Julie always tried to stand beside me, or talk to me, or in some other way mortify me.

I liked it. I liked her. And every time I saw her, she seemed more beautiful. She just seemed to glow. I'm not talking like a hundred-watt bulb; she just had this warmth to her. Maybe it came from climbing that tree. Maybe it came from singing to chickens. Maybe it came from whacking at two-by-fours and dreaming about perpetual motion. I don't know. All I know is that compared to her, Shelly and Miranda seemed so...ordinary.

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

There's no winning arguments with your parents

If chaos is a necessary step in the organization of one's universe, then I was well on my way.

I wipe away my tears and nod, because the pain in my leg is nothing compare to the one in my heart.

I was slipping, man, and it was definetly time to get a grip.