle。 Swim around it。 Laugh it off。 After a while they'll give up
and try to lure someone else。
At least that's the way it is with Lyta。 And the bonus of having her as a pain…in…the…rear
sister was figuring out that this method works on
everyone。 Teachers； jerks at school； even Mom and Dad。 Seriously。 There's no winning
arguments with your parents； so why get all pumped up over
them？ It is way better to dive down and get out of the way than it is to get clobbered by some
parental tidal wave。
The funny thing is； Lyta's still clueless when it es to dealing with Mom and Dad。 She
goes straight into thrash mode and is too busy
drowning in the argument to take a deep breath and dive for calmer water。
And she thinks I'm stupid。
……… Page 5………
Anyway； true to form； Lyta tried to bait me with Juli those first few days。 She even snuck
her past Dad once and marched her all around the
house； hunting me down。 I wedged myself up on the top shelf of my closet； and lucky for me；
neither of them looked up。 A few minutes later I heard
Dad yell at Juli to get off the antique furniture； and once again； she got booted。
I don't think I went outside that whole first week。 I helped unpack stuff and watched TV and
just kind of hung around while my mom and dad
arranged and rearranged the furniture； debating whether Empire settees and French Rococo
tables should even be put in the same room。
So believe me； I was dying to go outside。 But every time I checked through the window； I
could see Juli showing off in her yard。 She'd be heading
a soccer ball or doing high kicks with it or dribbling it up and down their driveway。 And when
she wasn't busy showing off； she'd just sit on the curb
with the ball between her feet； staring at our house。
My mom didn't understand why it was so awful that “that cute little girl” had held my hand。
She thought I should make friends with her。 “I thought
you liked soccer； honey。 Why don't you go out there and kick the ball around？”
Because I didn't want to be kicked around； that's why。 And although I couldn't say it like that
at the time； I still had enough sense at age seven and
a half to know that Juli Baker was dangerous。
Unavoidably dangerous； as it turns out。 The minute I walked into Mrs。 Yelson's second…grade
classroom； I was dead meat。 “Bryce！” Juli squeals。
“You're here。” Then she charges across the room and tackles me。
Mrs。 Yelson tried to explain this attack away as a “wele hug；” but man； that was no hug。
That was a front…line； take…'em…down tackle。 And even
though I shook her off； it was too late。 I was branded for life。 Everyone jeered； “Where's your
girl friend； Bryce？” “Are you married yet； Bryce？” And
then when she chased me around at recess and tried to lay kisses on me； the whole school
started singing； “Bryce and Juli sitting in a tree； K…I…S…SI…
N…G…”
My first year in town was a disaster。
Third grade wasn't much better。 She was still hot on my trail every time I turned around。
Same with fourth。 But then in fifth grade I took action。
It started out slow — one of those Nah…that's…not…right ideas you get and forget。 But the more
I played with the idea； the more I thought； What
better way to ward Juli off？ What better way to say to her； “Juli； you are not my type”？
And so； my friend； I hatched the plan。
I asked Shelly Stalls out。
To fully appreciate the brilliance of this； you have to understand that Juli hates Shelly Stalls。
She always has； though it beats me why。 Shelly's nice
and she's friendly and she's got a lot of hair。 What's not to like？ But Juli hated her； and I was
going to make this little gem of knowledge the solution
to my problem。
What I was thinking was that Shelly would eat lunch at our table and maybe