按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
I felt myself spinning out of control。 It was weird。 Like I couldn't even steer my own body。 I'd
always thought Jon was pretty cool； but right then I
wanted to go over and throw him across the room。
Shelly grabbed my arm and said； “Bryce； are you all right？ You look…I don't know…
possessed or something。”
“What？ Oh。” I tried taking a deep breath。 “What are you staring at？” Miranda asked。 They
both looked over their shoulders； then shrugged and
went back to picking at their food。
But I couldn't stop myself from looking again。 And in the back of my mind； I could hear my
grandfather's voice saying； “The choices you make now
will affect you for the rest of your life。 Do the right thing…。”
Do the right thing…。
Do the right thing…。
Miranda shook me out of it； asking； “Bryce？ Are you in there？ I asked； what are you going to
do this summer？”
“I don't know；” I snapped。
“Hey； maybe you can spend some time up at the lake with us！” Shelly said。
It was torture。 I wanted to scream； Shut up！ Leave me alone！ I wanted to run out of the
building and keep on running until I didn't feel like this
anymore。
“Lunch is really delicious； Bryce。” Miranda's voice was floating around。 “Bryce？ Did you hear
me？ This is really a spectacular lunch。”
A simple little thank you would've sufficed。 But could I e up with a simple little thank you？
No。 I turned on her and said； “Can we not talk about
food or tans or hair？”
She gave me an uppity little smile。 “Well； what do you want to talk about； then？”
I blinked at her； then at Shelly。 “How about perpetual motion？ Know anything about that？”
“Perpetual what？”
Miranda starts laughing。
……… Page 79………
“What？” I ask her。 “What's so funny？”
She looks at me a minute； then snickers。 “I didn't realize I'd bid on an intellectual。”
“Hey… I'm plenty smart！”
“Yeah？” Miranda giggles。 “Can you spell intellectual？”
“He is too smart； Miranda。”
“Oh； stop kissing up； Shelly。 You're trying to tell me you're after his brain？ God； it's making
me sick to watch you grovel。”
“Grovel？ Excuse me？”
“You heard me。 He's not going to take you to the grad dance anyway； so just give it up； why
don't you？”
And with that； it was all over。 One of my mom's flaky apple tarts got ground into Miranda's
hair； the extra ranch dressing got smeared into Shelly's。
And before Mrs。 McClure could say； In the name of Boosters！ What are you doing？ they
were rolling on the floor； scratching each other's makeup
off。
I took this opportunity to leave my table and head for Juli's。 I grabbed her by the hand and
said； “I've got to talk to you。”
She sort of half…stands and says； “What？ What's going on； Bryce？ Why are they fighting？”
“Excuse us a minute； would you； Jon？” I pull her away from the table； but there's no place to
go。 And I've got her hand in mine； and I just can't
think。 So I stop right there in the middle of the room and look at her。 At that face。 I want to
touch her cheek and see what it feels like。 I want to touch
her hair； it looks so incredibly soft。
“Bryce；” she whispers。 “What's wrong？”
I can barely breathe as I ask her； “Do you like him？”
“Do I… you mean Jon？”
“Yes！”
“Well； sure。 He's nice and — ”
“No； do you like him？” My heart was pounding through my chest as I took her other hand and
waited。
“Well； no。 I mean； not like that…。”
No！ She said no！ I didn't care where I was； I didn't care who saw。 I wanted； just had to kiss
her。 I leaned in； closed my eyes； and then …
She broke away from me。
Suddenly； the room iranda and Shelly stared at me through their slimy hair；
everyone was looking at me like I'd blown my entire
circuit board； and I just stood there； trying to reel in my lips and pull myself back together。
Mrs。 McClure took me by the shoulders； guided me to my chair； and told me； “You sit here；
and you stay here！” Then she hauled Miranda and
Shelly outside； scolding them and telling them to find separate bathrooms and clean up while
she ran down the janitor to mop up their mess。
I sat there by myself and didn't even care about covering up。 I just wanted to be with her。 To
talk to her。 To hold her hand again。
To kiss her。
Before school was out； I tried to talk to her again； but every time I got close； she'd dodge me。
And then when the final bell rang； she disappeared。
I looked everywhere for her； but she was just gone。
Garrett； however； wasn't。 He tracked me down and said； “Dude！ Tell me it isn't true！”
I didn't say a word。 I just headed for the bike racks； still hoping to find Juli。
“Oh； man …it is true！”
“Leave me alone； Garrett。”
“You get hooked up with the two finest chicks on campus； then bail on them for Juli？”
“You don't understand。”
“You're right； dude。 I pletely don't understand。 Did you seriously try to kiss her？ I couldn't
believe that part。 We're talking Julianna Baker？ Your
……… Page 80………
nightmare neighbor？ The know…it…all nuisance？ The coop poop babe？”
I stopped cold and shoved him。 Just laid into him with both hands and shoved。 “That was a
long time ago； man。 Knock it off！”
Garrett put both hands up； but moved in at me。 “Dude； you have flipped； you know that？”
“Just back off； would you？”
He blocked my path。 “I can't believe this！ Two hours ago you were the man。 The man！ The
whole school was on their knees before you！ Now look
at you。 You're； like； a social hazard。” He snorted and said； “And； dude； the truth is； if you're
gonna be like this； I don't need the association。”
I got right in his face and said； “Good！ 'Cause you know what？ Neither do I！”
I shoved him aside and ran。
I wound up walking home。 In my pinchy shoes； with dirty dishes clanking inside my sticky
picnic hamper； this basket boy hiked all the way home。
And there was a battle ragin