第18部分(第4/7 页)

am　down

on　his　hand　with　mine。

“Dude！”　he　says。　“What's　your　problem？”

“Sorry；”　I　say；　tuning　in　to　the　fact　that　he　was　only　going　for　lined　paper；　not　newspaper。

“Dude；”　he　says　again。　“You　know　you've　been　really　spaced　lately？　Anyone　else　tell　you

that？”　He　rips　a　piece　of　paper　out　of　my　binder；　then

notices　the　edges　of　the　newspaper。　He　eyes　me；　and　before　I　can　stop　him；　he　whips　it　out。

I　pounce　on　him　and　tear　it　out　of　his　hands；　but　it's　too　late。　He's　seen　her　picture。

Before　he　can　say　a　word；　I　get　in　his　face　and　say；　“You　shut　up；　you　hear　me？　This　is　not

what　you　think。”

“Whoa；　kick　back；　will　ya？　I　wasn't　thinking　anything…。”　But　I　could　see　the　little　gears　go

click…click…click　in　his　brain。　Then　he　smirks　at　me　and

says；　“I'm　sure　you've　got　a　perfectly　reasonable　explanation　for　why　you're　carrying　a　picture

of　Juli　Baker　around　with　you。”

The　way　he　said　it　scared　me。　Like　he　was　playing　with　the　idea　of　roasting　me　in　front　of　the

whole　class。　I　leaned　over　and　said；　“Zip　it；　would

you？”

The　teacher　hammered　on　us　to　be　quiet；　but　it　didn't　stop　Garrett　from　smirking　at　me　or

doing　the　double…eyebrow　wiggle　in　the　direction　of　my

binder。　After　class　Darla　tried　to　act　all　cool　and　preoccupied；　but　she　had　her　radar　up　and

pointed　our　way。　She　shadowed　me　practically　all　day；

so　there　was　no　real　window　of　opportunity　to　explain　things　to　Garrett。

What　was　I　going　to　tell　him；　anyway？　That　the　paper　was　in　my　binder　because　I　was　trying

to　hide　it　from　my　sister？　That　would　help。

Besides；　I　didn't　want　to　make　up　some　lame　lie　about　it。　I　actually　wanted　to　talk　to　Garrett。　I