第3部分(第4/7 頁)

im　like　that！

Bryce　looked　over　his　shoulder　from　time　to　time　as　they　walked　along；　and　he　was　looking

at　me。　My　first　thought　was　that　he　was　telling　me　he

was　sorry。　Then　it　dawned　on　me—　he　needed　my　help。　Absolutely；　that's　what　it　had　to　be！

Shelly　Stalls　was　too　delicate　to　shake　off；　too　swirly　to

be　pushed　away。　She'd　unravel　and　start　sniffling　and　oh；　how　embarrassing　that　would　be

for　him！　No；　this　wasn't　a　job　a　boy　could　do　gracefully。

This　was　a　job　for　a　girl。

I　didn't　even　bother　checking　around　for　other　candidates—I　had　her　off　of　him　in　two

seconds　flat。　Bryce　ran　away　the　minute　he　was　free；　but　not

Shelly。　Oh；　no…no…no！　She　came　at　me；　scratching　and　pulling　and　twisting　anything　she

could　get　her　hands　on；　telling　me　that　Bryce　was　hers　and

there　was　no　way　she　was　letting　him　go。

How　delicate。

I　was　hoping　for　herds　of　teachers　to　appear　so　they　could　see　the　real　Shelly　Stalls　in　action；

but　it　was　too　late　by　the　time　anyone　arrived　on　the

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scene。　I　had　Fluffy　in　a　headlock　and　her　arm　twisted　back　in　a　hammerlock；　and　no　amount

of　her　squawking　or　scratching　was　going　to　get　me　to

un　lock　her　until　a　teacher　arrived。

In　the　end；　Shelly　went　home　early　with　a　bad　case　of　mussed…up　hair；　while　I　told　my　side　of

things　to　the　principal。　Mrs。　Shultz　is　a　sturdy　lady

who　probably　secretly　appreciates　the　value　of　a　swift　kick　well　placed；　and　although　she　told

me　that　it　would　be　better　if　I　let　other　people　work　out

their　own　dilemmas；　she　definitely　understood　about　Shelly　Stalls　and　her　hair　and　told　me

she　was　glad　I'd　had　the　self…control　to　do　nothing　more