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sure enough； she was spelling words for me； right in my
ear。
Juli'd always been sly about sniffing； which really bugged me because no one ever noticed
her doing it； but she was just as sly about giving me
answers； which was okay by me。 The bad thing about it was that I started counting on her
spelling in my ear。 I mean； why study when you don't have
to； right？ But after a while； taking all those answers made me feel sort of indebted to her。
How can you tell someone to bug off or quit sniffing you
……… Page 7………
when you owe them？ It's； you know； wrong。
So I spent the sixth grade somewhere between unfortable and unhappy； but I kept
thinking that next year； next year； things would be different。
We'd be in junior high — a big school — in different classes。 It would be a world with too
many people to worry about ever seeing Juli Baker again。
It was finally； finally going to be over。
Flipped
The first day I met Bryce Loski； I flipped。 Honestly； one look at him and I became a lunatic。
It's his eyes。 Something in his eyes。 They're blue； and
framed in the blackness of his lashes； they're dazzling。 Absolutely breathtaking。
It's been over six years now； and I learned long ago to hide my feelings； but oh； those first
days。 Those first years！ I thought I would die for wanting
to be with him。
Two days before the second grade is when it started； although the anticipation began weeks
before—ever since my mother had told me that
there was a family with a boy my age moving into the new house right across the street。
Soccer camp had ended； and I'd been so bored because there was nobody； absolutely
nobody； in the neighborhood to play with。 Oh； there were
kids； but every one of them was older。 That was dandy for my brothers； but what it left me
was home alone。
My mother was there； but she had better things to do than kick a soccer ball around。 So she
said； anyway。 At the time I didn't think there was
anything better than kicking a soccer ball around； especially not the likes of laundry or dishes
or vacuuming； but my mother didn't agree。 And the
danger of being home alone with her was that she'd recruit me to help her wash or dust or
vacuum； and she wouldn't tolerate the dribbling of a
soccer ball around the house as I moved from chore to chore。
To play it safe； I waited outside for weeks； just in case the new neighbors moved in early。
Literally； it was weeks。 I entertained myself by playing
soccer with our dog； Champ。 Mostly he'd just block because a dog can't exactly kick and
score； but once in a while he'd dribble with his nose。 The
scent of a ball must overwhelm a dog； though； because Champ would eventually try to
chomp it； then lose the ball to me。
When the Loskis' moving van finally arrived； everyone in my family was happy。 “Little
Julianna” was finally going to have a playmate。
My mother； being the truly sensible adult that she is； made me wait more than an hour
before going over to meet him。 “Give them a chance to
stretch their legs； Julianna；” she said。 “They'll want some time to adjust。” She wouldn't even
let me watch from the yard。 “I know you； sweetheart。
Somehow that ball will wind up in their yard and you'll just have to go retrieve it。”
So I watched from the window； and every few minutes I'd ask； “Now？” and she'd say； “Give
them a little while longer； would you？”
Then the phone rang。 And the minute I was sure she was good and preoccupied； I tugged on
her sleeve and asked； “Now？”
She nodded and whispered； “Okay； but take it easy！ I'll be over there in a minute。”
I was too excited not to charge across the street； but I did try very hard to be civilized once I
got to the moving van。 I stood outside looking in for a
record…breaking length of time； which was hard because there he was！ About halfway back！
My new sure…to…be best friend； Bryce Loski。
Bryce wasn't really doing much of anything。 He was more hanging back； watching his father
move boxes onto the lift…gate。 I remember feeling
sorry for Mr。 Loski because he looked worn out； moving boxes all by himself。 I also
remember that he and Bryce were wearing matching turquoise
polo shirts； which I thought was really cute。 Really nice。
……… Page 8………
When I couldn't stand it any longer； I called； “Hi！” into the van； which made Bryce jump； and
then quick as a cricket； he started pushing a box like
he'd been working all along。
I could tell from the way Bryce was acting so guilty that he was supposed to be moving
boxes； but he was sick of it。 He'd probably been moving
things for days！ It was easy to see that he needed a rest。 He needed some juice！ Something。
It was also easy to see that Mr。 Loski wasn't about to let him quit。 He was going to keep on
moving boxes around until he collapsed； and by then
Bryce might be dead。 Dead before he'd had the chance to move in！
The tragedy of it catapulted me into the moving van。 I had to help！ I had to save him！
When I got to his side to help him shove a box forward； the poor boy was so exhausted that
he just moved aside and let me take over。 Mr。 Loski
didn't want me to help； but at least I saved Bryce。 I'd been in the moving van all of three
minutes when his dad sent him off to help his mother unpack
things inside the house。
I chased Bryce up the walkway； and that's when everything changed。 You see； I caught up to
him and grabbed his arm； trying to stop him so
maybe we could play a little before he got trapped inside； and the next thing I know he's
holding my hand； looking right into my eyes。
My heart stopped。 It just stopped beating。 And for the first time in my life； I had that feeling。
You know； like the world is moving all around you； all
beneath you； all inside you； and you're floating。 Floating in midair。 And the only thing keeping
you from drifting away is the other person's eyes。
They're connected to yours by some invisible physical force； and they hold you fast while the
rest of the world swirls and twirls and falls pletely
away。
I almost got my first kiss that day。 I'm sure of it。 But then his mother came out the front door
and he was so embarrassed that his cheeks turned
pletely red； and the next thing you know he's hiding in the bathroom。
I was waiting for him to e out when his sister； Lyta； saw me in the hallway。 She
seemed big and mature to me； and since she wanted to
know what was going on； I told her a little bit about it。 I shouldn't have； though； because she
wiggled the bathroom doorknob and started teasing
Bryce something fierce。 “Hey； baby brother！” she called through the door。 “There's a hot
chick out here waiting for you！ Whatsa matter？ Afraid she's
got cooties？”
It was so embarrassing！ I yanked on her arm and told her to stop it； but she wouldn't； so
finally I just left。
I found my mother outside talking to Mrs。 Loski。 Mom had given her the beautiful lemon
Bundt cake that was supposed to be our dessert that
night。 The powdered sugar looked soft and white； and the cake was still warm； sending
sweet lemon smells into the air。
My mouth was watering just looking at it！ But it was in Mrs。 Loski's hands； and I knew there
was no getting it back。 All I could do was try to eat up
the smells while I listened to the two of them discuss grocery stores and the weather forecast。
After that Mom and I went home。 It was very strange。 I hadn't gotten to play with Bryce at all。
All I knew was that his eyes were a dizzying blue； that
he had a sister who was not to be trusted； and that he'd almost kissed me。
I fell asleep that night thinking about the kiss that might have been。 What did a kiss feel like；
anyway？ Somehow I knew it wouldn't be like the one I
got from Mom or Dad at bedtime。 The same species； maybe； but a radically different beast；
to be sure。 Like a wolf