小说园

第1部分（第2页）

Buddy；　Beware！

The　Sycamore　Tree

Brawk…Brawk…Brawk！

The　Eggs

Get　a　Grip；　Man

The　Yard

Looming　Large　and　Smelly

The　Visit

The　Serious　Willies

The　Dinner

Flipped

The　Basket　Boys

………　Page　3………

Diving　Under

All　Ive　ever　wanted　is　for　Juli　Baker　to　leave　me　alone。　For　her　to　back　off　—　you　know；　just

give　me　some　space。

It　all　started　the　summer　before　second　grade　when　our　moving　van　pulled　into　her

neighborhood。　And　since　were　now　about　done　with　the

eighth　grade；　that；　my　friend；　makes　more　than　half　a　decade　of　strategic　avoidance　and

social　disfort。

She　didnt　just　barge　into　my　life。　She　barged　and　shoved　and　wedged　her　way　into　my　life。

Did　we　invite　her　to　get　into　our　moving　van　and　start

climbing　all　over　boxes？　No！　But　thats　exactly　what　she　did；　taking　over　and　showing　off　like

only　Juli　Baker　can。

My　dad　tried　to　stop　her。　“Hey！”　he　says　as　shes　catapulting　herself　on　board。　“What　are　you

doing？　Youre　getting　mud　everywhere！”　So　true；

too。　Her　shoes　were；　like；　caked　with　the　stuff。

She　didnt　hop　out；　though。　Instead；　she　planted　her　rear　end　on　the　floor　and　started

pushing　a　big　box　with　her　feet。　“Dont　you　want　some　help？”

She　glanced　my　way。　“It　sure　looks　like　you　need　it。”

I　didnt　like　the　implication。　And　even　though　my　dad　had　been　tossing　me　the　same　sort　of

look　all　week；　I　could　tell　—　he　didnt　like　this　girl

either。　“Hey！　Dont　do　that；”　he　warned　her。　“There　are　some　really　valuable　things　in　that

box。”

“Oh。　Well；　how　about　this　one？”　She　scoots　over　to　a　box　labeled　LENOX　and　looks　my　way

again。　“We　should　push　it　together！”

“No；　no；　no！”　my　dad　says；　then　pulls　her　up　by　the　arm。　“Why　dont　you　run　along　home？

Your　mothers　probably　wondering　where　you　are。”