The Basket Boys

1

The Monday after the Loskis' dinner party, Darla?

tracked

?me down at school and forced Bryce Loski back into my brain.

track /tr?k/ vt.?跟蹤

2

“Jules! Whoa, girl, wait up! How have you been?”

3

“I'm fine, Darla, how are you?”

4

“No, seriously,” she whispered. “Are you doing okay?”

5

She?

shifted

?her backpack and looked over each shoulder.

shift /??ft/ vt.?挪動

6

“I?

got

?to thinking, you know, that was just so cold of Bryce. Especially since you've got that?

soft spot for him

.”

get /ɡet/ v.?開始

soft spot for sb?對某人情有獨鐘

7

“Who told you that?”

8

“Like I haven't got eyes? Come on, girl. It's a?

given

. Which is why I got to worryin' about you. Are you seriously all right?”

given /?ɡ?vn/ n.?假定事實

9

“Yes, I am. But thanks for thinking about me.” I eyed her and said, “And Darla? It's not a given anymore.”

10

She laughed. “How long's this?

diet

?gonna last?”

diet /?da??t/ n.?規(guī)定飲食

11

“It's not a diet. I've just, uh, lost my taste for him.”

12

She looked at me?

skeptically

. “Uh-huh.”

skeptically /?sk ?pt?k l..?/ adv.?懷疑地

13

“Well, I have. But thanks for, you know, caring.”

14

All through first period I was still feeling?

strong

?and right and certain, but then Mrs. Simmons ended the lesson a full fifteen minutes early and said,

strong /str??/ adj.?牢固的

15

“Clear your desks of everything but a pen or pencil.”

16

“What?” everyone cried, and believe me — I was right along with them. I was not prepared for a?

quiz

!

quiz /kw?z/ n.?〈尤美〉小測驗

17

“Everything!” she said. “Come on, you're wasting valuable time.”

18

The room filled with grumbles and the sound of?

shuffling

?

binders

,

shuffle /???fl/ vi.?將紙張變換位置

binder /'ba?nd?/ n.?活頁夾

19

and when we'd all?

pretty much

?

complied

?with her request, she picked?

a stack of

?bright yellow papers off her desk,?

fanned

?them with an evil grin, and said, “It's time to vote for basket boys!”

pretty much?幾乎

comply /k?m?pla?/ vi.?答應(yīng)

a stack of?一摞

fan /f?n/ vt.?扇

20

A?

wave

?of relief swept across the room. “Basket boys? You mean it's not a quiz?”

wave /we?v/ n. (活動、行為的)爆發(fā)

21

She?

ticked

?through the stack, counting?

ballots

?as she spoke. “It is like a quiz in that I don't want you?

conferring

?with one another. It's also like a quiz in that you have a limited amount of time.”

tick /t?k/ vt.?標(biāo)記號于

ballot /?b?l?t/ n.?選票

confer /k?n?f??r/ v.?交換意見

22

She slapped a set of ballots down on the first desk of row one, then went on to the second row.

23

“I will collect them from you?

individually

?when the bell rings, and I will?

inspect

?to see that you have?

complied

?with the?

following

?

instructions

.”

individually /??nd??v?d?u?li/ adv.?分別地

inspect /?n?spekt/ vt.?檢查

comply /k?m?pla?/ vi.?遵從

following /?fɑ?lo???/ adj.?下述的

instruction /?n?str?k?n/ n.?指示

24

She scooted over to row three. “Choose five, and only five, of the boys on the list. Do not put your name on it, and do not discuss your choices with your neighbors.”

25

She was on to row four now, talking faster and faster. “When you've made your selections, simply turn your sheet over.”

26

She slapped the?

remainder

?down on the last desk. “Do not, I repeat, do not fold your ballot!”

remainder /r??me?nd?r/ n.?剩余部分

27

Robbie Castinon raised his hand and blurted out, “Why do?

guys

?have to vote. It's?

lame

?to have guys vote.”

guy /ɡa?/ n. [非正式]?男人

lame /le?m/ adj.?沒有說服力的

28

“Robbie …,” Mrs. Simmons warned.

29

“Seriously! What are we supposed to do? Vote for our friends or our enemies?”

30

A lot of people snickered, and Mrs. Simmons scowled, but he?

had a point

.

have a point?有道理

31

Twenty of the school's eighth-grade boys would be made to?

pack

?a?

picnic lunch

?for two and be?

auctioned

?off to the highest bidder.

pack /p?k/ vt.?包裝

picnic lunch?便當(dāng)

auction /???k?n/ vt.?拍賣

32

“Being a basket boy is an honor—” Mrs. Simmons began, but she was interrupted by Robbie.

33

“It's a joke!” he said. “It's embarrassing! Who wants to be a basket boy?”

34

All the guys around him muttered, “Not me,” but Mrs. Simmons cleared her throat and said,

35

“You should want to be one! It's a tradition that has helped?

support

?the school since it was founded.?

support /s??p??rt/ vt.?資助

36

There have been generation after generation of basket boys helping make this campus what it is today.

37

It's why we have?

flower beds

. It's why we have?

shade trees

?and a?

grove

?of apple trees. Visit another junior high sometime and you'll begin to realize what a little?

oasis

?our campus really is.”

flower beds?花壇

shade tree?能遮蔭的樹

grove /ɡro?v/ n.?樹叢

oasis /o??e?s?s/ n.?綠洲

38

“All this from the sweat and blood of basket boys,” Robbie grumbled.

39

Mrs. Simmons sighed.

40

“Robbie, someday when your children go to school here, you'll understand. For now, please just vote for whoever you think will earn a high bid. And class,” she added, “

we're down to

?nine minutes.”

be down to?只剩下

41

The room fell quiet.

