《flipped(英文版)》第51章

“Someone　said　they　saw　you　with　a　whole　wad　of　cash　this　morning。　How　much　do　you
have？”
“It"s　…　it"s　none　of　your　business。　And　I"m　not　bidding；　okay？　I　…I　don"t　even　like　him
anymore。”
She　laughed；　“Oh；　that"ll　be　the　day！”
“It"s　true。”　I　slammed　my　locker　closed。　“Go　ahead　and　waste　your　money　on　him。　I　don"t
care。”
I　left　her　there　with　her　mouth　open；　which　felt　even　better　than　getting　her　in　a　headlock。
That　feeling　carried　me　clear　through　to　eleven　o"clock；　when　the　entire　student　body
assembled　in　the　gymnasium。　I　was　not　going　to　bid　on
Bryce　Loski。　No　way！
Then　the　basket　boys　came　out　on　the　stage。　Bryce　looked　so　adorable　holding　a　picnic
basket　with　red…and…white…checked　napkins　peeking　out
from　either　side；　and　the　thought　of　Shelly　Stalls　flipping　one　of　those　napkins　into　her　lap
nearly　made　the　bills　in　my　pocket　burst　into　flames。
Darla　came　up　behind　me　and　whispered；　“Rumor　is　you"ve　got　a　wad　of　cash。　Is　that　true？”
“What？　No！　I　mean；　yes；　but　I　…　I"m　not　bidding。”
“Oooo；　girl；　look　at　you。　You　feelin"　all　right？”
I　wasn"t。　I　felt　sick　to　my　stomach　and　shaky　in　the　knees。　“I"m　fine；”　I　told　her。　“Fine。”
She　looked　from　me　to　the　stage　and　back　to　me。　“You　got　nothin"　to　lose　but　your　self…
respect。”
“Stop　it！”　I　whispered　at　her　fiercely。　It　felt　like　I　was　having　a　panic　attack。　I　couldn"t　breathe。
I　felt　light…headed　and　wobbly—like　I　wasn"t　in　control
of　my　own　body。
Darla　said；　“Maybe　you　should　sit　down。”
“I"m　fine；　Darla；　I"m　fine。”
She　frowned　at　me。　“I　think　I"ll　stick　around　to　make　sure。”
The　Booster　Club　president；　Mrs。　McClure；　had　been　fluttering　around　the　basket　boys；　fixing
ties　and　giving　them　last…minute　instructions；　but
now　suddenly　she　was　slamming　her　gavel　on　the　podium；　calling　into　the　microphone；　“If
you"ll　all　settle　down；　we"re　ready　to　begin。”
I"d　never　seen　six　hundred　kids　quiet　down　so　fast。　I　guess　Mrs。　McClure　hadn"t　either；
because　she　smiled　and　said；　“Why；　thank　you。　Thank　you
………　Page　86………
very　much。”　Then　she　said；　“And　wele　to　the　fifty…second　annual　Basket　Boy　Auction！　I
know　that　your　teachers　have　gone　over　the　procedures
with　you　in　homeroom；　but　I"ve　been　asked　to　remind　you　of　a　few　things：　This　is　a　civilized
proceeding。　No　whistling；　catcalls；　or　other　degrading
behavior　will　be　tolerated。　If　you　wish　to　place　a　bid；　you　must　raise　your　hand　high。　Bidding
without　raising　your　hand　is　prohibited；　and　should　you
decide　to　be　a　funny　guy；　you　will　be　caught　and　detained　or　suspended。　Are　we　all　clear　on
that？　Good。”　She　looked　from　one　side　of　the　gym　to
the　other。　“Teachers；　I　see　that　you　are　in　position。”
Six　hundred　heads　turned　slowly　from　side　to　side；　looking　at　the　blockade　of　teachers　on
either　side　of　the　gym。
“Man；”　Darla　whispered；　“they"re　not　leaving　much　room　for　fun；　are　they？”
