第24部分(第2/7 頁)

with　her。

？I　don？t　get　it。　Why　are　we　doing　this　again？？　Elise　asked。　She？d　already　finished　all　her

homework　and　was　staring　out　the　window　over　Jenny？s　shoulder；　bored　nearly　to　tears。

？I　told　you。　I　left　my　favorite　hat　on　the　bus　this　morning　and　if　I　ride　enough　buses；　I？m　sure　I？ll

see　it；？　Jenny　lied。

？Someone　probably　took　it；？　Elise　argued。　？Your　cute　fuzzy　red　hat？　I？m　sure　someone　took　it。？

A　swollen…ankled　middle…aged　woman　wearing　a　dowdy　trench　coat　and　reading　theWall　Street

Journal　glared　at　them　the　way　people　are　always　glaring　at　teenagers　when　they？re　talking　in

public。　Like；　could　you　please　just　press　the　mute　button？　Well；excuse　me。

？Just　this　last　bus　and　then　we　can　go　home；？　Jenny　promised；　even　though　she？d　promised　that

two　buses　ago。

Elise　put　her　hand　on　Jenny？s　black…stockinged　knee　and　left　it　there。　？I　don？t　really　mind。　It？s

not　like　I　have　anything　better　to　do。？

Jenny　waited　for　Elise　to　remove　her　hand。　？What　are　you　doing？？　she　whispered　loudly。

？With　what？？

？With　yourhand　。？

？The　book　says　to　express　your　affection　with　gentle　caresses；？　Elise　declared。

？But　I　don？t　want　you　to。　Besides；　we？re　on　abus　；？　Jenny　hissed；　pushing　Elise？s　hand　away。

The　last　thing　she　wanted　was　for　L　to　see　her　and　Elisecaressing　each　other。God。　How

embarrassing。

？What？s　wrong　with　it？？　Elise　cried；　shoving　Jenny　in　the　leg　just　as　the　bus　lurched　over　a

bump。　Jenny　slipped　off　the　seat　and　onto　the　floor；　her　butt　landing　hard　on　her　neighbor？s　shoes。

Jenny　closed　her　eyes；　too　mortified　to　open　them。　If　her　secret　admirer　were　watching　now；　he

wouldn？t　be　writing　her　any　more　love　notes。　The