第18部分(第3/8 頁)

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　world's　wickedest　smile。　If　I

didn't　do　something　fast；　this　was　going　to　spread　like

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

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

Darla's　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　I'd　been　wrong；　I　pulled

that　newspaper　article　out　of　my　trash　can。　And　as

I'm　flipping　it　over；　I'm　telling　myself；　It's　a　distortion　of　reality；　it's　my　imagination；　she　doesn't

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；　“You're　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