第23部分(第3/8 頁)

th；

wrapped　up　a　pie；　and　shuffled　across　the　street

behind　my　brothers　and　parents。

Chet　answered　the　door。　Maybe　I　should've　been　mad　at　him；　too；　for　telling　the　Loskis　about

my　uncle；　but　I　wasn't。　I　hadn't　asked　him　not　to　tell；

and　he　certainly　wasn't　the　one　making　fun　of　David。

………　Page　70………

Mrs。　Loski　came　up　behind　Chet；　whisked　us　in；　and　fluttered　about。　And　even　though　she

had　quite　a　bit　of　makeup　on；　I　was　surprised　to　see

the　blueness　of　bags　beneath　her　eyes。　Then　Mrs。　Loski　and　my　mother　went　off　with　the

pies；　my　brothers　vanished　down　the　hall　with　Lyta；　and

my　father　followed　Chet　into　the　living　room。

And　wasn't　that　just　dandy？　That　left　me　alone　in　the　foyer　with　Bryce。

He　said　hi　to　me　and　I　lost　it。　I　spun　on　him；　snapping；　“Don't　you　speak　to　me！　I　overheard

you　and　Garrett　in　the　library；　and　I　don't　want　to　talk　to

you　now　or　ever！”

I　started　to　walk　into　the　living　room；　but　he　stopped　me。　“Juli！　Juli；　wait！”　he　whispered。　“I'm

not　the　bad　guy　here！　That　was　Garrett。　That　was　all

Garrett！”

I　glared　at　him。　“I　know　what　I　heard。”

“No！　No　you　don't！　I　…I　was　feeling　bad　about；　you　know；　the　eggs　and　what　I'd　said　about

your　yard。　I　didn't　know　anything　about　your　uncle　or

what　kind　of　situation　your　family　was　in；　okay？　I　just　wanted　to　talk　to　someone　about　it。”

Our　eyes　locked　for　a　minu