Dog Days

Gavin is waiting for his new friend, Richard, to come over to play video games. Gavin likes Richard, his friend at Carver Elementary. Gavin had lots of friends at his old school, Bella Vista Elementary, but he knows that you have to start over whenever you change schools. In this new neighborhood, there’s a lot to get used to. There’s the new house and the new backyard and the new kids on his street who don’t even know that he is practically a soccer star. Well, maybe not a star, to be exact, but hen thinks he’s pretty good. Anyway, Richard chose him for his team in kickball, so Richard’s a nice guy. Gavin has his socks rolled into a ball, and while he waits, he tosses the sock ball up hard until it hits the ceiling and comes back right into his hands.

“That’s annoying. Why don’t you stop?” It’s Danielle, his sister. Unfortunately, she was not left behind at the old house. He tosses the balled socks up at the ceiling again just to spite her. “Ugh. You’re so annoying!” Luckily, she’s going across the street to babysit. Soon, Gavin hopes. Finally, the doorbell rings -and before he can get up to answer it, Danielle, Miss Big-Eighth-Grader, Miss Big-Thirteen-Trying-to-Be-Sixteen, opens the front door and stares down at Richard. “Yeah?” she says, in her new cool manner.
Richard stares up at her for a few seconds. “Are you Gavin’s sister?”
Without answering, Danielle calls over her shoulder, “Gavmeister, your friend’s here.” Gavin cringes. No one knows about that nickname at his new school. Danielle steps aside and lets Richard in.