Chapter 19

Chapter 19 Megan Moriarty alliteration (n) when the same letter or sound occurs at the beginning of words that are next to each other or nearby Evan took a step back from Jessie and Megan and drove his hands into the pockets of his coat. "Well, that was just not nice. I mean, I don't care, but if you're going to write personal messages to everyone in the class, then you shouldn't leave one person out." Megan shook her head in disgust. "I didn't, you dumb jerk." "Yes, you did!" Evan was really angry now. His hearts were just store bought while everyone else's were made especially for them. He couldn't even show them to anyone! He'd had to

hide them away or throw them in the trash. And it was Megan who had done such a mean thing? He had thought they were friends. He had liked her. Like-liked her. Megan wasn't crying now. She looked like she was going to punch him in the nose. "Those messages were just for you. You were the only one who got them. They were the most special of all." Evan stopped. What was she saying? He thought back to the three boxes of candy hearts he'd received. FOR YOU. BE MINE. I YOU. Suddenly, Evan's stomach dropped down to his ankles. "Oh," was all he said. Then he crossed his arms and stared off at his friends playing soccer. "What's going on?" Jessie looked first at Megan and then at Evan. "Why are you both so mad at each other? I thought you liked each other!" "I guess not," said Megan sharply. "Well," said Evan. But he couldn't think of a

thing to say. It was as if every word in his brain had packed up and headed south to Florida for the winter. "Show her the poem," said Jessie, reaching into her grocery bag. Evan lunged for the bag and ripped it out of Jessie's hands so that she was left holding a single paper handle. "Hey! You can't do that!" she shouted, waving the torn handle, but Evan had already pulled out one of the newspapers and stuffed the grocery bag under his arm. He turned his back on the two girls and scanned the front page. There it was. Out in the open. For everyone to see. His poem. His love poem to Megan Moriarty.