《flipped(英文版)》第49章

Are　you　seriously　all　right？”
“Yes；　I　am。　But　thanks　for　thinking　about　me。”　I　eyed　her　and　said；　“And　Darla？　It"s　not　a
given　anymore。”
She　laughed。　“How　long"s　this　diet　gonna　last？”
“It"s　not　a　diet。　I"ve　just；　uh；　lost　my　taste　for　him。”
She　looked　at　me　skeptically。　“Uh…huh。”
“Well；　I　have。　But　thanks　for；　you　know；　caring。”
All　through　first　period　I　was　still　feeling　strong　and　right　and　certain；　but　then　Mrs。　Simmons
ended　the　lesson　a　full　fifteen　minutes　early　and　said；
“Clear　your　desks　of　everything　but　a　pen　or　pencil。”
“What？”　everyone　cried；　and　believe　me—I　was　right　along　with　them。　I　was　not　prepared　for
a　quiz！
“Everything！”　she　said。　“e　on；　you"re　wasting　valuable　time。”
The　room　filled　with　grumbles　and　the　sound　of　shuffling　binders；　and　when　we"d　all　pretty
much　plied　with　her　request；　she　picked　a　stack　of
bright　yellow　papers　off　her　desk；　fanned　them　with　an　evil　grin；　and　said；　“It"s　time　to　vote　for
basket　boys！”
A　wave　of　relief　swept　across　the　room。　“Basket　boys？　You　mean　it"s　not　a　quiz？”
She　ticked　through　the　stack；　counting　ballots　as　she　spoke。　“It　is　like　a　quiz　in　that　I　don"t
want　you　conferring　with　one　another。　It"s　also　like　a　quiz
in　that　you　have　a　limited　amount　of　time。”　She　slapped　a　set　of　ballots　down　on　the　first　desk
of　row　one；　then　went　on　to　the　second　row。　“I　will
collect　them　from　you　individually　when　the　bell　rings；　and　I　will　inspect　to　see　that　you　have
plied　with　the　following　instructions。”　She　scooted
over　to　row　three。　“Choose　five；　and　only　five；　of　the　boys　on　the　list。　Do　not　put　your　name
on　it；　and　do　not　discuss　your　choices　with　your
neighbors。”　She　was　on　to　row　four　now；　talking　faster　and　faster。　“When　you"ve　made　your
selections；　simply　turn　your　sheet　over。”　She　slapped　the
remainder　down　on　the　last　desk。　“Do　not；　I　repeat；　do　not　fold　your　ballot！”
Robbie　Castinon　raised　his　hand　and　blurted　out；　“Why　do　guys　have　to　vote。　It"s　lame　to
have　guys　vote。”
“Robbie　…；”　Mrs。　Simmons　warned。
“Seriously！　What　are　we　supposed　to　do？　Vote　for　our　friends　or　our　enemies？”
A　lot　of　people　snickered；　and　Mrs。　Simmons　scowled；　but　he　had　a　point。　Twenty　of　the
school"s　eighth…grade　boys　would　be　made　to　pack　a
picnic　lunch　for　two　and　be　auctioned　off　to　the　highest　bidder。
“Being　a　basket　boy　is　an　honor—”　Mrs。　Simmons　began；　but　she　was　interrupted　by　Robbie。
“It"s　a　joke！”　he　said。　“It"s　embarrassing！　Who　wants　to　be　a　basket　boy？”
All　the　guys　around　him　muttered；　“Not　me；”　but　Mrs。　Simmons　cleared　her　throat　and　said；
“You　should　want　to　be　one！　It"s　a　tradition　that　has
helped　support　the　school　since　it　was　founded。　There　have　been　generation　after　generation
of　basket　boys　helping　make　this　campus　what　it　is
today。　It"s　why　we　have　flower　beds。　It"s　why　we　have　shade　trees　and　a　grove　of　apple　trees。
Visit　another　junior　high　sometime　and　you"ll　begin　to