42

And as I read down the list of over one hundred and fifty eighth-grade boys, I realized that to me, there had only ever been one boy.

43

To me, there had only been Bryce.

44

I didn't let myself get?

sentimental

.

sentimental /'s?nt?'m?ntl/ adj.?多愁善感的

45

I had liked him for all the wrong reasons, and I certainly wasn't going to vote for him now. But I didn't know who else to vote for.

46

I looked at Mrs. Simmons, who was?

eagle-eyeing

?the class between glances at the clock.

eagle eye?目光敏銳的

47

What if I didn't choose anybody? What if I just turned it in blank?

48

She'd give me?

detention

, that's what.

detention /d??ten?n/ n. (作為懲罰的)課后留校

49

So with two minutes left to go, I put?

dots

?next to the boys I knew who weren't jerks or clowns, but were just nice.

dot /dɑ?t/ n.?點

50

When I?

was through

, there were all of ten names with dots, and of those I circled five: Ryan Noll, Vince Olson, Adrian Iglesias, Ian Lai, and Jon Trulock.

be through?完成

51

They wouldn't make basket boy, but then I wouldn't be bidding, so it didn't really matter.

52

At the bell I handed over my ballot and forgot all about the auction.

53

Until lunchtime the next day, that is. Darla cut me off on my way to the library and dragged me over to her table instead.

54

“Have you seen the list?” she asked.

55

“What list?”

56

“The list of basket boys!” She shoved a?

scrawled

?copy of twenty names in front of me and looked around. “Your?

main dish

?is on it!”

scrawl /skr??l/ vt.?潦草地寫；亂涂

main dish?主菜

57

Five from the top, there it was—Bryce Loski.

58

I should have expected it, but still, this awful?

surge

?of?

possessiveness

?shot through me.

surge /s??rd?/ n.?波濤般洶涌奔騰

possessive /p?'z?s?v/ n.?占有欲

59

Who had voted for him? Out of one hundred fifty names he must have gotten a lot of votes!

60

Suddenly I was picturing a swarm of girls waving stacks of?

cash

?in the Booster ladies' faces as they begged to have lunch with him.

cash /k??/ n.?現(xiàn)金

61

I threw the list back at Darla and said, “He's not my main dish! As a matter of fact, I didn't even vote for him.”

62

“Oooo, girl! You are stickin' to your diet!”

63

“It's not a diet, Darla. I'm … I'm over him, okay?”

64

“I'm glad to hear it, 'cause rumor is, that?

bimbette

?Shelly is already stakin' her claim on him.”

bimbette /b?m?b?t/ n.?〈俚〉小妞

65

“Shelly? Shelly Stalls?” I could feel my cheeks flush.

66

“That's right.” Darla waved her list in the air, calling, “Liz! Macy! Over here! I've got the list!”

67

Darla's friends?

fell all over themselves

?getting to her, then?

pored over

?the paper like it was a?

treasure map

.

fall all over oneself?竭盡全力

pored over?集中精神地閱讀

treasure map n.?藏寶圖

68

Macy cried, “Chad Ormonde's on it! He is so cute. I'd go ten bucks on him, easy!”

69

“And Denny's on it, too!” Liz squealed. “That boy is”— she shivered and giggled—“fi-yi-yine!”

70

Macy's top lip curled a little and she said, “Jon Trulock? Jon Tru lock? How did he get on this list?”

71

For a moment I couldn't believe my ears.

72

I snatched the paper out of Macy's hand. “Are you sure?”

73

“Right there,” she said, pointing to his name. “Who do you suppose voted for him?”

74

“The quiet girls, I guess,” Darla said. “Me, I'm more interested in Mike Abenido. Have I got any competition?”

75

Macy laughed, “If you're in, I'm out!”

76

“Me too,” said Liz.

77

“How about you, Jules?” Darla asked me. “Bringin'?

spare change

?on Friday?”

spare change?零錢

78

“No!”

79

“You get to miss?

the second half

?of school….”

the second half?下半場

80

“No! I'm not bidding. Not on anyone!”

81

She laughed. “Good for you.”

82

That afternoon I rode home from school?

brooding

?about Bryce and the whole basket boy auction.

brood /bru?d/ vt.?沉思

83

I could feel myself?

backsliding

?about Bryce.

backslide /?b?k?sla?d/ vi.?故態(tài)復(fù)萌

84

But why should I care if Shelly liked him? I shouldn't even be thinking about him!

85

When I wasn't thinking about Bryce, I was worrying about poor Jon Trulock.

86

He was quiet, and I felt sorry for him, having to?

clutch

?a basket and be auctioned off in front of the whole student body.

clutch /kl?t?/ vt.?抓住

87

What had I done to him?

88

But as I bounced up our drive, basket boys bounced right out of my mind.

89

Was that green I saw poking out of the dirt? Yes! Yes, it was! I dropped the bike and got down on my hands and knees.

90

They were so thin, so small, so?

far apart

!

far apart?離得很遠(yuǎn)

91

They barely made a difference in the?

vastness

?of the black dirt, and yet there they were. Pushing their way through to the afternoon sun.

vastness /?v?stn?s/ n.?廣闊

92

I ran in the house, calling, “Mom! Mom, there's grass!”

93

“Really?” She emerged from the bathroom with her cleaning gloves and a?

pail

. “I was wondering if it was ever going to spring up.”

pail /pe?l/ n.?桶

94

“Well, it has! Come! Come and see!”

95

She wasn't too impressed at first.

