第3部分(第5/7 頁)

than　restrain　her。

Shelly　was　back　the　next　day　with　a　head　full　of　braids。　And　of　course　she　got　everybody

whispering　about　me；　but　I　just　ignored　them。　The　facts

spoke　for　themselves。　Bryce　didn't　go　anywhere　near　her　for　the　rest　of　the　year。

That's　not　to　say　that　Bryce　held　my　hand　after　that；　but　he　did　start　being　a　little　friendlier　to

me。　Especially　in　the　sixth　grade；　after　Mr。　Mertins

sat　us　right　next　to　each　other　in　the　third　row　back。

Sitting　next　to　Bryce　was　nice。　He　was　nice。　He'd　say　Hi；　Juli　to　me　every　morning；　and　once

in　a　while　I'd　catch　him　looking　my　way。　He'd　always

blush　and　go　back　to　his　own　work；　and　I　couldn't　help　but　smile。　He　was　so　shy。　And　so　cute！

We　talked　to　each　other　more；　too。　Especially　after　Mr。　Mertins　moved　me　behind　him。　Mr。

Mertins　had　a　detention　policy　about　spelling；　where　if

you　missed　more　than　seven　out　of　twenty…five　words；　you　had　to　spend　lunch　inside　with

him；　writing　your　words　over　and　over　and　over　again。

The　pressure　of　detention　made　Bryce　panic。　And　even　though　it　bothered　my　conscience；

I'd　lean　in　and　whisper　answers　to　him；　hoping　that

maybe　I　could　spend　lunch　with　him　instead。　His　hair　smelled　like　watermelon；　and　his　ear…

lobes　had　fuzz。　Soft；　blond　fuzz。　And　I　wondered　about

that。　How　does　a　boy　with　such　black　hair　wind　up　with　blond　ear　fuzz？　What's　it　doing　there；

anyway？　I　checked　my　own　ear…lobes　in　the　mirror　but

couldn't　find　much　of　anything　on　them；　and　I　didn't　spot　any　on　other　people's　either。

I　thought　about　asking　Mr。　Mertins　about　earlobe　fuzz　when　we　were　discussing　evolution　in

science；　but　I　didn't。　Instead；　I　spent　the　yea