Like

sunshine　and　wild　grass　and　pomegranates　and　rain！　I

couldn't　stop　breathing　it　in；　filling　my　lungs　again　and　again　with　the　sweetest　smell　I'd　ever

known。

Bryce　called　up；　“Are　you　stuck？”　which　brought　me　down　to　earth。　Carefully　I　backed　up；

prized　stripes　in　hand；　and　as　I　worked　my　way　down；　I

could　see　Bryce　circling　the　tree；　watching　me　to　make　sure　I　was　okay。

By　the　time　I　hit　the　slide；　the　heady　feeling　I'd　had　in　the　tree　was　changing　into　the　heady

realization　that　Bryce　and　I　were　alone。

Alone！

My　heart　was　positively　racing　as　I　held　the　kite　out　to　him。　But　before　he　could　take　it；

Champ　nudged　me　from　behind　and　I　could　feel　his　cold；

wet　nose　against　my　skin。

Against　my　skin？！

I　grabbed　my　jeans　in　back；　and　that's　when　I　realized　the　seat　of　my　pants　was　ripped　wide

open。

Bryce　laughed　a　little　nervous　laugh；　so　I　could　tell　he　knew；　and　for　once　mine　were　the

cheeks　that　were　beet　red。　He　took　his　kite　and　ran　off；

leaving　me　to　inspect　the　damage。

I　did　eventually　get　over　the　embarrassment　of　my　jeans；　but　I　never　got　over　the　view。　I　kept

thinking　of　what　it　felt　like　to　be　up　so　high　in　that　tree。

I　wanted　to　see　it；　to　feel　it；　again。　And　again。

………　Page　18………

It　wasn't　long　before　I　wasn't　afraid　of　being　up　so　high　and　found　the　spot　that　became　my

spot。　I　could　sit　there　for　hours；　just　looking　out　at　the

world。　Sunsets　were　amazing。　Some　days　they'd　be　purple　and　pink；　some　days　they'd　be　a

blazing　orange；　setting　fire　to　clouds　across　the

horizon。

It　was　on　a　day　like　that　when　my　father's　notion　of　the　whole　being　greater　than　the　sum　of