96

But after I made her get down on her hands and knees and really look, she smiled and said, “They're so delicate….”

97

“They look like they're?

yawning

, don't they?”

yawn /j??n/ vi.?打呵欠

98

She cocked her head a bit and looked a little closer. “Yawning?”

99

“Well, more stretching, I guess. Like they're sitting up in their little bed of dirt with their arms stretched way high, saying, Good morning, world!”

100

She laughed and said, “Yes, they do!”

101

I got up and?

uncoiled

?the?

hose

. “I think they need a wakeup shower, don't you?”

uncoil /??n'k??l/ vi.?展開

hose /ho?z/ n.?膠管

102

My mom agreed and left me to my singing and?

sprinkling

.

sprinkle /?spr??kl/ vi.?灑

103

And I was completely?

lost in

?the joy of my little green?

blades

?of new life when I heard the school bus rumble to a stop up on Collier Street.

lost in?迷戀

blade /ble?d/ n.?葉片

104

Bryce. His name shot through my brain, and with it came a panic I didn't seem able to control.

105

Before I could stop myself, I dropped the hose and dashed inside.

106

I locked myself in my room and tried to do my homework.

107

Where was my peace? Where was my?

resolve

? Where was my?

sanity

?

resolve /r??zɑ?lv/ n.?堅決

sanity /?s?n?ti/ n.?理智

108

Had they left me because Shelly Stalls?

was after him

?

be after sb?追求某人

109

Was it just some old?

rivalry

?making me feel this way?

rivalry /?ra?vlri/ n.?競爭

110

I had to get past Bryce and Shelly.

111

They deserved each other — let them have each other!

112

But in my heart I knew that just like the new grass, I wasn't strong enough yet to be walked on. And until I was, there was only one solution: I had to stay away from him. I needed to?

rope

?him out of my life.

rope /ro?p/ vt.?捆

113

So I closed my ears to the news of basket boys and?

steered clear of

?Bryce at school.

steer clear of?避開

114

And when I did happen to?

run into

?him, I simply said hello like he was someone I barely even knew.

run into vt.?偶然遇見

115

It was?

working

, too! I was growing stronger?

by the day

.

working /?w??rk??/ adj.?可行的

by the day adv.?一天天地

116

Who cared about auctions and basket boys? I didn't!

117

Friday morning I got up early, collected what few eggs there were in the coop, watered the front yard, which was by now definitely green, ate breakfast, and got ready for school.

118

But as I was running a brush through my hair, I couldn't help thinking about Shelly Stalls.

119

It was auction day. She'd probably been up since five, making her hair into some impossibly?

pouffy

?do.

puffy /'p?fi/ adj.?膨脹的

120

So what? I told myself. So what?

121

But as I was?

throwing on

?my?

windbreaker

, I eyed my money tin and hesitated. What if …

throw on?匆匆穿上

windbreaker /?w?nd?brek?/ n.?防風(fēng)夾克

122

No! No-no-no!

123

I ran to the garage, got my bike, and pushed out of the driveway.

124

And I was in the street and on my way when Mrs. Stueby?

flew

?right?

in my path

.

fly /fla?/ v.?疾馳

in one's path:?擋路

125

“Julianna,” she called, waving her hand through the air.

126

“Here, dear. Take this. I'm so sorry it's taken me this long to get it to you. I keep missing you in the mornings.”

127

I didn't even know how much she owed me.

128

At that moment I didn't care.

129

All I knew was the top bill in her hand was a ten, and it was striking?

terror

?in my heart.

terror /?ter?r/ n.?恐懼

130

“Mrs. Stueby, please. I …I don't want that. You don't have to pay me.”

131

“Nonsense, child! Of course I'm going to pay you. Here!” she said, and waved it out for me to take.

132

“No, really. I …I don't want it.”

133

She wedged it in the pocket of my jeans and said, “What?

utter

?nonsense. Now go! Go buy yourself a rooster!” then hurried back up her walkway.

utter /??t?r/ adj.?徹底的

134

“Mrs. Stueby… Mrs. Stueby?” I called after her. “I don't want a rooster… !” but she was gone.

135

All the way to school Mrs. Stueby's money was burning a hole in my pocket and another in my brain. How much was it?

136

When I got to school, I parked my bike, then?

broke down

?and looked.

break down?分解

137

Ten, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen.

138

I folded the bills together and?

slid

?them back into my pocket.

slide /sla?d/ vt. & vi. (使)快捷而悄聲地移動

139

Was it more than Shelly had?

140

All through first period I was furious with myself for even thinking it.

141

All through second period I kept my eyes off of Bryce, but oh! It was so hard!

142

I'd never seen him in a tie and?

cuff links

?before!

cuff links?袖扣

143

Then?

at break

?I was at my?

locker

?when Shelly Stalls appeared out of nowhere.

at break?課間休息時

locker /?lɑ?k?r/ n.?寄物柜

144

She got right next to me and said, “I hear you're planning to bid on him.”

145

“What?” I took a step back. “Who told you that? I am not!”

146

“Someone said they saw you with?

a whole wad of

?cash this morning. How much do you have?”

a wad of?一捆

147

“It's … it's none of your business. And I'm not bidding, okay? I …I don't even like him anymore.”

148

She laughed, “Oh,?

that'll be the day

!”

that will be the day?有這么一天就好了

149

“It's true.” I slammed my locker closed. “Go ahead and waste your money on him. I don't care.”

150

I left her there with her mouth open, which felt even better than getting her in a headlock.

151

That feeling carried me?

clear

?through to eleven o'clock, when the entire student body?

assembled

?in the gymnasium.

clear /kl?r/ adv. [美]?一直

assemble /??sembl/ vt.?聚集

152

I was not going to bid on Bryce Loski. No way!

