o　the　right　thing…。

Miranda　shook　me　out　of　it；　asking；　“Bryce？　Are　you　in　there？　I　asked；　what　are　you　going　to

do　this　summer？”

“I　don't　know；”　I　snapped。

“Hey；　maybe　you　can　spend　some　time　up　at　the　lake　with　us！”　Shelly　said。

It　was　torture。　I　wanted　to　scream；　Shut　up！　Leave　me　alone！　I　wanted　to　run　out　of　the

building　and　keep　on　running　until　I　didn't　feel　like　this

anymore。

“Lunch　is　really　delicious；　Bryce。”　Miranda's　voice　was　floating　around。　“Bryce？　Did　you　hear

me？　This　is　really　a　spectacular　lunch。”

A　simple　little　thank　you　would've　sufficed。　But　could　I　e　up　with　a　simple　little　thank　you？

No。　I　turned　on　her　and　said；　“Can　we　not　talk　about

food　or　tans　or　hair？”

She　gave　me　an　uppity　little　smile。　“Well；　what　do　you　want　to　talk　about；　then？”

I　blinked　at　her；　then　at　Shelly。　“How　about　perpetual　motion？　Know　anything　about　that？”

“Perpetual　what？”

Miranda　starts　laughing。

………　Page　79………

“What？”　I　ask　her。　“What's　so　funny？”

She　looks　at　me　a　minute；　then　snickers。　“I　didn't　realize　I'd　bid　on　an　intellectual。”

“Hey…　I'm　plenty　smart！”

“Yeah？”　Miranda　giggles。　“Can　you　spell　intellectual？”

“He　is　too　smart；　Miranda。”

“Oh；　stop　kissing　up；　Shelly。　You're　trying　to　tell　me　you're　after　his　brain？　God；　it's　making

me　sick　to　watch　you　grovel。”

“Grovel？　Excuse　me？”

“You　heard　me。　He's　not　going　to　take　you　to　the　grad　dance　anyway；　so　just　give　it　up；　why

don't　you？”

And　with　that；　it　was　all　over。　One　of　my　mom's　flaky　apple　tarts　got　ground　into　Miranda's

hair；　the　extra　ranch　dressing　got　smeared　into　Shelly's。

And　before　Mrs。　McClure　could　say