nutritious。” She nodded toward the stage。 “You gonna
go up to the table like youre supposed to? Or you gonna stick around and see the carnage?”
I almost didnt have a choice。 Before Mrs。 McClure could say two words about Bryce or his
basket; Shelly called; “Ten!” Then from the middle of
the gym came “Twenty!” It was Miranda Humes; with her hand way in the air。 They went
back and forth; back and forth; higher and higher; until Shelly
called; “Sixty…two!”
“I cant believe it;” I whispered to Darla。 “Sixty…two dollars! Cmon; Miranda; e on。”
“I think shes out。 Shellys got it。”
“Sixty…two dollars going once!” cried Mrs。 McClure; but before she could say; Going twice! a
voice from the back of the gym called; “A hundred!”
Everyone gasped and turned around to see who had called the bid。 Darla whispered; “Its
Jenny。”
“Atkinson?” I asked。
Darla pointed。 “Right over there。”
She was easy to spot; standing tall above the others in the number…seven basketball jersey
she almost always wore。 “Wow;” I whispered; “I had
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no idea。”
“Maybe shell slam…dunk him for you;” Darla said with a grin。
“Who cares?” I giggled。 “She slam…dunked Shelly!”
Mrs。 McClure was gushing into the microphone about the record…breaking bid when a big
motion broke out over by Miranda。 I spotted
Shellys hair; and my first thought was that there was going to be a fight。 But instead; Shelly
and Miranda turned to face Mrs。 McClure and called;
“One…twenty…two fifty!”
I choked down a cry。 “What?”
“Theyre teamin up;” Darla whispered。
“Oh; no…no…no!” I looked over Jennys way。 “e on; Jenny!”
Darla shook her head and said; “Shes through;” and she was。 Bryce went to Shelly and
Miranda for one hundred twenty…two dollars and fifty
cents。
It was a little strange; meeting up with Jon and walking over to the multi…purpose room for
lunch。 But he was just so nice; and I think grateful that Id
bid; that by the time we got situated at our table; I wasnt feeling so awkward or silly。 It was
just lunch。
Things would have been easier if they hadnt seated me in direct view of Bryce and his little