《flipped(英文版)》第48章

picnic　hamper；　this　basket　boy　hiked　all　the　way　home。
And　there　was　a　battle　raging　inside　me。　The　old　Bryce　wanted　to　go　back　in　time；　wanted　to
hang　with　Garrett　and　shoot　the　breeze；　wanted　to
hate　Juli　Baker　again。
Wanted　to　be　the　man。
But　in　my　heart　I　knew　the　old　Bryce　was　toast。　There　was　no　going　back。　Not　to　Garrett　or
Shelly　or　Miranda　or　any　of　the　other　people　who
wouldn"t　understand。　Juli　was　different；　but　after　all　these　years　that　didn"t　bother　me
anymore。
I　liked　it。
I　liked　her。
And　every　time　I　saw　her；　she　seemed　more　beautiful。　She　just　seemed　to　glow。　I"m　not
talking　like　a　hundred…watt　bulb；　she　just　had　this　warmth
to　her。　Maybe　it　came　from　climbing　that　tree。　Maybe　it　came　from　singing　to　chickens。
Maybe　it　came　from　whacking　at　two…by…fours　and　dreaming
about　perpetual　motion。　I　don"t　know。　All　I　know　is　that　pared　to　her；　Shelly　and　Miranda
seemed　so…ordinary。
I"d　never　felt　like　this　before。　Ever。　And　just　admitting　it　to　myself　instead　of　hiding　from　it
made　me　feel　strong。　Happy。　I　took　off　my　shoes　and
socks　and　stuffed　them　in　the　basket。　My　tie　whipped　over　my　shoulder　as　I　ran　home
barefoot；　and　I　realized　that　Garrett　was　right　about　one　thing
—　I　had　flipped。
pletely。
I　trucked　down　our　street　and　spotted　her　bike　lying　on　its　side　on　the　driveway。　She　was
home！
I　rang　the　bell　until　I　thought　it　would　break。
No　answer。
I　pounded　on　her　door。
No　answer。
I　went　home　and　called　on　the　phone；　and　finally；　finally　her　mother　answers。　“Bryce？　No；　I"m
sorry。　She　doesn"t　want　to　talk。”　Then　she　whispers；
“Give　her　a　little　time；　won"t　you？”
I　gave　her　an　hour。　Almost。　Then　I　went　across　the　street。　“Please；　Mrs。　Baker。　I"ve　got　to
see　her！”
“She"s　locked　herself　in　her　room；　dear。　Why　don"t　you　try　phoning　tomorrow。”
Tomorrow？　I　couldn"t　wait　until　tomorrow！　So　I　went　around　the　side　of　their　house；　climbed
the　fence；　and　knocked　on　her　window。　“Juli！　Juli；
please。　I"ve　got　to　see　you。”
Her　curtains　didn"t　open；　but　the　back　door　did；　and　out　came　Mrs。　Baker　to　shoo　me　away。
When　I　got　home；　my　granddad　was　waiting　at　the　front　door。　“Bryce；　what　is　going　on？
You"ve　been　running　back　and　forth　to　the　Bakers"；
climbing　over　their　fence…。　You"re　acting　like　the　world"s　on　fire！”
I　blurted；　“I　can"t　believe　this！　I　just　can"t　believe　this！　She　won"t　talk　to　me！”
………　Page　81………
He　led　me　into　the　front　room；　saying；　“Who　won"t　talk　to　you？”
“Juli！”
He　hesitated。　“Is　she　…　mad　at　you？”
“I　don"t　know！”
“Does　she　have　reason　to　be　mad　at　you？”
“No！　Yes！　I　mean；　I　don"t　know！”
“Well；　what　happened？”
“I　tried　to　kiss　her！　In　front　of　this　whole　room　of　people；　while　I　was　supposed　to　be　having
that　stupid　basket　boy　lunch　with　Shelly　and　Miranda；　I
tried　to　kiss　her！”
Slowly　a　smile　spread　across　his　face。　“You　did？”