153

Then the basket boys came out on the stage.

154

Bryce looked so adorable holding a picnic basket with red-and-white-

checked

?napkins?

peeking

?out from either side,

checked /t??kt/ adj.?格子花紋的

peek /pi?k/ v.?探出

155

and the thought of Shelly Stalls flipping one of those napkins into her lap nearly made the bills in my pocket?

burst into flames

.

burst into flames?燃燒起來

156

Darla came up behind me and whispered, “

Rumor

?is you've got a wad of cash. Is that true?”

rumor /?rum?/ n.?傳聞

157

“What? No! I mean, yes, but I … I'm not bidding.”

158

“Oooo, girl, look at you. You feelin' all right?”

159

I wasn't.

160

I felt sick to my stomach and shaky in the knees. “I'm fine,” I told her. “Fine.”

161

She looked from me to the stage and back to me. “You got nothin' to lose but your?

self-respect

.”

self-respect /?s?lfr??sp?kt/ n.?自尊

162

“Stop it!” I whispered at her fiercely.

163

It felt like I was having a?

panic attack

.

panic attack?驚恐癥

164

I couldn't breathe. I felt?

light-headed

?and?

wobbly

?— like I wasn't in control of my own body.

light-headed /'lait'hedid/ adj.?頭暈的

wobbly /'wɑbli/ adj.?搖搖晃晃的

165

Darla said, “Maybe you should sit down.”

166

“I'm fine, Darla, I'm fine.”

167

She frowned at me. “I think I'll?

stick around

?to?

make sure

.”

stick around?停留

make sure?確保

168

The Booster Club president, Mrs. McClure, had been fluttering around the basket boys,?

fixing

?ties and giving them last-minute?

instructions

,

fix /f?ks/ v.?校正

instruction /?n?str?k?n/ n.?指示

169

but now suddenly she was slamming her?

gavel

?on the?

podium

, calling into the microphone, “If you'll all?

settle down

, we're ready to begin.”

gavel /?ɡ?vl/ n. (拍賣商、會議主席或法官用的)小木槌

podium /?po?di?m/ n.?講臺

settle down?安定下來

170

I'd never seen six hundred kids quiet down so fast.

171

I guess Mrs. McClure hadn't either, because she smiled and said, “

Why

, thank you. Thank you very much.”

why /wa?/ int.?哎呀

172

Then she said,

173

“And welcome to the fifty-second?

annual

?Basket Boy Auction! I know that your teachers have?

gone over

?the?

procedures

?with you in?

homeroom

, but I've been?

asked

?to remind you of a few things:

annual /??nju?l/ adj.?年度的

go over?復(fù)習(xí)

procedure /pr??si?d??r/ n.?步驟

homeroom /'homrum/ n.?學(xué)生接受指導(dǎo)的教室

ask /?sk/ vt.?需要

174

This is a civilized?

proceeding

. No?

whistling

,?

catcalls

, or other?

degrading

?behavior will be tolerated. If you wish to?

place a bid

, you must raise your hand high.

proceeding /pr?'sid??/ n.?進程

whistling /'hw?sl??/ n.?吹口哨

catcall /'k?tk?l/ n.?噓聲

degrading /d?'ɡred??/ adj.?有辱人格的

place a bid?出價

175

Bidding without raising your hand is?

prohibited

, and should you decide to be a funny guy, you will be caught and?

detained

?or?

suspended

. Are we all clear on that? Good.”

prohibit /pr??h?b?t/ vt.?禁止

detain /d??te?n/ vt.?扣留

suspend /s??spend/ vt.?使暫停

176

She looked from one side of the gym to the other. “Teachers, I see that you are?

in position

.”

in position n.?就位

177

Six hundred heads turned slowly from side to side, looking at the?

blockade

?of teachers on either side of the gym.

blockade /blɑ??ke?d/ n.?封鎖

178

“Man,” Darla whispered, “they're not leaving much room for fun, are they?”

179

Mrs. McClure continued, “Minimum bid is ten dollars, and of course,?

the sky's the limit

, but we don't accept?

IOUs

.”

the sky's the limit?沒有限制

IOU?欠條

180

She pointed to her right.

181

“Winning bidders should go directly to the table at the north door when I?

declare

?the basket to be sold.

declare /d??kler/ vt.?宣布

182

And as you're aware, winners and their basket boys have the rest of the school day off and are?

exempt

?from tonight's homework in all classes.”

exempt /?ɡ?zempt/ vt.?免除

183

She smiled out at the blockade. “Teachers, we appreciate your support on this.”

184

“All right, then!” She put on her?

reading glasses

?and looked at a three-by-five card.

reading glasses?老花鏡

185

“Our first basket has been brought by Jeffrey Bisho.”

186

She looked over her glasses at him and said, “Come on up, Jeffrey. Don't be shy!”

187

He?

inched

?forward as she continued.

inch /?nt?/ vt.?使緩慢地移動

188

“Jeffrey has brought a?

scrumptious

?lunch?

consisting

?of chicken salad sandwiches,?

oriental

?noodles,?

baby

?

grapes

, iced tea, and?

fortune cookies

.”

scrumptious /?skr?mp??s/ adj. [口]?美味的

consist /k?n?s?st/ v.?由......組成

oriental /?or?'?nt?l/ adj.?東方人的

baby /'bebi/ adj.?小型的

grape /ɡre?p/ n.?葡萄

fortune cookie?福餅

189

She smiled at him?

over

?her glasses.

over /'ov?/ prep.?通過

190

“Sounds delicious, and sounds like fun! Which,” she said, looking back at the crowd,

191

“Jeffrey is! He enjoys?

skateboarding

,?

skiing

, and swimming, but ladies, he also enjoys a day in the park and watching Humphrey Bogart movies.”

skateboard /'sket'b?rd/ vi.?用滑板滑行

ski /ski?/ vi.?滑雪

192

She turned to him and grinned. “They are a?

kick

, aren't they?”

kick /k?k/ n.?極大的樂趣

193

Poor Jeff tried to smile, but you could tell — he wanted to die.

