第3部分(第4/8 頁)

or　that；　clipped　or　beaded；　braided　or　swirled。　Her

ponytails　rivaled　the　ones　on　carousel　horses。　And　on　the

days　she　let　it　all　hang　down；　she'd　sort　of　shimmy　and　cuddle　inside　it　like　it　was　a　blanket；

so　that　practically　all　you　saw　of　her　face　was　her　nose。

Good　luck　playing　four…square　with　a　blanket　over　your　head。

My　solution　to　Shelly　Stalls　was　to　ignore　her；　which　worked　just　dandy　until　about　halfway

through　the　fifth　grade　when　I　saw　her　holding　hands

with　Bryce。

My　Bryce。　The　one　who　was　still　embarrassed　over　holding　my　hand　two　days　before　the

second　grade。　The　one　who　was　still　too　shy　to　say

much　more　than　hello　to　me。

The　one　who　was　still　walking　around　with　my　first　kiss。

How　could　Shelly　have　wormed　her　hand　into　his？　That　pushy　little　princess　had　no　business

hanging　on　to　him　like　that！

Bryce　looked　over　his　shoulder　from　time　to　time　as　they　walked　along；　and　he　was　looking

at　me。　My　first　thought　was　that　he　was　telling　me　he

was　sorry。　Then　it　dawned　on　me—　he　needed　my　help。　Absolutely；　that's　what　it　had　to　be！

Shelly　Stalls　was　too　delicate　to　shake　off；　too　swirly　to

be　pushed　away。　She'd　unravel　and　start　sniffling　and　oh；　how　embarrassing　that　would　be

for　him！　No；　this　wasn't　a　job　a　boy　could　do　gracefully。

This　was　a　job　for　a　girl。

I　didn't　even　bother　checking　around　for　other　candidates—I　had