Wendelin van Draanen

She didn't just barge into my life. She barged and shoved and wedged her way into my life.

Does she zip on home like a kid should when they've been invited to leave? No.

But before I got up the nerve to look, she blasted right past me, grabbing my arm and yanking me along.

I was making this big windmill motion to break away from her, but somehow on the downswing my hand wound up tangling into hers.

My mom's grinning, looking at our hands and my fiery red face.

She's got no concept of personal space. No respect for privacy. The world is her playground

There's no winning arguments with your parents, so why get all pumped up over them? It is way better to dive down and get out of the way than it is to get clobbered by some parental tidal wave.

She thought I should make friends with her.

I still had enough sense at age seven and a half to know that Juli Baker was dangerous.

She was still hot on my trail every time I turned around.