is kind of…fat. He might have a heart attack trying to catch a 16-yr old kid with that much energy.”
“Maybe Burke was high,” she speculated, frowning. She was kicking into Mom-mode, I could tell.
“I don’t think he needs drugs. He’s got some weird natural chemical already in his brain that works a lot better.”
She laughed and Mom-mode disappeared. “I love Burke. He brightens up my day. I wish I could be Burke.”
“He’s probably going to end up in jail.”
“At least he’ll be entertaining on the way,” she said, pulling open the fridge to start dinner. James didn’t have soccer practice today so she was making dinner before Dad came home.
Derek came home after football and then Dad. At the table Mom made me tell the Burke story. James listened wide-eyed as if it were the tale of some superhero. Derek claimed he’d already heard the story because everyone at school was talking about it. He was slightly envious that Burke was in my biology class. There was nothing he could do about that because he was a freshman—he probably would never have any classes with Burke, unless Burke failed some of his classes, which was highly likely. He didn’t seem to care.
After dinner I finished my homework and opened my laptop and logged on to see if Ren was there. He wasn’t, but Steve was. I said “hi” and he started talking to me about World of Warcraft.
Derek flopped down on the couch next to the computer desk. “Where’s the neighbor kid?”
“At home, I guess.” I checked again to see if Ren was online, but he didn’t show up.
“You should see if he wants to come over.’
“Ummmm, you can if you want.”
He sighed. “I’m too lazy. It’s all that weight-lifting—check out my pipes.” He flexed his biceps for me and I had to admit he was stronger since he started football. He was still tan from his lawnmowing job this summer, and he was no longer as skinny as he was last year. There was no doubt he was built for sports—he could run farther and faster than I could. Over the summer we would race at the beach and he always left me behind. It didn’t matter that I was older.
“Those are some great pipes,” I admitted.
He fell asleep a few minutes later and Katie texted me. Noah is so sweet! He bought me a necklace to wear to the dance.
That is so sweet.
It’s a silver chain with a locket.
Sounds nice! Have you found any dresses?
Yes. Online. I’ll send you the links.
I checked out all the dresses she picked and I loved them. I know pink isn’t her favorite color but she is tall and thin and totally rocks everything she wears.
You have great taste. You can pick out mine.
LOL! No thanks. You can do it.
A few minutes later I stretched and shut down my laptop. Derek was still sleeping on the couch and I could hear Dad nagging James to get his shower.
I walked in the dining room and found my mom working on a scrapbook.
She looked up from the papercutter. “Do you want to help? It’s the family vacation last year.”
“Tempting…hey, I forgot to tell you I’m going to Homecoming with Ren and Noriko and Steve.”
Her eyes lit up and she stopped cutting. “Really? Did Ren ask you?”
“No, I’m just going with the group.” I tried not to sound too disappointed. “Can we go dress shopping Saturday?”
“Yes, definitely.”
Looking down at the page of pictures I decided we were a pretty good-looking family. Derek was tall and always laughing about something, usually his own wit. James seemed to lurk in the background but maybe that was just because he was the youngest. I had a lot of good pictures…except for that one.
It was a picture of us by a campfire and my mouth was hanging open as I cooked a marshmallow. Realizing I could help my mom make better choices for her pages, which would be shown to every living, breathing creature who came to our home, I sat down and picked up some scissors.
“Ah! The scrapbooking bug has bit you at last!” she said,
“Maybe Burke was high,” she speculated, frowning. She was kicking into Mom-mode, I could tell.
“I don’t think he needs drugs. He’s got some weird natural chemical already in his brain that works a lot better.”
She laughed and Mom-mode disappeared. “I love Burke. He brightens up my day. I wish I could be Burke.”
“He’s probably going to end up in jail.”
“At least he’ll be entertaining on the way,” she said, pulling open the fridge to start dinner. James didn’t have soccer practice today so she was making dinner before Dad came home.
Derek came home after football and then Dad. At the table Mom made me tell the Burke story. James listened wide-eyed as if it were the tale of some superhero. Derek claimed he’d already heard the story because everyone at school was talking about it. He was slightly envious that Burke was in my biology class. There was nothing he could do about that because he was a freshman—he probably would never have any classes with Burke, unless Burke failed some of his classes, which was highly likely. He didn’t seem to care.
After dinner I finished my homework and opened my laptop and logged on to see if Ren was there. He wasn’t, but Steve was. I said “hi” and he started talking to me about World of Warcraft.
Derek flopped down on the couch next to the computer desk. “Where’s the neighbor kid?”
“At home, I guess.” I checked again to see if Ren was online, but he didn’t show up.
“You should see if he wants to come over.’
“Ummmm, you can if you want.”
He sighed. “I’m too lazy. It’s all that weight-lifting—check out my pipes.” He flexed his biceps for me and I had to admit he was stronger since he started football. He was still tan from his lawnmowing job this summer, and he was no longer as skinny as he was last year. There was no doubt he was built for sports—he could run farther and faster than I could. Over the summer we would race at the beach and he always left me behind. It didn’t matter that I was older.
“Those are some great pipes,” I admitted.
He fell asleep a few minutes later and Katie texted me. Noah is so sweet! He bought me a necklace to wear to the dance.
That is so sweet.
It’s a silver chain with a locket.
Sounds nice! Have you found any dresses?
Yes. Online. I’ll send you the links.
I checked out all the dresses she picked and I loved them. I know pink isn’t her favorite color but she is tall and thin and totally rocks everything she wears.
You have great taste. You can pick out mine.
LOL! No thanks. You can do it.
A few minutes later I stretched and shut down my laptop. Derek was still sleeping on the couch and I could hear Dad nagging James to get his shower.
I walked in the dining room and found my mom working on a scrapbook.
She looked up from the papercutter. “Do you want to help? It’s the family vacation last year.”
“Tempting…hey, I forgot to tell you I’m going to Homecoming with Ren and Noriko and Steve.”
Her eyes lit up and she stopped cutting. “Really? Did Ren ask you?”
“No, I’m just going with the group.” I tried not to sound too disappointed. “Can we go dress shopping Saturday?”
“Yes, definitely.”
Looking down at the page of pictures I decided we were a pretty good-looking family. Derek was tall and always laughing about something, usually his own wit. James seemed to lurk in the background but maybe that was just because he was the youngest. I had a lot of good pictures…except for that one.
It was a picture of us by a campfire and my mouth was hanging open as I cooked a marshmallow. Realizing I could help my mom make better choices for her pages, which would be shown to every living, breathing creature who came to our home, I sat down and picked up some scissors.
“Ah! The scrapbooking bug has bit you at last!” she said,
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