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1BryceLoskiAlleverIwantedwasforJuliBakertoleavemealone.Itallbeganinthesummerof1957,beforethestartofsecondgrade.-Hereweare.–haha–Whatdoyouguysthink?–Ilikethisplace.–It’scool.–Uh,whatcolorismyroom?-Justyouwait.-Let’sseewhat’sinside.–Hey,comeon,buddyBryce.Whydon’t,uh,youandIgohelpunloadthevan…andthewomenfolkherecangetinthekitchenandstartsettingup.–Okay.Dad.Forme,itwasthebeginningofwhatwouldbemorethanhalfadecadeofstrategicavoidanceandsocialdiscomfort.-Hi,I’mJuliBaker.–Hey,hey,whatareyoudoing?–Don’tyouwantsomehelp?–No.there’ssomevaluablethingsinthere.–Howaboutthisone?–No,no,no.Runhome,yourmother’sprobablywonderingwhereyouare.–Oh,no,mymomknowswhereIam.Shesaidit’sfine.Itdidn’ttakelongtorealizethisgirlcouldnottakeahint.–It’scrowdedinherewiththreepeople.–Idon’tmind.Ofanykind.–Youwannapushthisonetogether?–Bryce,isn’tittimeforyoutogohelpyourmother?–Huh?Oh,yeah.Imean,nothingwouldstopher.Iwasabouttotellhertogetlostwhentheweirdestthinghappened.Icouldn’tbelieveit.ThereIwasholdinghandswiththisstrangegirl.HowdidIgetintothismess?–Well,hello.Iseeyou’vemetmyson.–Uh-huh.2Finally,Ididtheonlymanlythingavailablewhenyou’re7yearsold.However,mytroubleswerefarfromover..TheminuteIwalkedintoMissYelson’sclassroom…-Bryce?You’rehere.Itwasclear,schoolwouldnotbeasanctuary.–Hey,Bryce,where’syourgirlfriend?Iwasbrandedforlife.–Hey,Bryce,whydon’tyouaskhertomarryyou?–BryceandJulisittinginatree,K-I-S-S-I-N-G.Myfirstyearintownwasadisaster.Andthenextthreeweren’tmuchbetter.Butfinally,inthesixthgrade,Itookaction.Ihatchedtheplan.–Sherry.Sherry,waitup.–Hi,Bryce.Heh.IaskedoutSherryStalls(Iwaswonderingifyouwantedtogo…).Tofullappreciatethebrillianceofthisplan…youhavetounderstandthatJulialwayshatedSherryStalls…thoughIneverunderstoodwhy.Sherrywasnice,friendlyandshehadalotofhair.-Atfirst,mymotherwouldn’tletmegetmyearspierced,butIbegged…TheideawasthatSherrywouldeatwithmemaybewe’dwalkaroundtogether,andhopefullyJuliwouldlostinterest.–ButIstillcan’tgetthehoopstillI’m16.–Oh,that’sashame.–SoMelaniewantedtogetherearspierced,butofcoursehermothersaidno.SoshethrewafitandsmashedherJohnnyMathisGreatestHitsalbumandshegotgrounded,sonowshecan’tcometomypajamasleepoverparty.Thingswereunfoldingquitenicely.-Whatareyoudoingforyourscienceproject?Thatis,untilmysupposedbestfriend,GarrettEinbindertookaninterestinSherryhimself.-Iwasthinkingofshowinghowsplitendsreactwithdifferenthairconditioners.–That’sfascinating.3LoyaltygavewaytodedireandGarrett,theturncoattoldSherrywhatIwasupto.Shedidn’ttakeitwell.WordgotbacktoJuli,andprettysoonshestartedupwiththegoo-gooeyesagain.Onlythistimeitwasworse.Shestartedsniffingme.That’sright,sniffingme.What’sthatallabout?Myonlyconsolationwasthatnextyearwouldbedifferent.Juniorhigh,biggerschool.Maybewe’dbeindifferentclassesanditwouldfinally,finallybeover.JuliBakerThefirstdayImetBryceLoski,Iflipped.Itwasthoseeyes,somethinginthosedazzlingeyes.-Youwannapushthisonetogether?HisfamilyhadjustmovedintotheneighborhoodandI’dgonetohelpthem.I’dbeeninthevanalloftwominuteswhenhisdadsenthimofftohelphismom.Icouldseehedidn’twannago.SoIchasedafterhimtoseeifwecouldplayalittlebeforehegottrappedinside.ThenextthingIknow,he’sholdidngmyhandandlookingrightintomyeyes.Myheartstopped.Wasthisit?Wouldthisbemyfirstkiss?Butthenhismothercameout.–Well,hello.Andhewassoembarrassed,hischeeksturnedcompletelyred.Iwenttobedthatnightthinkingofthekissthatmighthavebeen.Imean,itwasclearhehasfeelingsforme,buthewasjusttooshytoshowthem.Mymothersaidboyswerelikethat.SoIdecidedtohelphimout.–Bryce?You’rehere.Iwouldgivehimplentyofopportunitytogetoverhisshyness.Bythesixthgrade,I’dlearnedtocontrolmyself.ThenSherryStallsenteredthepicture.SherryStallswasnothingbutawhiny,gossipy,backstabbingflirt.Allhairandnosubstance.AndshewasholdinghandswithBryce.MyBryce.Theonewhowaswalkingaroundwithmyfirstkiss.Mysolutionwastoignoreher.IknewaboyofBryce’scaliberwouldeventuallyseethroughashallowconniverlikeSherryStalls.Ittookallofaweek.Thenbrokeupatrecess.Shedidn’ttakeitwell.NowthatBrycewasoutofSherry’sevilclutches,hestartedbeingnicertome.–Hi,Juli.4–Hi,Bryce.Hewassoshyandsocuteandhishair,itsmelledlikewatermelon.Icouldn’tgetenoughofit.IspentthewholeyearsecretlysniffingwatermelonandwonderingifIwasevergoingtogetmykiss.BryceLoskiSeventhgradebroughtchanges,allright.Butthebiggestonedidn’thappenatschool.Ithappenedathome.Mygrandfathercametolivewithus.MomsaidhestaredlikethatbecausehemissedGrandma.ThatwasnotsomethingGrandpawouldevertalkaboutwithme.Asamatteroffact,henevertalkedaboutmuchofanythingwithme.Thatis,untilJuliappearedinthelocalnewspaper.-Oh,Bryce.MyIspeakwithyou?–What?–Haveaseat,son.–TellmeaboutyourfriendJuliBaker.–Juli.She’snotexactlymyfriend.–Oh.Why’sthat?–Whydoyouwannaknow?Now,JuliBakerdidnotwindupinTheMayfieldTimesforbeinganeighth-gradeEinstein.No,shegotfront-pagecoveragebecausesherefusedtoclimboutofasycamoretree.JuliBakerandthatstupidsycamoretree.ShealwaysthoughtitwasGod’sgifttoourlittlecorneroftheuniverse.–Hey,Bryce.Wannacomeclimbthetreewithmeandmybrothers?–No,thanks.–Bryce.Comeuphere.It’sfun.Youcanseeeverything.–Ican’t.Mydad