Mrs。　McClure　continued；　“Minimum　bid　is　ten　dollars；　and　of　course；　the　sky"s　the　limit；　but
we　don"t　accept　IOUs。”　She　pointed　to　her　right。
“Winning　bidders　should　go　directly　to　the　table　at　the　north　door　when　I　declare　the　basket　to
be　sold。　And　as　you"re　aware；　winners　and　their
basket　boys　have　the　rest　of　the　school　day　off　and　are　exempt　from　tonight"s　homework　in
all　classes。”　She　smiled　out　at　the　blockade。　“Teachers；
we　appreciate　your　support　on　this。
“All　right；　then！”　She　put　on　her　reading　glasses　and　looked　at　a　three…by…five　card。　“Our　first
basket　has　been　brought　by　Jeffrey　Bisho。”　She
looked　over　her　glasses　at　him　and　said；　“e　on　up；　Jeffrey。　Don"t　be　shy！”　He　inched
forward　as　she　continued。　“Jeffrey　has　brought　a
scrumptious　lunch　consisting　of　chicken　salad　sandwiches；　oriental　noodles；　baby　grapes；
iced　tea；　and　fortune　cookies。”　She　smiled　at　him　over
her　glasses。　“Sounds　delicious；　and　sounds　like　fun！　Which；”　she　said；　looking　back　at　the
crowd；　“Jeffrey　is！　He　enjoys　skateboarding；　skiing；　and
swimming；　but　ladies；　he　also　enjoys　a　day　in　the　park　and　watching　Humphrey　Bogart
movies。”　She　turned　to　him　and　grinned。　“They　are　a　kick；
aren"t　they？”
Poor　Jeff　tried　to　smile；　but　you　could　tell—he　wanted　to　die。
“All　right；　then；”　said　Mrs。　McClure　as　she　whipped　off　her　glasses。　“Do　I　hear　ten？”
Not　only　did　she　hear　ten；　she　heard　twelve；　fifteen；　twenty；　and　twenty…five；　too！　“Going　…
going　…　gone！”　cried　Mrs。　McClure。　“To　the　young　lady
in　the　purple　tunic！”
“Who　is　that？”　I　asked　Darla。
“I　think　her　name"s　Tiffany；”　she　said。　“She"s　a　seventh　grader。”
“Really？　Wow。　I　would　never　have　bid　last　year！　And　I　…I　don"t　remember　bids　going　up　that
high；　either。”
Darla　eyed　me。　“Which　tells　me　that　maybe　you　would　bid　this　year？　How　much　you　got？”
I　looked　at　her　and　almost　dissolved　right　on　the　spot。　“Darla；　I　didn"t　bring　money　on　purpose！
My　neighbor　made　me　take　it　on　the　way　to　school
because　she　owed　it　to　me　for　eggs　and—”
“For　eggs？　Oh；　like　Bryce　was　talking　about　in　the　library？”
“Exactly；　and—”　I　looked　at　her　looking　at　me　and　stopped　cold。
“How　can　you　even　think　about　bidding　on　that　boy？”
“I　don"t　want　to！　But　I"ve　liked　him　for　so　long。　Darla；　I"ve　liked　him　since　I　was　seven。　And
even　though　I　know　he"s　a　coward　and　a　sneak　and　I
should　never　speak　to　him　again；　I"m　having　trouble　focusing　on　that。　Especially　since　Shelly
Stalls　is　after　him。　And　now　I"ve　got　this　money　burning
a　hole　in　my　pocket！”
“Well；　I　can　understand　the　bit　about　Shelly　Stalls；　but　if　you　know　that　boy"s　just　a　big　piece
of　fluffy　cheesecake　that　you"re　gonna　regret　eating；　I
can　help　you　with　your　diet。”　She　put　out　her　hand。　“Give　me　the　money。　I"ll　hold　it　for　you。”
“No！”
………　Page　87………
“No？”
“I　mean…I　can　handle　this。　I"ve　got　to　handle　it。”
She　shook　her　head。　“Oh；　girl。　I"m　hurting　for　y