第14部分(第4/7 页)

ulder　and　said；

“It　was　nice　walking　with　you；　Bryce。　I　enjoyed

myself　very　much。”

“Me　too；”　I　told　him；　and　we　went　inside。

Right　away　we　knew　we'd　stepped　into　a　war　zone。　And　even　though　no　one　was　yelling　or

crying；　from　the　look　on　my　parents'　faces　I　could　tell

there'd　been　a　major　meltdown　while　my　granddad　and　I　were　out。

Granddad　whispered　to　me；　“I've　got　another　fence　to　mend；　I'm　afraid；”　and　headed　into　the

dining　room　to　talk　to　my　parents。

I　wanted　nothing　to　do　with　that　vibe。　I　went　straight　to　my　room；　closed　the　door；　and　flopped

through　the　darkness　onto　my　bed。

I　lay　there　awhile　and　let　the　dinner　disaster　play　through　my　mind。　And　when　I'd　totally

burned　a　fuse　thinking　about　it；　I　sat　up　and　looked　out　the

window。　There　was　a　light　on　somewhere　inside　the　Bakers'　house　and　the　streetlights　were

glowing；　but　the　night　still　seemed　really　dense。　Like　it

was　darker　than　usual　and；　I　don't　know；　heavy。

I　leaned　closer　to　the　window　and　looked　up　into　the　sky；　but　I　couldn't　see　the　stars　anymore。

I　wondered　if　Juli　had　ever　been　in　the　sycamore　at

night。　Among　the　stars。

I　shook　my　head。　Flat；　glossy；　iridescent。　What　was　up　with　that？　Juli　Baker　had　always

seemed　just　plain　dusty　to　me。

I　snapped　on　my　desk　lamp　and　dug　the　newspaper　with　the　article　about　Juli　out　of　the

drawer　where　I'd　tossed　it。

Just　like　I　thought　—　they　made　it　sound　like　Juli　was　trying　to　save　Mount　Rushmore　or

something。　They　called　her　a　“strong　voice　in　an　urban

wilderness”　and　“a　radiant　beacon；　shedding　light　on　the　need　to　curtail　continued

overdevelopment　of　our　once　quaint　and　tranquil　mu