Если я останусь

           "IguessweshouldtalkaboutracismintheOldSouth,orsomething."

           Kimeversoslightlyrolledhereyes,whichmademewanttothrowadictionaryather.IwascaughtoffguardbyhowintenselyIalreadyhatedher."Ireadthisbookatmyoldschool,"shesaid."Theracismthingiskindofobvious.Ithinkthebiggerthingispeople’sgoodness.Aretheynaturallygoodandturnedbadbystufflikeracismoraretheynaturallybadandneedtoworkhardnottobe?"

           "Whatever,"Isaid."It’sastupidbook."Ididn’tknowwhyI’dsaidthatbecauseI’dactuallylovedthebookandhadtalkedtoDadaboutit;hewasusingitforhisstudentteaching.IhatedKimevenmoreformakingmebetrayabookIloved.

           "Fine.We’lldoyouridea,then,"Kimsaid,andwhenwegotaBminus,sheseemedtogloataboutourmediocregrade.

           Afterthat,wejustdidn’ttalk.Thatdidn’tstopteachersfrompairingustogetheroreveryoneintheschoolfromassumingthatwewerefriends.Themorethathappened,themoreweresentedit—andeachother.Themoretheworldshovedustogether,themoreweshovedback—andagainsteachother.Wetriedtopretendtheotherdidn’texisteventhoughtheexistenceofournemeseskeptusbothoccupiedforhours.

           IfeltcompelledtogivemyselfreasonswhyIhatedKim:ShewasaGoodyTwo-shoes.Shewasannoying.Shewasashow-off.Later,Ifoundoutthatshedidthesamethingaboutme,thoughhermajorcomplaintwasthatshethoughtIwasabitch.Andoneday,sheevenwroteittome.