第17部分(第2/7 页)

　over　again。

I　turned　my　back　on　him　and　concentrated　on　watering　the　yard。　What　a　fool　I　was！　What　a

plete　idiot！　And　I　had　just　built　up　a　nice　head　of

angry　steam　when　I　heard；　“It's　looking　good；　Juli。　Nice　job。”

It　was　Bryce；　standing　right　there　on　our　driveway。　And　suddenly　I　wasn't　mad　at　me

anymore。　I　was　mad　at　him。　How　could　he　stand　there　like　my

supervisor　and　tell　me；　Nice　job？　He　had　no　business　saying　anything　after　what　he'd　done。

I　was　about　to　hose　him　down　when　he　said；　“I'm　sorry　for　what　I　did；　Juli。　It　was；　you　know…

wrong。”

I　looked　at　him—into　those　brilliant　blue　eyes。　And　I　tried　to　do　what　Chet　had　said—I　tried　to

look　past　them。　What　was　behind　them？　What　was

he　thinking？　Was　he　really　sorry？　Or　was　he　just　feeling　bad　about　the　things　he'd　said？

It　was　like　looking　into　the　sun；　though；　and　I　had　to　turn　away。

I　couldn't　tell　you　what　we　talked　about　after　that；　except　that　he　was　nice　to　me　and　he　made

me　laugh。　And　after　he　left；　I　shut　off　the　water　and

went　inside　feeling　very；　very　strange。

The　rest　of　the　evening　I　bounced　back　and　forth　between　upset　and　uneasy。　The　worst　part

being；　I　couldn't　really　put　my　finger　on　what　exactly　I

was　upset　or　uneasy　about。　Of　course　it　was　Bryce；　but　why　wasn't　I　just　mad？　He'd　been

such　a　…　scoundrel。　Or　happy？　Why　wasn't　I　just　happy？

He'd　e　over　to　our　house。　He'd　stood　on　our　driveway。　He'd　said　nice　things。　We'd

laughed。

But　I　wasn't　mad　or　happy。　And　as　I　lay　in　bed　trying　to　read；　I　realized　that　upset　had　been

overshadowed　by　uneasy。　I　felt　as　though　someone

was　watching　me。　I　got　so　spooked　I　even　got　up　and　checked　out　the