13 by Jason Robert Brown

Before you could do anything, what?”
    Archie grinned—no, more like he beamed—and he said, “She smiled at me.” He stepped back in triumph. He raised his eyebrows knowingly. “She likes me.”
    My head was starting to hurt.
    Archie said, “So I was thinking that you could get me a date. I mean, you’re new here and everyone likes you.”
    â€œThat’s because I haven’t done anything stupid yet!” I said. More like yelled. This was getting a little bit scary. “One wrong move and I’m exiled to the Loser table for the rest of the year.”
    Archie wasn’t listening.
    â€œOr hey, wait a minute!” he said. “Maybe it’d be easier if I just sit next to her.”
    Now I was really confused. “When? At lunch?”
    Archie shook his head. “No! At your bar mitzvah!”
    I nearly fell over. Seriously. Flat on my face. Down for the count. Then Archie’s face twisted into this sick sort of grin. “I can always just ask your mom if I can come.”
    See what I mean about the Higher Power punishing me for what I had done to Patrice?
    â€œWhat?” I said.
    Archie stared me down. “I mean, your mom’s not gonna tell the little crippled kid he can’t come to the party.”
    Suddenly there was nothing charming, quirky, or even sad about Archie. Disease or not, this was hard-ball. If he came to my bar mitzvah, I’d be doomed. Brett and his gang would never come!
    â€œBut here’s the thing,” he was saying. “This is a two-way deal. If you get me a date with Kendra, I’ll do something for you. Get you and Patrice back together.”
    That pulled me up short.
    â€œYou’re friends with Patrice?”
    It was sort of hard to believe, considering she hadn’t hung out with him all summer. At least, notsince I’d arrived. Archie shrugged. “Oh, yeah, from way back before I got so sick. Also she feels sorry for me, so I take advantage of that. Like I said, I can get you two back together in no time.”
    â€œThere’s nothing to get back together,” I said. “Patrice and I weren’t really such great friends to begin with.”
    Archie didn’t buy that for a second. “Oh, please,” he said. “Until you met Brett and the rest of those idiots, I saw the two of you together practically every time I looked out the window.” He leaned closer. “I can fix things. Patrice likes you.” He leaned even closer. “I mean, she likes you.”
    I saw a teacher looking through the window of her classroom door. “Archie, can we talk about this later?”
    â€œSo you’ll get me that date with Kendra? You will, right? You’re gonna do it, right?”
    By that point, Archie was so worked up that his chest started to heave a little bit and his leg shook. Then, behind me, someone spoke.
    â€œArchie, are you all right? Do you need help getting to class?”
    I turned to see a middle-aged woman with bright red hair and cat’s-eye glasses standing at the other end of the hallway.
    Archie transformed instantly. His eyes softened, hisposture loosened. He was suddenly a typical sweet twelve-year-old boy.
    â€œThat’s okay, Mrs. Kincaid. Evan’s helping me.”
    Mrs. Kincaid smiled. “Well, get a move on, you two. Evan, that’s a very kind thing to do. Thank you.”
    I stammered, “Of course, Mrs. Kincaid.”
    As she walked off, she said, “Welcome to Appleton!”
    The minute she was out of sight, Archie was grinning.
    â€œYou know what I could’ve done just then?” he said.
    â€œWhat?”
    He shrugged. “I could’ve flopped on the floor and told her you pushed me.”
    Did this kid have any limits? I must’ve gasped. Or turned white. Because suddenly Archie was giggling like a wild man.
    â€œYou should see yourself! Don’t people joke around in New York? I wouldn’t