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Diving　Under

All　I've　ever　wanted　is　for　Juli　Baker　to　leave　me　alone。　For　her　to　back　off　—　you　know；　just

give　me　some　space。

It　all　started　the　summer　before　second　grade　when　our　moving　van　pulled　into　her

neighborhood。　And　since　we're　now　about　done　with　the

eighth　grade；　that；　my　friend；　makes　more　than　half　a　decade　of　strategic　avoidance　and

social　disfort。

She　didn't　just　barge　into　my　life。　She　barged　and　shoved　and　wedged　her　way　into　my　life。

Did　we　invite　her　to　get　into　our　moving　van　and　start

climbing　all　over　boxes？　No！　But　that's　exactly　what　she　did；　taking　over　and　showing　off　like

only　Juli　Baker　can。

My　dad　tried　to　stop　her。　“Hey！”　he　says　as　she's　catapulting　herself　on　board。　“What　are　you

doing？　You're　getting　mud　everywhere！”　So　true；

too。　Her　shoes　were；　like；　caked　with　the　stuff。

She　didn't　hop　out；　though。　Instead；　she　planted　her　rear　end　on　the　floor　and　started

pushing　a　big　box　with　her　feet。　“Don't　you　want　some　help？”

She　glanced　my　way。　“It　sure　looks　like　you　need　it。”

I　didn't　like　the　implication。　And　even　though　my　dad　had　been　tossing　me　the　same　sort　of

look　all　week；　I　could　tell　—　he　didn't　like　this　girl

either。　“Hey！　Don't　do　that；”　he　warned　her。　“There　are　some　really　valuable　things　in　that

box。”

“Oh。　Well；　how　about　this　one？”　She　scoots　over　to　a　box　labeled　LENOX　and　looks　my　way

again。　“We　should　push　it　together！”

“No；　no；　no！”　my　dad　says；　then　pulls　her　up　by　the　arm。　“Why　don't　you　run　along　home？

Your　mother's　probably　wondering　where　you　are。”

This　was　the　beginning　of　my　soon…to…bee…acute　awareness　that　the　g