迪文小说

第18部分（第2页）

usual。　Not　because　she　gushed　about　it　or　even　waved

and　winked　or　something。　No；　she　was　back　to　avoiding　me。　Shed　say　hi　if　we　happened　to

run　into　each　other；　but　instead　of　being；　like；　right　over

my　shoulder　anytime　I　looked；　she　was　nowhere。　She　must　have　ducked　out　back　doors　and

taken　roundabout　ways　through　campus。　She　was；　I

dont　know；　scarce。

I　found　myself　looking　at　her　in　class。　The　teacherd　be　talking　and　all　eyes　would　be　up

front　…　except　mine。　They　kept　wandering　over　to　Juli。　It

was　weird。　One　minute　Id　be　listening　to　the　teacher；　and　the　next　Id　be　pletely　tuned

out；　looking　at　Juli。

It　wasnt　until　Wednesday　in　math　that　I　figured　it　out。　With　the　way　her　hair　fell　back　over　her

shoulders　and　her　head　was　tilted；　she　looked　like

the　picture　in　the　paper。　Not　just　like　it　—　the　angle　was　different；　and　the　wind　wasnt

blowing　through　her　hair　—　but　she　did　look　like　the　picture。　A

lot　like　the　picture。

Making　that　connection　sent　a　chill　down　my　spine。　And　I　wondered　—　what　was　she　thinking？

Could　she　really　be　that　interested　in　root

derivations？

Darla　Tressler　caught　me　watching；　and　man；　she　gave　me　the　worlds　wickedest　smile。　If　I

didnt　do　something　fast；　this　was　going　to　spread　like

wildfire；　so　I　squinted　at　her　and　whispered；　“Theres　a　bee　in　her　hair；　stupid；”　then　pointed

around　in　the　air　like；　There　it　goes；　see？

Darlas　neck　whipped　around　searching　for　the　bee；　and　I　straightened　out　my　focus　for　the

rest　of　the　day。　The　last　thing　I　needed　was　to　be

scorched　by　the　likes　of　Darla　Tressler。

That　night　I　was　doing　my　homework；　and　just　to　prove　to　myself　that　Id　been　wrong；　I　pulled

that　newspaper　article　out　of　my　trash　can。　And　as

Im　flipping　it　over；　Im　telling　myself；　Its　a　distortion　of　reality；　its　my　imagination；　she　doesnt

really　look　like　that…。

But　there　she　was。　The　girl　in　my　math　class；　two　rows　over　and　one　seat　up；　glowing

through　newsprint。

Lyta　barged　in。　“I　need　your　sharpener；”　she　said。

I　slammed　my　binder　closed　over　the　paper　and　said；　“Youre　supposed　to　knock！”　And　then；

since　she　was　zooming　in　and　the　paper　was　still

sticking　out；　I　crammed　the　binder　into　my　backpack　as　fast　as　I　could。

“What　are　you　trying　to　hide　there；　baby　brother？”