I look at spiders and butterflies. I watch caterpillars and moths. Sometimes I think Im the only one who notices these things. But if it hadnt been in a crowded cafeteria， I wouldnt have ever noticed Valeri. After all， I wasnt looking for new friends.

Valeri was a new student. She walked to class with her books huddled against her chest and her head down. She talked only when the teacher asked her a question. After a month at our school， she hadnt made any friend. At recess， she sat on a bench and read. If you asked who she was， youd get a response like this， “Shes in my PE class， but I cant remember her name.”

One day at lunch， I had nowhere to sit. Most tables were full， and my friends scattered among them. But Valeri sat alone with a book in hand. I walked over to her.

“May I sit here？” I asked.

“Sure，” she said.

The cafeteria was noisy， but silence hung between us. Valeri didnt seem to mind， but it drove me crazy. I searched my mind for things to say.

So， I said， “Is that a good book？” Valeri gave me a small nod and went back to reading. “Whats it about？” I asked， after several more agonizing seconds of silence. She looked at me， her eyes sparkling.

“Well， its called Eragon， and its about a dragon！ This boy， Eragon， finds this dragon egg when he goes hunting one day. He thinks its a rock！ The egg hatches and Eragon hides the dragon from his cousin and uncle until it gets too big.”

“That sounds cool，” I said. I was about to ask her another question， but the bell rang.

As I rushed out of the cafeteria， I called to Valeri， “See you later.”

“Yeah，” she said， “See you later.” She sounded doubtful.

A couple of days later， I spotted Valeri looking for a place to sit at lunch.

“Valeri， come here.” I pointed to an empty chair.

She sat down and pulled out her book. Everyone was talking about next weeks talent show. “So， what are you going to do for the show？” My friend Erin asked my friend Kelly.

“Oh， I dont know， probably nothing，” Kelly sighed. “What are you doing？” She pointed to Valeri.

“Oh，” Valeri put her book down. “I dont know. Maybe nothing.”

The week flew by. Before I knew it， I was sitting in the auditorium， listening to a group of girls sing the latest pop songs at the talent show. I was bored out of my life， and I wanted it to end so I could read Eragon. Id checked it out at the library. Then a shy girl walked on stage. I recongized her immediately. Valeri clutched a violin in one hand and a bow in the other.

She started to play. The notes formed a soft， sweet tune. Then it turned fast， then faster. The music stopped altogether before the tune returned. Valeri ended the song with one hard， fast， loud note. The auditorium fell completely silent until we realized the music was finished. Still in a half trance， we burst into applause. Valeri took a swift bow and walked off stage.

I smiled to myself. Valeri wasnt just a “quiet girl”. She knew about wonderful books and could play the violin like nothing Id ever heard. Like a caterpillar or butterfly， she was beautiful and amazing when you looked closely.

I look at spiders and butterflies. I watch caterpillars and moths. Sometimes I think Im the only one who notices these things. But if it hadnt been in a crowded cafeteria， I wouldnt have ever noticed Valeri. After all， I wasnt looking for new friends.

Valeri was a new student. She walked to class with her books huddled against her chest and her head down. She talked only when the teacher asked her a question. After a month at our school， she hadnt made any friend. At recess， she sat on a bench and read. If you asked who she was， youd get a response like this， “Shes in my PE class， but I cant remember her name.”

One day at lunch， I had nowhere to sit. Most tables were full， and my friends scattered among them. But Valeri sat alone with a book in hand. I walked over to her.

“May I sit here？” I asked.

“Sure，” she said.

The cafeteria was noisy， but silence hung between us. Valeri didnt seem to mind， but it drove me crazy. I searched my mind for things to say.

So， I said， “Is that a good book？” Valeri gave me a small nod and went back to reading. “Whats it about？” I asked， after several more agonizing seconds of silence. She looked at me， her eyes sparkling.

“Well， its called Eragon， and its about a dragon！ This boy， Eragon， finds this dragon egg when he goes hunting one day. He thinks its a rock！ The egg hatches and Eragon hides the dragon from his cousin and uncle until it gets too big.”

“That sounds cool，” I said. I was about to ask her another question， but the bell rang.

As I rushed out of the cafeteria， I called to Valeri， “See you later.”

“Yeah，” she said， “See you later.” She sounded doubtful.

A couple of days later， I spotted Valeri looking for a place to sit at lunch.

“Valeri， come here.” I pointed to an empty chair.

She sat down and pulled out her book. Everyone was talking about next weeks talent show. “So， what are you going to do for the show？” My friend Erin asked my friend Kelly.

“Oh， I dont know， probably nothing，” Kelly sighed. “What are you doing？” She pointed to Valeri.

“Oh，” Valeri put her book down. “I dont know. Maybe nothing.”

The week flew by. Before I knew it， I was sitting in the auditorium， listening to a group of girls sing the latest pop songs at the talent show. I was bored out of my life， and I wanted it to end so I could read Eragon. Id checked it out at the library. Then a shy girl walked on stage. I recongized her immediately. Valeri clutched a violin in one hand and a bow in the other.