194

“All right, then,” said Mrs. McClure as she?

whipped

?off her glasses. “Do I hear ten?”

whip /w?p/ v.?快速拿走

195

Not only did she hear ten, she heard twelve, fifteen, twenty, and twenty-five, too!

196

“Going … going … gone!” cried Mrs. McClure. “To the young lady in the purple?

tunic

!”

tunic /'t?n?k/ n.?束腰外衣

197

“Who is that?” I asked Darla.

198

“I think her name's Tiffany,” she said. “She's a seventh grader.”

199

“Really? Wow. I would never have bid last year! And I …I don't remember bids going up that high, either.”

200

Darla eyed me. “Which tells me that maybe you would bid this year? How much you got?”

201

I looked at her and almost?

dissolved

?right on the spot.

dissolve /d??zɑ?lv/ vi.?溶解

202

“Darla, I didn't bring money on purpose! My neighbor made me take it on the way to school because she owed it to me for eggs and—”

203

“For eggs? Oh, like Bryce was talking about in the library?”

204

“Exactly, and—” I looked at her looking at me and stopped cold.

205

“How can you even think about bidding on that boy?”

206

“I don't want to! But I've liked him for so long. Darla, I've liked him since I was seven.

207

And even though I know he's a coward and a?

sneak

?and I should never speak to him again,

sneak /sni?k/ n.?鬼鬼祟祟的人

have trouble v.?在......有困難

208

I'm?

having trouble

?focusing on that. Especially since Shelly Stalls is after him. And now I've got this money burning a hole in my pocket!”

209

“Well, I can understand the bit about Shelly Stalls, but if you know that boy's just a big piece of fluffy?

cheesecake

?that you're gonna?

regret

?eating, I can help you with your diet.”

cheesecake /'t?izkek/ n.?奶酪蛋糕

regret /r??ɡret/ vt.?后悔

210

She put out her hand. “Give me the money. I'll hold it for you.”

211

“No!”

212

“No?”

213

“I mean…I can handle this. I've got to handle it.”

214

She shook her head. “Oh, girl. I'm hurting for you here.”

215

I looked back at the stage.

216

The auction was happening so fast!

217

They'd be at Bryce in no time.

218

As the bidding continued, the battle in my head got louder and fiercer. What was I going to do?

219

Then suddenly the gym fell quiet. You could have heard a?

pin

?drop.

pin /p?n/ n.?針

220

And standing next to Mrs. McClure looking completely?

mortified

?was Jon Trulock.

mortify /?m??rt?fa?/ vt.?使難堪

221

Mrs. McClure was?

scouring

?the crowd with her eyes, looking very uncomfortable, too.

scour /?ska??r/ vt.?走遍(某地)搜尋(人或物)

222

“What happened?” I whispered to Darla.

223

“No one's bidding,” she whispered back.

224

“Do I hear ten?” called Mrs. McClure.

225

“Come on, out there! This lunch is delicious. Strawberry?

tarts

,?

roast

?beef and Muenster cheese sandwiches …”

tart /tɑ?rt/ n.?果餡餅

roast /ro?st/ adj.?烤制的

226

“Oh, no!” I whispered to Darla. “I can't believe I did this to him!”

227

“You? What did you do?”

228

“I voted for him!”

229

“Well, you couldn't have been the only one….”

230

“But why isn't anyone bidding on him? He's … he's so nice.”

231

Darla nodded. “Exactly.”

232

That's when I realized what I had to do.

233

My hand shot into the air and I called, “Ten!”

234

“Ten?”?

warbled

?Mrs. McClure. “Did I hear ten?”

warble /'w?rbl/ vt.?用柔和的顫聲唱

235

I put my hand up higher and said to Darla, “Say twelve.”

236

“What?”

237

“Say twelve, I'll outbid you.”

238

“No way!”

239

“Darla! He can't go for ten, c'mon!”

240

“Twelve!” Darla called, but her hand didn't go up very high.

241

“Fifteen!” I cried.

242

“Sixteen!” called Darla, and eyed me with a laugh.

243

I whispered, “Darla! I've only got fifteen.”

244

Her eyes got enormous.

245

I laughed and called, “Eighteen!” then held her arm down and said, “But that really is all I've got.”

246

There was a moment of silence and then, “Eighteen going once! Eighteen going twice … Sold! for eighteen dollars.”

247

Darla laughed and said, “Whoa, girl!?

What a rush

!”

what a rush?感覺真棒

248

I nodded. “Yes, it was!”

249

“Well, no?

dessert

?for you. Looks like you got cleaned out by something a little more …uh…?

nutritious

.”

dessert /d??z??rt/ n.?餐后甜點

nutritious /nu?tr???s/ adj.?有營養(yǎng)的

250

She nodded toward the stage.

251

“You?

gonna

?go up to the table like you're supposed to? Or you gonna stick around and see the?

carnage

?”

gonna /'ɡ?n?/ abbr.?（美）將要（等于going to）

carnage /?kɑ?rn?d?/ n.?大屠殺

252

I almost didn't have a choice.

