《flipped(英文版)》第50章

Macy"s　top　lip　curled　a　little　and　she　said；　“Jon　Trulock？　Jon　Tru　lock？　How　did　he　get　on　this
list？”
For　a　moment　I　couldn"t　believe　my　ears。　I　snatched　the　paper　out　of　Macy"s　hand。　“Are　you
sure？”
“Right　there；”　she　said；　pointing　to　his　name。　“Who　do　you　suppose　voted　for　him？”
“The　quiet　girls；　I　guess；”　Darla　said。　“Me；　I"m　more　interested　in　Mike　Abenido。　Have　I　got
any　petition？”
Macy　laughed；　“If　you"re　in；　I"m　out！”
“Me　too；”　said　Liz。
“How　about　you；　Jules？”　Darla　asked　me。　“Bringin"　spare　change　on　Friday？”
“No！”
“You　get　to　miss　the　second　half　of　school…。”
“No！　I"m　not　bidding。　Not　on　anyone！”
She　laughed。　“Good　for　you。”
That　afternoon　I　rode　home　from　school　brooding　about　Bryce　and　the　whole　basket　boy
auction。　I　could　feel　myself　backsliding　about　Bryce。　But
why　should　I　care　if　Shelly　liked　him？　I　shouldn"t　even　be　thinking　about　him！
………　Page　84………
When　I　wasn"t　thinking　about　Bryce；　I　was　worrying　about　poor　Jon　Trulock。　He　was　quiet；
and　I　felt　sorry　for　him；　having　to　clutch　a　basket　and　be
auctioned　off　in　front　of　the　whole　student　body。　What　had　I　done　to　him？
But　as　I　bounced　up　our　drive；　basket　boys　bounced　right　out　of　my　mind。　Was　that　green　I
saw　poking　out　of　the　dirt？　Yes！　Yes；　it　was！　I　dropped
the　bike　and　got　down　on　my　hands　and　knees。　They　were　so　thin；　so　small；　so　far　apart！
They　barely　made　a　difference　in　the　vastness　of　the　black
dirt；　and　yet　there　they　were。　Pushing　their　way　through　to　the　afternoon　sun。
I　ran　in　the　house；　calling；　“Mom！　Mom；　there"s　grass！”
“Really？”　She　emerged　from　the　bathroom　with　her　cleaning　gloves　and　a　pail。　“I　was
wondering　if　it　was　ever　going　to　spring　up。”
“Well；　it　has！　e！　e　and　see！”
She　wasn"t　too　impressed　at　first。　But　after　I　made　her　get　down　on　her　hands　and　knees　and
really　look；　she　smiled　and　said；　“They"re　so
delicate…。”
“They　look　like　they"re　yawning；　don"t　they？”
She　cocked　her　head　a　bit　and　looked　a　little　closer。　“Yawning？”
“Well；　more　stretching；　I　guess。　Like　they"re　sitting　up　in　their　little　bed　of　dirt　with　their　arms
stretched　way　high；　saying；　Good　morning；　world！”
She　laughed　and　said；　“Yes；　they　do！”
I　got　up　and　uncoiled　the　hose。　“I　think　they　need　a　wakeup　shower；　don"t　you？”
My　mom　agreed　and　left　me　to　my　singing　and　sprinkling。　And　I　was　pletely　lost　in　the　joy
of　my　little　green　blades　of　new　life　when　I　heard　the
school　bus　rumble　to　a　stop　up　on　Collier　Street。
Bryce。　His　name　shot　through　my　brain；　and　with　it　came　a　panic　I　didn"t　seem　able　to　control。
Before　I　could　stop　myself；　I　dropped　the　hose　and
dashed　inside。
I　locked　myself　in　my　room　and　tried　to　do　my　homework。　Where　was　my　peace？　Where　was
my　resolve？　Where　was　my　sanity？　Had　they　left
me　because　Shelly　Stalls　was　after　him？　Was　it　just　some　old　rivalry　making　me　feel　this　way？