realize　what　a　little　oasis　our　campus　really　is。”
“All　this　from　the　sweat　and　blood　of　basket　boys；”　Robbie　grumbled。
Mrs。　Simmons　sighed。　“Robbie；　someday　when　your　children　go　to　school　here；　you"ll
understand。　For　now；　please　just　vote　for　whoever　you　think
will　earn　a　high　bid。　And　class；”　she　added；　“we"re　down　to　nine　minutes。”
………　Page　83………
The　room　fell　quiet。　And　as　I　read　down　the　list　of　over　one　hundred　and　fifty　eighth…grade
boys；　I　realized　that　to　me；　there　had　only　ever　been　one
boy。　To　me；　there　had　only　been　Bryce。
I　didn"t　let　myself　get　sentimental。　I　had　liked　him　for　all　the　wrong　reasons；　and　I　certainly
wasn"t　going　to　vote　for　him　now。　But　I　didn"t　know　who
else　to　vote　for。　I　looked　at　Mrs。　Simmons；　who　was　eagle…eyeing　the　class　between　glances
at　the　clock。　What　if　I　didn"t　choose　anybody？　What　if　I
just　turned　it　in　blank？
She"d　give　me　detention；　that"s　what。　So　with　two　minutes　left　to　go；　I　put　dots　next　to　the
boys　I　knew　who　weren"t　jerks　or　clowns；　but　were　just
nice。　When　I　was　through；　there　were　all　of　ten　names　with　dots；　and　of　those　I　circled　five：
Ryan　Noll；　Vince　Olson；　Adrian　Iglesias；　Ian　Lai；　and　Jon
Trulock。　They　wouldn"t　make　basket　boy；　but　then　I　wouldn"t　be　bidding；　so　it　didn"t　really
matter。　At　the　bell　I　handed　over　my　ballot　and　forgot　all
about　the　auction。
Until　lunchtime　the　next　day；　that　is。　Darla　cut　me　off　on　my　way　to　the　library　and　dragged
me　over　to　her　table　instead。　“Have　you　seen　the　list？”
she　asked。
“What　list？”
“The　list　of　basket　boys！”　She　shoved　a　scrawled　copy　of　twenty　names　in　front　of　me　and
looked　around。　“Your　main　dish　is　on　it！”
Five　from　the　top；　there　it　was—Bryce　Loski。
I　should　have　expected　it；　but　still；　this　awful　surge　of　possessiveness　shot　through　me。　Who
had　voted　for　him？　Out　of　one　hundred　fifty　names　he
must　have　gotten　a　lot　of　votes！　Suddenly　I　was　picturing　a　swarm　of　girls　waving　stacks　of
cash　in　the　Booster　ladies"　faces　as　they　begged　to　have
lunch　with　him。
I　threw　the　list　back　at　Darla　and　said；　“He"s　not　my　main　dish！　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　didn"t
even　vote　for　him。”
“Oooo；　girl！　You　are　stickin"　to　your　diet！”
“It"s　not　a　diet；　Darla。　I"m　…　I"m　over　him；　okay？”
“I"m　glad　to　hear　it；　"cause　rumor　is；　that　bimbette　Shelly　is　already　stakin"　her　claim　on　him。”
“Shelly？　Shelly　Stalls？”　I　could　feel　my　cheeks　flush。
“That"s　right。”　Darla　waved　her　list　in　the　air；　calling；　“Liz！　Macy！　Over　here！　I"ve　got　the　list！”
Darla"s　friends　fell　all　over　themselves　getting　to　her；　then　pored　over　the　paper　like　it　was　a
treasure　map。　Macy　cried；　“Chad　Ormonde"s　on　it！
He　is　so　cute。　I"d　go　ten　bucks　on　him；　easy！”
“And　Denny"s　on　it；　too！”　Liz　squealed。　“That　boy　is”—　she　shivered　and　giggled—“fi…yi…yine！”
Macy"s　top　lip　curled　a　little　and　she　said；　“Jon　Trulock？　Jon　Tru　lock？　How　did