y　forward　or　putting　my

backpack　between　me　and　the　seat。　Nothing　helped。　She'd

just　scoot　up；　too；　or　lean　over　a　little　farther　and　sniff…sniff…sniff。

I　finally　asked　Mr。　Mertins　to　move　me；　but　he　wouldn't　do　it。　Something　about　not　wanting　to

disturb　the　delicate　balance　of　educational　energies。

Whatever。　I　was　stuck　with　her　sniffing。　And　since　I　couldn't　see　her　perfectly　penned

answers　anymore；　my　grades　took　a　dive。　Especially　in

spelling。

Then　one　time；　during　a　test；　Juli's　in　the　middle　of　sniffing　my　hair　when　she　notices　that　I've

blown　a　spelling　word。　A　lot　of　words。　Suddenly　the

sniffing　stops　and　the　whispering　starts。　At　first　I　couldn't　believe　it。　Juli　Baker　cheating？　But

sure　enough；　she　was　spelling　words　for　me；　right　in　my

ear。

Juli'd　always　been　sly　about　sniffing；　which　really　bugged　me　because　no　one　ever　noticed

her　doing　it；　but　she　was　just　as　sly　about　giving　me

answers；　which　was　okay　by　me。　The　bad　thing　about　it　was　that　I　started　counting　on　her

spelling　in　my　ear。　I　mean；　why　study　when　you　don't　have

to；　right？　But　after　a　while；　taking　all　those　answers　made　me　feel　sort　of　indebted　to　her。

How　can　you　tell　someone　to　bug　off　or　quit　sniffing　you

………　Page　7………

when　you　owe　them？　It's；　you　know；　wrong。

So　I　spent　the　sixth　grade　somewhere　between　unfortable　and　unhappy；　but　I　kept

thinkin