“Boys are two years behind girls in maturity level.”

“You think it hurts your feelings that girls talk about you behind your back, until they tell you to your face. And they each wanted a turn. Every time, it started with 'girlfriend' and ended with 'bitch.”

“Adam found a break through the thicket and up the hill. He turnedaround and extended his hand to help me up.I froze, staring at him in the thick heat, leaves tickling my legs. Boys did not help girls. Not in my experience, anyway. When I was one of the boys, they tromped aheadof me and never once looked back to see if I was still there, much less in need of assistance. Boys had helped me only recently, when they wanted something.No, this walk through the woods would not be innocent.Taking his hand, I said, “Fank woo.”“Hm,” he laughed with his mouth closed.”

“The TV said you should ignore bullies and they would stop harassing you. In practice this worked about half the time. The other half, you ended up with two tall boys shadowing you through a trailer park, their fingers taking little nips at your clothes, like dogs.”

“That's right.Forteen-year old boys have better taste than you.They think I'm hot." I licked my fingertip and stuck it on my butt. "Tsssss."And with that,I propelled myself across the slope and skidded to a stop at one end of the trick rail. "Quick," I told the boys, "act like you think I'm hot."Chloe cracked up.josh stared blankly at me.His friends blushed deep red,but they weren't claiming it."Thanks for your support," I told them. "Look without looking like your looking.Is Nick gone?”

“A boy who was such a threat to my mental health and happiness should not be so tall.”

“But you are right, being stupid is not illegal. Otherwise half this town would be behind bars.”