第13部分 (第3/8页)

trying　to　tell　her　I　was　sorry。　She　didn't　smile　back　or　nod　or

anything。　She　just　turned　away　and　never　looked　back。

I　even　waited　for　her　outside　the　classroom　to　say　something；　anything；　about　her　fixing　up

the　yard　and　how　bad　I　felt；　but　she　ditched　me　out　the

other　door；　and　after　that　anytime　I　got　anywhere　near　her；　she'd　find　some　way　to　skate

around　me。

So　there　she　was；　watering　the　yard；　making　me　feel　like　a　jerk；　and　I'd　had　enough　of　it。　I

went　up　to　her　and　said；　“It's　looking　real　good；　Juli。

Nice　job。”

“Thanks；”　she　said　without　smiling。　“Chet　did　most　of　it。”

Chet？　I　thought。　Chet？　What　was　she　doing；　calling　my　grandfather　by　his　first　name？　“Look；

Juli；”　I　said；　trying　to　get　on　with　why　I　was　there。　“I'm

sorry　for　what　I　did。”

She　looked　at　me　for　a　second；　then　went　back　to　watching　the　water　spray　across　the　dirt。

Finally　she　said；　“I　still　don't　get　it；　Bryce。　Why　didn't

you　just　tell　me？”

“I…I　don't　know。　It　was　dumb。　I　should　have。　And　I　shouldn't　have　said　anything　about　the

yard；　either。　It　was；　you　know；　out　of　line。”

I　was　already　feeling　better。　A　lot　better。　Then　Juli　says；　“Well；　maybe　it's　all　for　the　better；”

and　starts　bouncing　up　and　down　on　the　balls　of　her

feet；　acting　more　like　her　old　self。　“Doesn't　it　look　great？　I　learned　so　much　from　Chet　it's

amazing。　You　are　so　lucky。　I　don't　even　have