e　a　quick　observation　to　distract　myself。　〃You　don't　like　them　very

much。〃

〃Does　it　show？〃　he　asked　sarcastically。

〃Well　It　doesn't　sound　like　they're　doing　anything　bad。〃　I　tried　to　soothe

him；　to　make　him　cheerful

again。　〃Just　sort　of　annoyingly　goody…two…shoes　for　a　gang。〃

〃Yeah。　Annoying　is　a　good　word。　They're　always　showing　off—like　the　cliff

thing。　They　act　like　like；　I

don't　know。　Like　tough　guys。　I　was　hanging　out　at　the　store　with　Embry　and

Quil　once；　last　semester；　and

Sam　came　by　with　his　followers；　Jared　and　Paul。　Quil　said　something；　you　know

how　he's　got　a　big

mouth；　and　it　pissed　Paul　off。　His　eyes　got　all　dark；　and　he　sort　of　smiled—

no；　he　showed　his　teeth　but

he　didn't　smile—and　it　was　like　he　was　so　mad　he　was　shaking　or　something。

But　Sam　put　his　hand

against　Paul's　chest　and　shook　his　head。　Paul　looked　at　him　for　a　minute　and

calmed　down。　Honestly；　it

was　like　Sam　was　holding　him　back—like　Paul　was　going　to　tear　us　up　if　Sam

didn't　stop　him。〃　He

groaned。　〃Like　a　bad　western。　You　know；　Sam's　a　pretty　big　guy；　he's　twenty。

But　Paul's　just　sixteen；

too；　shorter　than　me　and　not　as　beefy　as　Quil。　I　think　any　one　of　us　could

take　him。〃

〃Tough　guys；〃　I　agreed。　I　could　see　it　in　my　head　as　he　described　it；　and　it

reminded　me　of　something　a

trio　of　tall；　dark　men　standing　very　still　and　close　together　in　my　father's

living　room。　The　picture　was

sideways；　because　my　head　was　lying　against　the　couch　while　Dr。　Gerandy　and

Charlie　leaned　over

me　Had　that　been　Sam's　gang？

I　spoke　quickly　again　to　divert　myself　from　the　bleak　memories。　〃Isn't　Sam　a