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this weird feeling started ing over me again。 Not about Juli — about my father。 Standing
next to Mr。 Baker； he looked small。 Physically small。
And pared to the cut of Mr。 Baker's jaw； my dad's face looked kind of weaselly。
This is not the way you want to feel about your father。 When I was little； I'd always thought
that my dad was right about everything and that there
wasn't a man on earth he couldn't take。 But standing there looking in； I realized that Mr。
Baker could squash him like a bug。
Worse； though； was the way he was acting。 Watching my dad chum it up with Juli's dad—it
was like seeing him lie。 To Mr。 Baker； to Juli； to my
grandfather—to everybody。 Why was he being such a worm？ Why couldn't he just act normal？
You know； civil？ Why did he have to put on such a
phony show？ This went way beyond keeping the peace with my mother。 This was disgusting。
And people said I was the spitting image of my father。 How often had I heard that one？ I'd
never thought about it much； but now it was turning my
stomach。
Mom jingled the dinner bell and called； “Hors d'oeuvres are ready！” and then saw me still
standing in the hallway。 “Bryce； where'd your sister and
the boys go？”
I shrugged。 “Down to her room； I think。” “Go tell them； would you？ And then e have some
hors d'oeuvres。”
“Sure；” I said。 Anything to get rid of the taste in my mouth。
Lyta's door was closed。 And normally I would have knocked and called； Mom wants you；
or； Dinner！ or something； but in that split second
before my knuckles hit wood； my hand became possessed by Evil Baby Brother。 I turned the
knob and walked right in。
Does Lyta freak out or throw stuff at me and scream for me to get out？ No。 She ignores
me。 Matt…and…Mike give me a nod； and Lyta sees
me； but she's got her hands over some headphones and her whole body's bobbing up and
down as she listens to a portable CD player。
Matt…or…Mike whispers； “It's about over。 We'll be right there；” like of course I was there to say
it was time to eat。 What else would I be doing there？
Something about that made me feel； I don't know； left out。 I wasn't even a person to those
guys。 I was just baby brother。
Nothing new there； but now it really bugged me。 Like all of a sudden I didn't fit in anywhere。
Not at school； not at home … and every time I turned
around； another person I'd known forever felt like a stranger to me。 Even I felt like a stranger
to me。
Standing around eating little round crackers smeared with whipped cheese and fish eggs
didn't do much for my mood either。 My mother was
acting like an entire swarm of busy bees。 She was everywhere。 In the kitchen； out of the
kitchen。 Serving drinks； handing out napkins。 Explaining the
food； but not eating a thing。
Lyta didn't buy Mom's explanation on the hors d'oeuvres — she wound up dissecting hers；
categorizing the parts into gross； disgusting； and
revolting。
……… Page 66………
Hanging near her didn't stop the Baker boys from shoving crackers in whole； though。 Man； I
was just waiting for them to wrap themselves around
a table leg and flex。
Juli； her dad； and my grandfather were off to the side talking nonstop about something； and
my dad was over with Mrs。 Baker looking about as
stupid as I felt； standing by myself talking to no one。
My mom flutters over to me and says； “You doing okay； honey？”
“Yeah；” I tell her； but she forces me over to where Granddad is anyway。 “Go on； go on；” she
whispers。 “Dinner will be ready in a minute。”
So I stand there and the group of them opens up； but it's more like a reflex than anything。 No
one says a word to me。 They just keep right on
talking about perpetual motion。
Perpetual motion。
My friend； I didn't even know what perpetual motion was。 They were talking closed systems；
open systems； resistance； energy source；
magism … it was like joining a discussion in a different language。 And Juli； Juli was
saying stuff like； “Well； what if you put the mags back to
back — reversed the polarity？” like she really understood what they were talking about。 Then
my granddad and her dad would explain why her idea
wouldn't work； but all that did was make Juli ask another question。
I was pletely lost。 And even though I was pretending to follow along with what they were
saying； what I was really doing was trying not to stare
at Juli。
When my mom called us for dinner； I did my best to pull Juli aside and apologize to her； but
she gave me the cold shoulder； and who could blame
her； really？
I sat down across from her； feeling pretty low。 Why hadn't I said something to Garrett in the
library？ I didn't have to punch him。 Why hadn't I just told
him he was out of line？
After Mom served everyone their food； Dad seemed to decide that he ought to be the one
directing the conversation。 “So； Mike and Matt；” he
says； “you're seniors this year。”
“Amen！” they say together。
“Amen？ As in you're glad high school's over？”
“Absolutely。”
My father starts twirling his fork。 “Why's that？”
Matt and Mike look at each other； then back at my dad。 “The regurgitation gets to you after a
while。”
“Isn't that funny；” he says； looking around the table。 “High school was probably the best time
of my life。”
Matt…or…Mike says； “Seriously？ Dude； it's totally lame！” Mrs。 Baker shoots him a look； but that
doesn't stop him。 “Well； it is； Mom。 It's that whole
robotron attitude of education。 Confine； confute； conform—I've had totally enough of that
scene。”
My dad eyes my mom with a little I…told…you…so grin； then says to Matt and Mike； “So I take it
college is out of the question？”
God； what was with him？ In a flash I was clutching my fork and knife； ready to duke it out for
a couple of guys who pinched my cheeks and called
me baby brother。
I took a deep breath and tried to relax。 Tried to dive