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"I know that"

"It’s not what he said It’s that he was stone-cold sober, and he insulted the one person he’d found out I care about A couple of weeks ago when you came to the Crab Lab with Aidan, ured out you hy He told my dad about it My dad went out of his way to make a comment, not to insult you, but to hurt me People who love each other don’t do that"

"So you’re not going to live with someone who doesn’t love you," I said slowly "Maybe that’s too much to expect Maybe you move back in with him until May because you need a place to live and he’s your father As for the reste"

He looked out theonto the busy street, considering Candlelight flickered across his face, glinting in the blond stubble on his chin I wondered how old ould both grow before we got along with our parents and won the chance to date like everybody else

"You need a roof over your head," I said, "and you need to eat You can’t do well at school or at hile you’re worried about those basics If you’re deter care of yourself first"

"That’s exactly what Ms Malone toldacross the table, and capturing my lips with his As he sat back down, he promised me, "I’ll think about it"

14

THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON, JUST AS I was sitting my royal ass down on my crepe-paper throne in preparation for the parade, Sawyer came around the corner of the school dressed as the pelican When he saw erated surprise, then slapped his glove to his chest like he was having a heart attack

I knehy I’d changed ain

The ho deal in this town--because we didn’t have thatdeals So many people were in it that I was always surprised there was anyone left to watch it And the school, which forced us tohalf the student body out of last period to line up for ussie up for waving at the crowd from elaborate constructions of wood and chicken wire

That’s why Chelsea, after she’d donned her majorette leotard and pushed her tiara into place, had ti full Afro

"And the final touch" She slida dent She squinted at "