spered；　“Do　you　like　him？”

I　was　stunned。

He　held　my　other　hand　and　asked　again；　“Do　you　like　him？”

“You　mean　Jon？”

“Yes！”

I　can't　remember　what　I　said。　He　was　looking　into　my　eyes；　holding　my　hands　tight；　and　then

he　began　pulling　me　toward　him。　My　heart　was　racing

and　his　eyes　were　closing　and　his　face　was　ing　toward　mine…。　Right　there；　in　front　of　all

the　other　basket　boys　and　their　dates　and　the　adults；

he　was　going　to　kiss　me。

To　kiss　me。

I　panicked。　I'd　been　waiting　all　my　life　for　that　kiss；　and　now？

I　yanked　free　and　ran　back　to　my　table；　and　when　I　sat　down　Jon　whispered；　“Did　he　just　try

to　kiss　you？”

I　turned　my　chair　away　from　Bryce　and　whispered；　“Can　we　please　talk　about　something　else？

Anything　else？”

People　were　whispering　and　looking　my　way；　and　when　Shelly　Stalls　came　back　from

cleaning　up　in　the　washroom；　everyone　fell　quiet。　Her　hair

………　Page　89………

looked　awful。　It　was　sort　of　oiled　to　her　scalp　and　still　had　little　chunks　of　food　in　it。　She

glared　at　me　so　hard　it　looked　like　she　was　trying　to　get　laser

beams　to　shoot　from　her　eyes。

A　couple　of　adults　steered　her　back　to　her　seat；　and　then　everyone　started　whispering

double…speed。　And　Bryce　didn't　even　seem　to　care！　He

kept　trying　to　e　over　and　talk　to　me；　but　either　he'd　get　intercepted　by　a　teacher　or　I'd

dash　away　from　him　before　he　had　a　chance　to　say

anything。

When　the　dismissal　bell　finally　rang；　I　said　a　quick　goodbye　to　Jon　and　bolted　out　the　door。　I

couldn't　reach　my　bike　fast　enough！　I　was　the　first

one　off　campus；　and　I　pedaled　home　so　hard　it　felt　as　though　my　lungs　would　burst。

Mr