I made my way back, passing Ashley, who sat
alone looking as if she wanted to ask me to sit with
her. Bernie glanced up at me and then looked at the
textbook he had opened. I sat across from him and
gazed out the window.
"Your friend Helga's been saying things about
us," I heard him say, and turned.
"What did you say?"
"Some of the guys in my gym class were saying
things about us," he told me.
"First, she's not my friend. I met her for the first
time when I met you. And second, I don't think I
could be friends with her. She's not very nice," He didn't move his lips, but his eyes smiled. "I wondered how you could be friends with
her," he said, and then looked at his book again. We rode in silence all the way back to our
neighborhood. My stop was before his. I said goodbye, and he nodded and looked at his book again.
Helga had already gotten off. She was waiting for me
on the sidewalk.
"I'm not trying to be mean," she said. "I was
just teasing you. I'd really like to be friends." "Why?" I asked her.
"Why?"
"Yes, why do you want to be friends with me?" "I don't know. Why does anyone become
friends with anyone?" she replied.
"Usually because they have something in
common, they like the same things, they want to do
the same things," I said.
"So?"
"So when you think of something you and I
might like to do together, let me know," I said, and walked away. Maybe I was being unforgiving; maybe I just didn't trust her. Whatever the reason, it felt
good.
I heard the television set when I entered the