第2部分(第3/7 页)

ten　less　than　120　percent　in　any　subject。

But　after　Mr。　Mertins　stuck　Juli　right　next　to　me；　her　annoying　knowledge　of　all　subjects　far

and　wide　came　in　handy。　See；　suddenly　Juli's　perfect

answers；　written　in　perfect　cursive；　were　right　across　the　aisle；　just　an　eye…shot　away。　You

wouldn't　believe　the　number　of　answers　I　snagged　from

her。　I　started　getting　A's　and　B's　on　everything！　It　was　great！

But　then　Mr。　Mertins　pulled　the　shift。　He　had　some　new　idea　for　“optimizing　positional　latitude

and　longitude；”　and　when　the　dust　finally　settled；　I

was　sitting　right　in　front　of　Juli　Baker。

This　is　where　the　sniffing　es　in。　That　maniac　started　leaning　forward　and　sniffing　my　hair。

She'd　edge　her　nose　practically　up　to　my　scalp　and

sniff…sniff…sniff。

I　tried　elbowing　and　back…kicking。　I　tried　scooting　my　chair　way　forward　or　putting　my

backpack　between　me　and　the　seat。　Nothing　helped。　She'd

just　scoot　up；　too；　or　lean　over　a　little　farther　and　sniff…sniff…sniff。

I　finally　asked　Mr。　Mertins　to　move　me；　but　he　wouldn't　do　it。　Something　about　not　wanting　to

disturb　the　delicate　balance　of　educational　energies。

Whatever。　I　was　stuck　with　her　sniffing。　And　since　I　couldn't　see　her　perfectly　penned

answers　anymore；　my　grades　took　a　dive。　Especially　in

spelling。

Then　one　time；　during　a　test；　Juli's　in　the　middle　of　sniffing　my　hair　when　she　notices　that　I've

blown　a　spelling　word。　A　lot　of　words。　Suddenly　the

sniffing　stops　and　the　whispering　starts。　At　first　I　couldn't　believe　it。　Juli　Baker　cheating？　But

sure　enough；　she　was　spelling　words　for　me；　right　in　my

ear。

Juli'd　always　been　sly　about　sniffing；　which　re