ther　two　inches　shorter。　I

dropped　the　curtain　and　blasted　out　the　back　door　and　over　the　fence。　I　had　to　get　out　of

there。

I　swear　I　walked　ten　miles　that　day。　And　I　don't　know　who　I　was　madder　at　—　my　grandfather；

Juli；　or　me。　What　was　wrong　with　me？　If　I　wanted　to

make　it　up　to　Juli；　why　didn't　I　just　go　over　there　and　help？　What　was　stopping　me？

I　wound　up　at　Garrett's　house；　and　man；　I'd　never　been　so　glad　to　see　anyone　in　my　life。

Leave　it　to　Garrett　to　get　your　mind　off　anything　important。

That　dude's　the　master。　We　went　out　back　and　shot　hoops；　watched　the　tube；　and　talked

about　hitting　the　water　slides　this　summer。

And　when　I　got　home；　there　was　Juli；　sprinkling　the　yard。

She　saw　me；　all　right；　but　she　didn't　wave　or　smile　or　anything。　She　just　looked　away。

Normally　what　I'd　do　in　that　situation　is　maybe　pretend　like　I　hadn't　seen　her；　or　give　a　quick

wave　and　charge　inside。　But　she'd　been　mad　at　me

for　what　seemed　like　ages。　She　hadn't　said　word　one　to　me　since　the　morning　of　the　eggs。

She'd　pletely　dissed　me　in　math　a　couple　days

before　when　I'd　smiled　at　her；　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；”　s