Looming Large and Smelly (Bryce)
- Bryce is back, but he's not feeling like himself—he feels sick and nervous and… in the way people do when they're smitten with someone like, say, Juli Baker.
- After the big blow-up in the Loski house, Mrs. Loski decides that the best idea is to invite the Bakers over for a nice dinner. Bryce is nervous about this, especially because his mom doesn't know about the eggs incident yet, so he decides to come clean to her. Luckily for Bryce, Mrs. L is so happy that her son was honest that she forgives him and swears to secrecy.
- All the next week Bryce is a wreck—he just can't stop thinking about you-know-who and her pretty hair.
- When his buddy Garrett catches him looking at the newspaper picture of Juli, Bryce decides to explain the situation to his chum. So while they're in the library during social studies, he tells Garrett all about chucking Juli's eggs, getting caught, and his nasty yard comments—plus he spills the beans to Garrett about how he feels extra bad now that he knows the Bakers don't own their house so that they can take care of Juli's disabled uncle.
- Bryce hopes that talking to Garrett will make him feel better, but instead Garrett acts like a jerk—just like Bryce's dad—and makes fun of Juli and her family because of her uncle.
- Bryce gets so angry that he wants to sock Garrett in the face. But instead he pretends to agree with his so-called friend and books it out of the library.
- So now Bryce is more alone than ever. And he's found out that his dad and his best bud are, well, pretty big jerks.