She started to play. The notes formed a soft， sweet tune. Then it turned fast， then faster. The music stopped altogether before the tune returned. Valeri ended the song with one hard， fast， loud note. The auditorium fell completely silent until we realized the music was finished. Still in a half trance， we burst into applause. Valeri took a swift bow and walked off stage.

I smiled to myself. Valeri wasnt just a “quiet girl”. She knew about wonderful books and could play the violin like nothing Id ever heard. Like a caterpillar or butterfly， she was beautiful and amazing when you looked closely.

我觀察蜘蛛和蝴蝶，還研究毛毛蟲和飛蛾。有時(shí)，我想我是唯一注意這些事物的人了。要不是一家擁擠的自助餐廳，我將永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)注意到瓦萊麗。畢竟，我一直都沒有找新朋友。

瓦萊麗是新來的學(xué)生。她總是將書抱在胸前，低著頭走進(jìn)教室。只有在老師提問她時(shí)，她才肯說話。她來我們學(xué)校一個(gè)月了，還沒交到一個(gè)朋友。課間，她就坐在長(zhǎng)椅上看書。如果你想知道她是誰，那你多半會(huì)得到這樣的答復(fù)：“我和她在一起上體育課，但我不記得她叫什么?！?/p>

一天，吃午餐時(shí)，餐桌差不多都坐滿了，我沒地方坐了，我的朋友們都分散坐。但瓦萊麗拿著書一個(gè)人坐在那兒。于是，我朝她走了過去。

“我可以坐在這兒?jiǎn)幔俊蔽覇枴?/p>

“當(dāng)然可以?！彼f。

餐廳里喧鬧不已，而我們一直都沉默著。瓦萊麗好像并不在意，但我憋得受不了了。我絞盡腦汁，想找點(diǎn)話說。

因此我問道：“那本書很好看嗎？”瓦萊麗輕輕地點(diǎn)了點(diǎn)頭，又繼續(xù)看書。一陣令人惱火的沉默之后，我問道：“都寫了些什么呢？”她終于看著我，眼中閃出異樣的光芒。

“唔，它叫《龍騎士》，講的是關(guān)于一條龍的故事！一天，一個(gè)名叫鄂爾根的男孩打獵時(shí)，發(fā)現(xiàn)了一枚龍蛋。他以為那是一塊石頭，但那枚龍蛋孵化出龍來，鄂爾根怕他的叔叔和堂兄發(fā)現(xiàn)，便把那條龍藏了起來，直到它長(zhǎng)大?！?/p>

“聽來真不錯(cuò)?！蔽艺f。我還想再問個(gè)問題，可上課鈴響了。

我一邊往餐廳外沖，一邊對(duì)她大叫：“再見。”

“好的，”她說，“再見。”聲音里透著猶疑。

幾天以后，我發(fā)現(xiàn)瓦萊麗正在找地方坐下來吃飯。

“瓦萊麗，來這里?！蔽抑钢粋€(gè)空座位說。

她坐了下來，拿出書。當(dāng)時(shí)，大家都在談?wù)撓聜€(gè)星期的才藝展示會(huì)?！澳愦蛩惚硌菔裁?？”我的朋友埃林和凱利交談著。

“噢，我不知道，也許會(huì)放棄。”凱利嘆著氣，“你呢？”她問瓦萊麗。

“噢，”瓦萊麗放下書，“我不知道，也許什么也不演。”

不知不覺中，周末就到了。我坐在會(huì)堂里，聽一群女孩子唱當(dāng)下最流行的歌曲，卻感覺枯燥極了。真希望演唱快點(diǎn)結(jié)束，那樣我就可以看《龍騎士》了。我在圖書館找到了這本書。這時(shí)，一個(gè)靦腆的女孩走上了舞臺(tái)，我立刻認(rèn)出了她——瓦萊麗。她一手抓著小提琴，一手拿著琴弓。

她開始拉小提琴了。一個(gè)個(gè)音符組成了柔和、優(yōu)美的旋律，音律逐漸加快，她越拉越急，音樂聲戛然而止。樂曲在瓦萊麗拉出一串強(qiáng)烈、急速、洪亮的音符后歸于沉寂。會(huì)堂里出奇地安靜，過了一會(huì)兒，我們才意識(shí)到她已經(jīng)演奏完了。仍陶醉于美妙中的我們對(duì)她報(bào)以雷鳴般的掌聲。瓦萊麗快速地鞠了一躬，走下了舞臺(tái)。

我暗自微笑，原來瓦萊麗不僅僅是一個(gè)“安靜的女孩”，她博覽奇妙的好書，能拉出我聞所未聞的小提琴曲。她就像那毛毛蟲或蝴蝶，當(dāng)你靠近她，仔細(xì)地觀察，你會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)，她有著驚人的美。

Word Study

recess /r?'ses/ n. 課間休息

scatter /'sk?t?（r）/ v. 散開;四散;使分散

agonizing /'?ɡ?na?z??/ adj. 使人十分痛苦的;令人焦慮不安的

sparkle /'spɑ?kl/ v. 閃爍;閃耀

clutch /kl?t?/ v. 緊握;抱緊;抓緊