253

Before Mrs. McClure could say two words about Bryce or his basket, Shelly called, “Ten!”

254

Then from the middle of the gym came “Twenty!” It was Miranda Humes, with her hand way in the air.

255

They went back and forth, back and forth, higher and higher, until Shelly called, “Sixty-two!”

256

“I can't believe it,” I whispered to Darla. “Sixty-two dollars! C'mon, Miranda, come on.”

257

“I think she's out. Shelly's got it.”

258

“Sixty-two dollars going once!” cried Mrs. McClure, but before she could say, Going twice! a voice from the back of the gym called, “A hundred!”

259

Everyone gasped and turned around to see who had called the bid.

260

Darla whispered, “It's Jenny.”

261

“Atkinson?” I asked.

262

Darla pointed. “Right over there.”

263

She was easy to spot, standing tall above the others in the number-seven basketball?

jersey

?she almost always wore.

jersey /'d??zi/ n.?運動衫

264

“Wow,” I whispered, “I had?

no idea

.”

no idea?不知道

265

“Maybe she'll?

slam-dunk

?him for you,” Darla said with a grin.

slam-dunk v.?扣籃

266

“Who cares?” I giggled. “She slam-dunked Shelly!”

267

Mrs. McClure was?

gushing

?into the microphone about the record-breaking bid when a big commotion broke out over by Miranda.

gush /ɡ??/ vi.?滔滔不絕地說話

268

I spotted Shelly's hair, and my first thought was that there was going to be a fight.

269

But instead, Shelly and Miranda turned to face Mrs. McClure and called, “One-twenty-two fifty!”

270

I?

choked down

?a cry. “What?”

choke down?強咽下去

271

“They're teamin' up,” Darla whispered.

272

“Oh, no-no-no!” I looked over Jenny's way. “Come on, Jenny!”

273

Darla shook her head and said, “She's through,” and she was.

274

Bryce went to Shelly and Miranda for one hundred twenty-two dollars and fifty cents.

275

It was a little strange, meeting up with Jon and walking over to the multi-purpose room for lunch.

276

But he was just so nice, and I think?

grateful

?that I'd bid, that?

by

?the time we got?

situated

?at our table, I wasn't feeling so?

awkward

?or?

silly

.

grateful /?ɡre?tfl/ adj.?感謝的

by /ba?/ prep. (表示時間)在...時候

situate /?s?t?ue?t/ vt.?使位于

awkward /???kw?rd/ adj.?尷尬的

silly /'s?li/ adj.?蠢的

277

It was just lunch.

278

Things would have been easier if they hadn't seated me in direct view of Bryce and his little?

harem

, but I did my best to ignore them.

harem /'h?r?m/ n.?閨房里的妻妾群

279

Jon told me all about this?

radio-controlled

?airplane that he and his dad were building?

from scratch

,

radio-controlled adj.?無線電操縱的

from scratch?從零開始

280

and how he'd been working on it for nearly three months, and that?

over

?the weekend they were finally going to get to try it out.

over /'ov?/ prep.?在......期間

281

He told me a funny story about?

soldering

?the wires?

wrong

?and practically starting a fire in their basement,

solder /?sɑ?d?r/ vt. & vi. (使)焊接

wrong /r??/ adv.?錯誤地

282

and I asked him about how a radio-controlled airplane works because I didn't really understand it.

283

So I'd relaxed a lot and was actually having a good time eating lunch with Jon.

284

And I was so?

relieved

?that I hadn't bid on Bryce.

relieved /r??li?vd/ adj.?寬慰的

285

What a fool I would have?

made of

?myself!

make of?由...組成

286

Watching Shelly and Miranda?

fawning

?all over him didn't bother me nearly as much as I thought it would.

fawn /f?n/ vi.?奉承

287

Really, they looked ridiculous.

288

Jon asked about my family, so I was telling him about my brothers and their band when a huge commotion broke out over at Bryce's table.

289

Suddenly Shelly and Miranda were rolling on the floor like an enormous?

furball

,?

smearing

?each other with food.

furball n.?毛球

smear /sm?r/ vt.?弄臟

290

Out of nowhere Bryce appeared at our table.

291

He grabbed my hand, pulled me a few feet away, and whispered, “Do you like him?”

292

I was?

stunned

.

stun /st?n/ vt.?使大吃一驚

293

He held my other hand and asked again, “Do you like him?”

294

“You mean Jon?”

295

“Yes!”

296

I can't remember what I said.

297

He was looking into my eyes, holding my hands tight, and then he began pulling me toward him.

298

My heart was racing and his eyes were closing and his face was coming toward mine…...Right there, in front of all the other basket boys and their dates and the adults, he was going to kiss me.

299

To kiss me.

300

I?

panicked

.

panic /?p?n?k/ vi.?十分驚慌

301

I'd been waiting all my life for that kiss, and now?

302

I yanked free and ran back to my table, and when I sat down Jon whispered, “Did he just try to kiss you?”

303

I turned my chair away from Bryce and whispered, “Can we please talk about something else? Anything else?”

304

People were whispering and looking my way, and when Shelly Stalls came back from cleaning up in the washroom, everyone fell quiet.

305

Her hair looked awful.

306

It was sort of?

oiled

?to her scalp and still had little?

chunks

?of food in it.

oiled /??ld/ adj.?涂油的

chunk /t???k/ n.?大塊

307

She glared at me so hard it looked like she was trying to get?

laser beams

?to shoot from her eyes.

laser beam n.?激光束

308

A couple of adults?

steered

?her back to her seat, and then everyone started whispering double-speed. And Bryce didn't even seem to care!

steer /st?r/ vt. & vi.?控制

309

He kept trying to come over and talk to me, but either he'd get?

intercepted

?by a teacher or I'd dash away from him before he had a chance to say anything.

intercept /??nt?r?sept/ vt.?截住

310

When the dismissal bell finally rang, I said a quick goodbye to Jon and?

bolted

?out the door.

bolt /bo?lt/ vi.?沖出

311

I couldn't reach my bike fast enough!

