o get me to e up there with her； too。 “Bryce； e on！ You won't believe the
colors！ It's absolutely magnificent！ Bryce； you've got to
e up here！”
Yeah； I could just hear it： “Bryce and Juli sitting in a tree…” Was I ever going to leave the
second grade behind？
One morning I was specifically not looking up when out of nowhere she swings down from a
branch and practically knocks me over。 Heart attack！
I dropped my backpack and wrenched my neck； and that did it。 I refused to wait under that
tree with that maniac monkey on the loose
anymore。 I started leaving the house at the very last minute。 I made up my own waiting spot；
and when I'd see the bus pull up； I'd truck up the hill and
get on board。
No Juli； no problem。
And that； my friend； took care of the rest of seventh grade and almost all of eighth； too； until
one day a few months ago。 That's when I heard a
motion up the hill and could see some big trucks parked up on Collier Street where the
bus pulls in。 There were some men shouting stuff up at
Juli； who was； of course； five stories up in the tree。
All the other kids started to gather under the tree； too； and I could hear them telling her she
had to e down。 She was fine — that was obvious
to anyone with a pair of ears — but I couldn't figure out what they were all arguing about。
I trucked up the hill； and as I got closer and saw what