“Now will you practice with me?” I beg Billy.
“No. Go away, retard.” He growls and shoves me out of his room.
“But you promised!” The door slams in my face. “Fine, you big JERK! I’m telling on you!” My brother laughs at me. I hate it when he does that; it makes me feel like such a kid, which I’m not. I turned twelve in April, but when I’m around Billy I just can’t help it- I feel like such a baby.
Scowling, I trudge downstairs to the kitchen, where my mom pounds away at her laptop. Her black hair lies in a sloppy bundle at the nape of her neck. My mom works all the time, so she’s always too tired to do anything but work and sleep. That’s how it’s always been. I know that, so I don’t know why I think she’ll come outside with me, but I ask anyway.
“Momma?” Holding my soccer ball under one arm, I walk up to the dining room table. “ "Momma?” She peers at me, then sighs.
“What is it, Richard?”
“Will you come out and practice with me? It’s sunny today.” She looks at the clock and back at me.
“I don’t really have time, right now, baby. Ask Billy.” She stands and grabs her cigarette box from the shelf.
“I did. He doesn’t want to, even after he promised!” My voice turns into a whine. Momma takes a puff of her cigarette before she answers.
“I’m busy, Richard. If your brother won’t play with you, go play alone.”
“But-“
“No buts! I’m sick and tired of your whining! I don’t have time for you, boy! Get outside!” She yells and slams her fist down on the chair. I scurry outside.
Ugh, I hate Sundays! I bet nobody’s lonelier than me right now. It’s too bad that those people that moved in a few days ago don’t have any kids. I know because I spent an entire afternoon watching through my window as they moved in. The only time that house was out of my sight was the one time I went to the bathroom, and I peed as fast as I could! There was no kid.
I know it sounds creepy that I watched the neighbors come in from my window, but I never have anyone to play with. My brother says it’s because I’m a retard, but what does he know? Besides, I can’t just change who I am. As a result, a lot of kids at my school hate me, even though some of them have never even met me. Word spreads, I guess.
When I do get a friend, it will be someone who could appreciate me for me, someone who wouldn’t try to change me. Someone who knows me and is okay with how whacked up I am. Someone who plays soccer. And someone, (if it has to be a girl), who looks like Penny Jackson.
I’ve never met her, but Penny Jackson is the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen! Her eyes are sparkly and her hair is red and silky! She smells like watermelons! She also thinks I’m a creep- she told Jade to tell Clara to tell Andrew to tell me so, but WOW, Penny Jackson! She always wears something shiny or sparkly to school, whether it's her shoes, her hair, or her backpack or something. That’s why all the boys are so fascinated by her- like crows.
I’m considering this ten minutes later, as I kick my ball against the house. I’m bored out of my mind. I check my watch and sigh because it’s still too early for lunch. A slight movement catches my eye. The door of the new people’s house opens. I watch for a second, a little interested, and I see a small girl open standing in the doorway. I turn away, uninterested. Wait. What?! My face shoots in the direction of the house, and clarify what I think I just saw. I can’t believe it. Standing in the driveway of the new people’s house is a girl. Really, truly, a little girl.
She’s tiny, but her wild mass of brown hair makes up for her height. For a moment, I catch this girl’s eye and almost fall over from the intensity of her blue eyes. She turns her attention to a car stopping in her driveway.
This is unbelievable! Right now, stepping out of the car and gliding up the new girl’s driveway is none other than Penny Jackson! Once again, I almost collapse in shock. Not just because Penny is stepping foot in my neighborhood, but because next to the other girl, Penny is almost, er, ugly. The two walk into the house, and the girl does not look back at me. When the door closes, I lay on the grass, breathless, thinking only of the girl’s sparkling eyes...