312

I was the first one off campus, and I?

pedaled

?home so hard it felt as though my lungs would burst.

pedal /?pedl/ vi.?踩踏板

313

Mrs. Stueby was out front watering her flower bed and she tried to say something to me, but I just dropped my bike in the driveway and escaped into the house.

314

I certainly didn't want to talk about roosters!

315

My mother heard me slamming doors and came to check on me in my room. “Julianna! What's wrong?”

316

I flipped over on my bed to face her and wailed, “I am so confused! I don't know what to think or feel or do…!”

317

She sat down beside me on the bed and?

stroked

?my hair. “Tell me what happened, sweetheart.”

stroke /stro?k/ vt.?撫摸

318

I hesitated, then threw my hands up in the air. “He tried to kiss me!”

319

My mother?

struggled

?not to let it show, but underneath her?

composed

?expression was a growing smile.

struggle /?str?ɡl/ vi.?努力

composed /k?m?po?zd/ adj.?平靜的

320

She leaned in a little and asked, “Who did?”

321

“Bryce!”

322

She hesitated. “But you've always liked him….”

323

The doorbell rang. And rang again.

324

My mom started to get up, but I grabbed her arm and said, “Don't get that!”

325

The bell rang again, and almost right after that there was a loud knocking at the door.

326

“Mom, please! Don't get it. That's probably him!”

327

“But sweetheart …”

328

“I was over him! Completely over him!”

329

“Since when?”

330

“Since last Friday. After the dinner. If he had vanished from the face of the earth after our dinner at the Loskis', I wouldn't have cared!”

331

“Why? Did something happen at the dinner that I don't know about?”

332

I threw myself back onto my pillow and said, “It's too?

complicated

, Mom! I …I just can't talk about it.”

complicated /?kɑ?mpl?ke?t?d/ adj.?結(jié)構(gòu)復(fù)雜的

333

“My,” she said after a moment. “Don't you sound like a teenager.”

334

“I'm sorry,” I?

whimpered

, because I knew I was hurting her?

feelings

.

whimper /?w?mp?r/ vi.?嗚咽

feeling /'fil??/ n.?感情

335

I sat up and said,

336

“Mom, all those years I liked him? I never really knew him. All I knew was that he had the most beautiful eyes I'd ever seen and that his smile melted my heart like the sun melts butter.

337

But now I know that inside he's a coward and a sneak, so I've got to?

get over

?what he's like on the outside!”

get over?克服

338

My mother leaned back and?

crossed

?her arms. “Well,” she said. “Isn't this something.”

cross /kr?s/ vt.?使相交

339

“What do you mean?”

340

She chewed the side of one cheek, then moved over to chew the other.

341

At last she said, “I shouldn't really discuss it.”

342

“Why not?”

343

“Because …I just shouldn't. Besides, I can tell there are things you don't feel comfortable discussing with me….”

344

We stared at each other a moment, neither of us saying a word.

345

Finally I looked down and whispered,?

346

“When Chet and I were fixing up the yard, I told him how we didn't own the house and about Uncle David.

347

He must have told the rest of the family, because the day before the Loskis' dinner party I overheard Bryce and his friend?

making cracks about

?Uncle David at school.

make cracks about?諷刺某人

348

I was furious, but I didn't want you to know because you'd think they were only inviting us over because they felt sorry for us.”

349

I looked at her and said, “You just seemed so happy about being invited for dinner.”

350

Then I realized something. “And you know, you've seemed happier ever since.”

351

She held my hand and smiled. “I have a lot to be happy about.”

352

Then she sighed and said, “And I already knew they knew about Uncle David. It was fine that you talked about him. He's not a secret or anything.”

353

I sat up a little. “Wait … how did you know?”

354

“Patsy told me.”

355

I blinked at her. “She did? Before the dinner?”

356

“No, no. After.”

357

She hesitated, then said, “Patsy's been over several times this week. She's … she's going through a very?

rough

time.”

rough /r?f/ adj.?艱難的

358

“

How come

?”

how come?怎么會......(那樣)

359

Mom let out a deep breath and said, “I think you're mature enough to keep this inside these four walls, and I'm only telling you because … because I think it's?

relevant

.”

relevant /?rel?v?nt/ adj.?有關(guān)的

360

I held my breath and waited.

361

“Patsy and Rick have been having?

ferocious

?

fights

?lately.”

ferocious /f??ro???s/ adj.?兇猛的

fight /fa?t/ n.?吵架

362

“Mr. and Mrs. Loski? What about?”

363

Mom sighed. “About everything, it seems.”

364

“I don't understand.”

365

Very quietly my mother said, “For the first time in her life, Patsy is seeing her husband for what he is. It's twenty years and two children late, but that's what she's doing.”

366

She gave me a sad smile. “Patsy seems to be going through the same thing you are.”

367

The phone rang and Mom said, “Let me get that, okay? Your dad said he'd call if he was working overtime, and that's probably him.”

368

While she was gone, I remembered what Chet had said about someone he knew who had never learned to look beneath the surface.

369

Had he been talking about his own daughter? And how could this happen to her after twenty years of marriage?

370

When my mother came back, I absently asked, “Is Dad working late?”

371

“That wasn't Dad, sweetheart. It was Bryce.”