“I　was；　like；　possessed。　I　couldn"t　stop　myself！　But　she　pulled　away　and…”　I　looked　out　the
window　at　the　Bakers"　house。　“And　now　she　won"t　talk
to　me！”
Very　quietly　my　grandfather　said；　“Maybe　she　thinks　this　is　all　a　little　sudden？”
“But　it"s　not！”
“It"s　not？”
“No；　I　mean　…”　I　turned　to　him。　“It　started　with　that　stupid　newspaper　article。　And　I　don"t
know…　I"ve　been　weirded　out　ever　since。　She　doesn"t
look　the　same；　she　doesn"t　sound　the　same；　she　doesn"t　even　seem　like　the　same　person　to
me！”　I　stared　out　the　window　at　the　Bakers"。　“She"s…
she"s　just　different。”
My　grandfather　stood　beside　me　and　looked　across　the　street；　too。　“No；　Bryce；”　he　said　softly。
“She"s　the　same　as　she"s　always　been；　you"re　the
one　who"s　changed。”　He　clapped　his　hand　on　my　shoulder　and　whispered；　“And；　son；　from
here　on　out；　you"ll　never　be　the　same　again。”
Maybe　my　grandfather"s　happy　about　all　this；　but　I"m　miserable。　I　can"t　eat；　I　can"t　watch　TV；　I
can"t　seem　to　do　anything。
So　I　went　to　bed　early；　but　I　can"t　sleep。　I"ve　watched　her　house　from　my　window　for　hours
now。　I"ve　stared　at　the　sky；　I"ve　counted　sheep。　But　man；
I　can"t　stop　kicking　myself　for　what　an　idiot　I"ve　been　all　these　years。
And　now　how　am　I　going　to　make　her　listen　to　me？　I"d　scale　that　monster　sycamore　if　I　could。
Right　to　the　top。　And　I"d　yell　her　name　across　the
rooftops　for　the　whole　world　to　hear。
And　since　you　know　what　a　tree…climbing　weenie　I　am；　I　think　it"s　pretty　clear　that　I"m　willing
to　do　anything　to　get　her　to　talk　to　me。　Man；　I"ll　dive
after　her　into　a　chicken　coop　full　of　poop　if　that"s　what　it　takes。　I"ll　ride　my　bike　all　the　stinkin"
way　to　school　for　the　rest　of　eternity　if　it　means　being
with　her。
Something。　I"ve　got　to　e　up　with　some　thing　to　show　her　that　I"ve　changed。　To　prove　to
her　that　I　understand。
But　what？　How　do　I　show　her　that　I"m　not　the　guy　she　thinks　I　am？　How　do　I　erase　everything
I"ve　done　and　start　over？
Maybe　I　can"t。　Maybe　it　just　can　not　be　done。　But　if　I"ve　learned　one　thing　from　Juli　Baker；　it"s
that　I"ve　got　to　put　my　whole　heart　and　soul　into　it　and
try。
Whatever　happens；　I　know　that　my　grandfather"s　right　about　one　thing。
I"ll　never　be　the　same　again。
The　Basket　Boys
The　Monday　after　the　Loskis"　dinner　party；　Darla　tracked　me　down　at　school　and　forced
Bryce　Loski　back　into　my　brain。　“Jules！　Whoa；　girl；　wait　up！
How　have　you　been？”
“I"m　fine；　Darla；　how　are　you？”
………　Page　82………
“No；　seriously；”　she　whispered。　“Are　you　doing　okay？”　She　shifted　her　backpack　and　looked
over　each　shoulder。　“I　got　to　thinking；　you　know；　that
was　just　so　cold　of　Bryce。　Especially　since　you"ve　got　that　soft　spot　for　him。”
“Who　told　you　that？”
“Like　I　haven"t　got　eyes？　e　on；　girl。　It"s　a　given。　Which　is　why　I　got　to　worryin"　about　you。
Are　you　seriously　all　right？”
“Yes；　I　am。　But　thanks　for　thinking　about　me。”　I　eyed　her　and　s