Transcription
It all began in the summer of 1957, before the start of second grade. For me, it was the beginning of what would be more than half a decade of strategic avoidance and social discomfort. All I ever wanted was for Juli Baker to leave me alone.
The first day I met Bryce Loski, I flipped. "I think the tree looks particularly beautiful in this light, don't you?" "Well, if by beautiful you mean unbelievably ugly, then yes, I would agree!" "You're just visually challenged. I feel sorry for you."
"You guys, come up here with me! They won't cut it down if we're all up here!" Juli was frantic. They wanted to cut down her tree. I couldn't understand why that mutant tangle of gnarly branches meant so much to her.
"Bryce, please!" I felt bad for her, but I wasn't about to cut school over it.
"Hi Bryce. I brought these over for you and your family." "Well, I think it's very sweet of Juli to bring us those eggs." "I'm not eating them." "Why not? Have- have you seen their yard? It's- there's not even any grass, it's all mud and- and chicken turds." "Eww, gross! Salmonella!" "Tell her we don't eat eggs." "Uhh, were allergic to them or something." I didn't want to hurt her feelings.
"Hey Juli, right on schedule. Well, um, I better get ready for school. Guess I'll see you there." "Juli?! Are those my eggs?" "Yeah, I dropped them." "They're not broken. Why are you throwing them away?" "Dad didn't think it was worth the risk." "Risk? What risk?" "Salmonella."
"Well, Juli, I mean, look at your back yard. It's a complete mess, it's like covered in turds." "That's not true, I clean up after my girls everyday." "How could you?" "I'm sorry." "No, you're not." "I'm- I'm sorry for what I did. It was dumb, and I shouldn't have said anything about your yard either. It wasn't right." "Thanks. I guess I'll see you around." "I guess so."
"Juli Baker?!?" "You hate her?" "Well, that's what's so weird. I don't think I do. I can't stop thinking about her."
"Bryce Loski likes you." "What?" "I liked Juli Baker." And here I was, having lunch with the hottest girl in school. And I was miserable, because less than 20 feet away from me was Juli, my Juli, with Eddie Trulock. She's laughing. What was she laughing about? How could she sit there and laugh and look so beautiful?
"Hey, what's he doing?!?" "Juli, calm down. I gave him permission." "He's gone." "A tree? He's planting a tree?"
When she walked out of the door, I thought back to the first time I saw her. How could anybody, ever, have wanted to run away from Juli Baker?