669小说网

第3部分（第2页）

made　me　chase　after　that　kiss；　but　to　be　honest；　it

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was　probably　more　those　blue　eyes。　All　through　the　second　and　third　grades　I　couldnt　seem

to　stop　myself　from　following　him；　from　sitting　by　him；

from　just　wanting　to　be　near　him。

By　the　fourth　grade　Id　learned　to　control　myself。　The　sight　of　him—the　thought　of　him—still

sent　my　heart　humming；　but　my　legs　didnt　actually

chase　after　him　anymore。　I　just　watched　and　thought　and　dreamed。

Then　in　the　fifth　grade　Shelly　Stalls　came　into　the　picture。　Shelly　Stalls　is　a　ninny。　A　whiny；

gossipy；　backstabbing　ninny　who　says　one　thing　to　one

person　and　the　opposite　to　another。　Now　that　were　in　junior　high；　shes　the　undisputed　diva

of　drama；　but　even　back　in　elementary　school　she　knew

how　to　put　on　a　performance。　Especially　when　it　came　to　P。E。　I　never　once　saw　her　run　laps

or　do　calisthenics。　Instead；　she　would　go　into　her

“delicate”　act；　claiming　her　body　would　absolutely　collapse　from　the　strain　if　she　ran　or

jumped　or　stretched。

It　worked。　Every　year。　Shed　bring　in　some　note　and　be　sure　to　swoon　a　little　for　the　teacher

the　first　few　days　of　the　year；　after　which　shed　be

excused　from　anything　that　required　muscles。　She　never　even　put　up　her　own　chair　at　the

end　of　the　day。　The　only　muscles　she　exercised　regularly

were　the　ones　around　her　mouth；　and　those　she　worked　out　nonstop。　If　there　was　an

Olympic　contest　for　talking；　Shelly　Stalls　would　sweep　the

event。　Well；　shed　at　least　win　the　gold　and　silver—　one　medal　for　each　side　of　her　mouth。

What　bugged　me　about　it　was　not　the　fact　that　she　got　out　of　P。E。—whod　want　her　on　their

team；　anyway？　What　bugged　me　about　it　was　that

anyone　who　bothered　to　look　would　know　that　it　wasnt　asthma　or　weak　ankles　or　her　being

“delicate”　that　was　stopping　her。　It　was　her　hair。　She

had　mountains　of　it；　twisted　this　way　or　that；　clipped　or　beaded；　braided　or　swirled。　Her

ponytails　rivaled　the　ones　on　carousel　horses。　And　on　the

days　she　let　it　all　hang　down；　shed　sort　of　shimmy　and　cuddle　inside　it　like　it　was　a　blanket；

so　that　practically　all　you　saw　of　her　face　was　her　nose。

Good　luck　playing　four…square　with　a　blanket　over　your　head。

My　solution　to　Shelly　Stalls　was　to　ignore　her；　which　worked　just　dandy　until　about　halfway