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           ButjusthopingthathemightgavemethefirsttwingeofenthusiasmI’dfeltfortheouting.

           "Whereareyouallgoing,exactly?"Hewasstilllookingahead,expressionless.

           "DowntoLaPush,toFirstBeach."Istudiedhisface,tryingtoreadit.Hiseyesseemedtonarrowinfinitesimally.

           Heglanceddownatmefromthecornerofhiseye,smilingwryly."Ireallydon’tthinkIwasinvited."

           Isighed."Ijustinvitedyou."

           "Let’syouandInotpushpoorMikeanyfurtherthisweek.Wedon’twanthimtosnap."Hiseyesdanced;hewasenjoyingtheideamorethanheshould.

           "Mike-schmike."Imuttered,preoccupiedbythewayhe’dsaid"youandI."IlikeditmorethanIshould.

           Wewereneartheparkinglotnow.Iveeredleft,towardmytruck.Somethingcaughtmyjacket,yankingmeback.

           "Wheredoyouthinkyou’regoing?"heasked,outraged.Hewasgrippingafistfulofmyjacketinonehand.

           Iwasconfused."I’mgoinghome."

           "Didn’tyouhearmepromisetotakeyousafelyhome?DoyouthinkI’mgoingtoletyoudriveinyourcondition?"Hisvoicewasstillindignant.

           "Whatcondition?Andwhataboutmytruck?"Icomplained.

           "I’llhaveAlicedropitoffafterschool."Hewastowingmetowardhiscarnow,pullingmebymyjacket.ItwasallIcoulddotokeepfromfallingbackward.He’dprobablyjustdragmealonganywayifIdid.

           "Letgo!"Iinsisted.Heignoredme.IstaggeredalongsidewaysacrossthewetsidewalkuntilwereachedtheVolvo.Thenhefinallyfreedme-Istumbledagainstthepassengerdoor.

           "Youaresopushy!"Igrumbled.