I　had　to　get　past　Bryce　and　Shelly。　They　deserved
each　other—let　them　have　each　other！
But　in　my　heart　I　knew　that　just　like　the　new　grass；　I　wasn"t　strong　enough　yet　to　be　walked
on。　And　until　I　was；　there　was　only　one　solution：　I　had　to
stay　away　from　him。　I　needed　to　rope　him　out　of　my　life。
So　I　closed　my　ears　to　the　news　of　basket　boys　and　steered　clear　of　Bryce　at　school。　And
when　I　did　happen　to　run　into　him；　I　simply　said　hello
like　he　was　someone　I　barely　even　knew。
It　was　working；　too！　I　was　growing　stronger　by　the　day。　Who　cared　about　auctions　and　basket
boys？　I　didn"t！
Friday　morning　I　got　up　early；　collected　what　few　eggs　there　were　in　the　coop；　watered　the
front　yard；　which　was　by　now　definitely　green；　ate
breakfast；　and　got　ready　for　school。
But　as　I　was　running　a　brush　through　my　hair；　I　couldn"t　help　thinking　about　Shelly　Stalls。　It
was　auction　day。　She"d　probably　been　up　since　five；
making　her　hair　into　some　impossibly　pouffy　do。
So　what？　I　told　myself。　So　what？　But　as　I　was　throwing　on　my　windbreaker；　I　eyed　my　money
tin　and　hesitated。　What　if　…
No！　No…no…no！
I　ran　to　the　garage；　got　my　bike；　and　pushed　out　of　the　driveway。　And　I　was　in　the　street　and
on　my　way　when　Mrs。　Stueby　flew　right　in　my　path。
“Julianna；”　she　called；　waving　her　hand　through　the　air。　“Here；　dear。　Take　this。　I"m　so　sorry
it"s　taken　me　this　long　to　get　it　to　you。　I　keep　missing　you
in　the　mornings。”
………　Page　85………
I　didn"t　even　know　how　much　she　owed　me。　At　that　moment　I　didn"t　care。　All　I　knew　was　the
top　bill　in　her　hand　was　a　ten；　and　it　was　striking　terror
in　my　heart。　“Mrs。　Stueby；　please。　I　…I　don"t　want　that。　You　don"t　have　to　pay　me。”
“Nonsense；　child！　Of　course　I"m　going　to　pay　you。　Here！”　she　said；　and　waved　it　out　for　me　to
take。
“No；　really。　I　…I　don"t　want　it。”
She　wedged　it　in　the　pocket　of　my　jeans　and　said；　“What　utter　nonsense。　Now　go！　Go　buy
yourself　a　rooster！”　then　hurried　back　up　her　walkway。
“Mrs。　Stueby…　Mrs。　Stueby？”　I　called　after　her。　“I　don"t　want　a　rooster…　！”　but　she　was　gone。
All　the　way　to　school　Mrs。　Stueby"s　money　was　burning　a　hole　in　my　pocket　and　another　in
my　brain。　How　much　was　it？
When　I　got　to　school；　I　parked　my　bike；　then　broke　down　and　looked。　Ten；　fifteen；　sixteen；
seventeen；　eighteen。　I　folded　the　bills　together　and　slid
them　back　into　my　pocket。　Was　it　more　than　Shelly　had？
All　through　first　period　I　was　furious　with　myself　for　even　thinking　it。　All　through　second　period
I　kept　my　eyes　off　of　Bryce；　but　oh！　It　was　so　hard！　I"d
never　seen　him　in　a　tie　and　cuff　links　before！
Then　at　break　I　was　at　my　locker　when　Shelly　Stalls　appeared　out　of　nowhere。　She　got　right
next　to　me　and　said；　“I　hear　you"re　planning　to　bid　on
him。”
“What？”　I　took　a　step　back。　“Who　told　you　that？　I　am　not！”
“Someone　said　they　saw　you　with　a　whole　wad　of　cash　this　morning。　How　much　do　you
have？”
“It"s　…　it"s　none　of　y