372

I sat straight up. “Now he's calling? I have lived across the street from him for six years and he's never once called me! Is he doing this because he's?

jealous

?”

jealous /?d?el?s/ adj.?嫉妒的

373

“Jealous? Of whom?”

374

So I gave her the blow-by-blow, beginning with Mrs. Stueby, going clear through Darla, the auction, the furball fight, and ending with Bryce trying to kiss me in front of everybody.

375

She clapped her hands and positively giggled.

376

“Mom, it's not funny!”

377

She tried to straighten up. “I know, sweetheart, I know.”

378

“I don't want to wind up like Mrs. Loski!”

379

“You don't have to marry the boy, Julianna. Why don't you just listen to what he has to say? He sounded?

desperate

?to talk to you.”

desperate /?desp?r?t/ adj.?不顧一切的

380

“What could he possibly have to say?

381

He's already tried to blame Garrett for what he said about Uncle David, and I'm sorry, but I don't buy it.

382

He's lied to me, he hasn't stood up for me … he's … he's nobody that I want to like.

383

I just need some time to get over all those years of having liked him.”

384

Mom sat there for the longest time, biting her cheek.

385

Then she said,

386

“People do change, you know. Maybe he's had some?

revelations

?lately, too. And frankly, any boy who tries to kiss a girl in front of a room full of other kids does not sound like a coward to me.”

revelation /?rev??le??n/ n. (上帝的)啟示

387

She stroked my hair and whispered, “Maybe there's more to Bryce Loski than you know.”

388

Then she left me alone with my thoughts.

389

My mother knew I needed time to think, but Bryce wouldn't leave me alone.

390

He kept calling on the phone and knocking on the door.

391

He even snuck around the house and tapped on my window!

392

Every time I turned around, there he was,?

pestering

?me.

pester /?pest?r/ vt.?使煩惱

393

I wanted to be able to water the yard in peace.

394

I wanted not to have to avoid him at school or have Darla run block for me.

395

Why didn't he understand that I wasn't interested in what he had to say?

396

What could he possibly have to say?

397

Was it so much to ask just to be left alone?

398

Then this afternoon I was reading a book in the front room with the curtains drawn, hiding from him as I had all week, when I heard a noise in the yard.

399

I peeked outside and there was Bryce, walking across my grass.?

Stomping

?all over my grass! And he was carrying a?

spade

!

stomp /stɑmp/ vt.?踐踏

spade /spe?d/ n.?鐵鍬

400

What was he planning to do with that?

401

I flew off the couch and yanked open the door and ran right into my father.

402

“Stop him!” I cried.

403

“Calm down, Julianna,” he said, and?

eased

?me back inside. “I gave him?

permission

.”

ease /i?z/ vt.?使安心

permission /p?r?m??n/ n.?準(zhǔn)許

404

“Permission! Permission to do what?” I flew back to the window. “He's digging a hole.”

405

“That's right. I told him he could.”

406

“But why?”

407

“I think the boy has a very good idea, that's why.”

408

“But—”

409

“It's not going to kill your grass, Julianna. Just let him do what he's come to do.”

410

“But what is it? What's he doing?”

411

“Watch. You'll figure it out.”

412

It was torture seeing him dig up my grass.

413

The hole he was making was enormous!

414

How could my father let him do this to my yard?

415

Bryce knew I was there, too, because he looked at me once and nodded.

416

No smile, no wave, just a nod.

417

He dragged over some?

potting

?

soil

,?

pierced

?the bag with the spade, and shoveled dirt into the hole.

potting /'pɑt??/ n.?盆栽

soil /s??l/ n.?土壤

pierce /p?rs/ vt. & vi.?刺入

418

Then he disappeared.

419

And when he came back, he wrestled a big?

burlapped

?

root ball

?across the lawn, the branches of a plant rustling back and forth as he moved.

burlap /'b?l?p/ n.?麻袋

root ball?根團

420

My dad joined me on the couch and peeked out the window, too.

421

“A tree?” I whispered. “He's planting a tree?”

422

“I'd help him, but he says he has to do this himself.”

423

“Is it a …” The words stuck in my throat.

424

I didn't really need to ask, though, and he knew he didn't need to answer.

425

I could tell from the shape of the leaves, from the?

texture

?of the trunk.

texture /?tekst??r/ n.?質(zhì)地

426

This was a sycamore tree.

427

I flipped around on the couch and just sat.

428

A sycamore tree.

429

Bryce finished planting the tree, watered it, cleaned everything up, and then went home.

430

And I just sat there, not knowing what to do.

431

I've been sitting here for hours now, just staring out the window at the tree.

432

It may be little now, but it'll grow, day by day.

433

And a hundred years from now it'll reach clear over the rooftops. It'll be miles in the air!

434

Already I can tell — it's going to be an amazing, magnificent tree.

435

And I can't help wondering, a hundred years from now will a kid climb it the way I climbed the one up on Collier Street?

436

Will she see the things I did??

437

Will she feel the way I did?

438

Will it change her life the way it changed mine?

439

I also can't stop wondering about Bryce.

440

What has he been trying to tell me?

441

What's he thinking about?

442

I know he's home because he looks out his window from time to time.

443

A little while ago he put his hand up and waved. And I couldn't help it — I gave a little wave back.

444

So maybe I should go over there and thank him for the tree. Maybe we could sit on the porch and talk.

445

It just occurred to me that in all the years we've known each other, we've never done that.

446

Never really talked.

447

Maybe my mother's right.

448

Maybe there is more to Bryce Loski than I know.

449

Maybe it's time to meet him in the proper light.

450