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Macy's top lip curled a little and she said； “Jon Trulock？ Jon Tru lock？ How did he get on this
list？”
For a moment I couldn't believe my ears。 I snatched the paper out of Macy's hand。 “Are you
sure？”
“Right there；” she said； pointing to his name。 “Who do you suppose voted for him？”
“The quiet girls； I guess；” Darla said。 “Me； I'm more interested in Mike Abenido。 Have I got
any petition？”
Macy laughed； “If you're in； I'm out！”
“Me too；” said Liz。
“How about you； Jules？” Darla asked me。 “Bringin' spare change on Friday？”
“No！”
“You get to miss the second half of school…。”
“No！ I'm not bidding。 Not on anyone！”
She laughed。 “Good for you。”
That afternoon I rode home from school brooding about Bryce and the whole basket boy
auction。 I could feel myself backsliding about Bryce。 But
why should I care if Shelly liked him？ I shouldn't even be thinking about him！
……… Page 84………
When I wasn't thinking about Bryce； I was worrying about poor Jon Trulock。 He was quiet；
and I felt sorry for him； having to clutch a basket and be
auctioned off in front of the whole student body。 What had I done to him？
But as I bounced up our drive； basket boys bounced right out of my mind。 Was that green I
saw poking out of the dirt？ Yes！ Yes； it was！ I dropped
the bike and got down on my hands and knees。 They were so thin； so small； so far apart！
They barely made a difference in the vastness of the black
dirt； and yet there they were。 Pushing their way through to the afternoon sun。
I ran in the house； calling； “Mom！ Mom； there's grass！”
“Really？” She emerged from the bathroom with her cleaning gloves and a pail。 “I was
wondering if it was ever going to spring up。”
“Well； it has！ e！ e and see！”
She wasn't too impressed at first。 But after I made her get down on her hands and knees and
really look； she smiled and said； “They're so
delicate…。”
“They look like they're yawning； don't they？”
She cocked her head a bit and looked a little closer。 “Yawning？”
“Well； more stretching； I guess。 Like they're sitting up in their little bed of dirt with their arms
stretched way high； saying； Good morning； world！”
She laughed and said； “Yes； they do！”
I got up and uncoiled the hose。 “I think they need a wakeup shower； don't you？”
My mom agreed and left me to my singing and sprinkling。 And I was pletely lost in the joy
of my little green blades of new life when I heard the
school bus rumble to a stop up on Collier Street。
Bryce。 His name shot through my brain； and with it came a panic I didn't seem able to control。
Before I could stop myself； I dropped the hose and
dashed inside。
I locked myself in my room and tried to do my homework。 Where was my peace？ Where was
my resolve？ Where was my sanity？ Had they left
me because Shelly Stalls was after him？ Was it just some old rivalry making me feel this way？
I had to get past Bryce and Shelly。 They deserved
each other—let them have each other！
But in my heart I knew that just like the new grass； I wasn't strong enough yet to be walked
on。 And until I was； there was only one solution： I had to
stay away from him。 I needed to rope him out of my life。
So I closed my ears to the news of basket boys and steered clear of Bryce at school。 And
when I did happen to run into him； I simply said hello
like he was someone I barely even knew。
It was working； too！ I was growing stronger by the day。 Who cared about auctions and basket
boys？ I didn't！
Friday morning I got up early； collected what few eggs there were in the coop； watered the
front yard； which was by now definitely green； ate
breakfast； and got ready for school。
But as I was running a brush through my hair； I couldn't help thinking about Shelly Stalls。 It
was auction day。 She'd probably been up since five；
making her hair into some impossibly pouffy do。
So what？ I told myself。 So what？ But as I was throwing on my windbreaker； I eyed my money
tin and hesitated。 What if …
No！ No…no…no！
I ran to the garage； got my bike； and pushed out of the driveway。 And I was in the street and
on my way when Mrs。 Stueby flew right in my path。
“Julianna；” she called； waving her hand through the air。 “Here； dear。 Take this。 I'm so sorry
it's taken me this long to get it to you。 I keep missing you
in the mornings。”
……… Page 85………
I didn't even know how much she owed me。 At that moment I didn't care。 All I knew was the
top bill in her hand was a ten； and it was striking terror
in my heart。 “Mrs。 Stueby； please。 I …I don't want that。 You don't have to pay me。”
“Nonsense； child！ Of course I'm going to pay you。 Here！” she said； and waved it out for me to
take。
“No； really。 I …I don't want it。”
She wedged it in the pocket of my jeans and said； “What utter nonsense。 Now go！ Go buy
yourself a rooster！” then hurried back up her walkway。
“Mrs。 Stueby… Mrs。 Stueby？” I called after her。 “I don't want a rooster… ！” but she was gone。
All the way to school Mrs。 Stueby's money was burning a hole in my pocket and another in
my brain。 How much was it？
When I got to school； I parked my bike； then broke down and looked。 Ten； fifteen； sixteen；
seventeen； eighteen。 I folded the bills together and slid
them back into my pocket。 Was it more than Shelly had？
All through first period I was furious with myself for even thinking it。 All through second period
I kept my eyes off of Bryce； but oh！ It was so hard！ I'd
never seen him in a tie and cuff links before！
Then at break I was at my locker when Shelly Stalls appeared out of nowhere。 She got right
next to me and said； “I hear you're planning to bid on
him。”
“What？” I took a step back。 “Who told you that？ I am not！”
“Someone said they saw you with a whole wad of cash this morning。 How much do you
have？”
“It's … it's none of y