In My Head

SIX YEARS BEFORE THE MOVE ~ New Kid ~ Kaden

Someone knocks on the classroom door. It's open, and the secretary comes in with the new kid. "Mrs. Becker, here he is." The secretary beckons for the kid to come into the classroom. He gazes around. His face is white with red patches on his cheeks, like he's embarrassed.

Mrs. Becker goes over to him and talks quietly. The kid searches the room with his eyes, like he's looking for someone. I like him. He has short blond hair and blue eyes. He finally looks at me. I smile at him and push my chair back on two legs, let go of my desk, and hold my arms out to balance. The kid smiles back.

My balance starts to go. I kick my leg up to keep from falling back. My foot catches my desk-I jerk backwards. Whoa! I try to hold onto my desk with my foot. My desk shifts forward, and I go flying backward and hit the floor. Ow, my head.

For a second I can't move, then I jump to my feet. Everyone is laughing. Mrs. Becker looks up at me and spots my chair on the floor. She gives me the teacher look. The new kid is smiling at me. I pick up my chair and sit back down.

"Why don't you go sit next to Kaden, Jacob?" Mrs. Becker points to the new empty desk next to me. The laughing dies down. The new kid comes over and takes his seat.

"Hey!" He holds out his fist to me. What does that mean? "It's like a hand shake." He waves his fist. I grin and hold my fist up. He taps his fist against mine. "I'm Jake."

"I'm Kaden."

Jake looks down at my name tag on my desk. "Wow, that's cool."

"I made it. You want one?"

"Wow, you made that?"

I nod.

"Yeah, it's awesome!"

Mrs. Becker's at her desk. The coast is clear. I pull my drawing pad out of my desk and put it in my lap. "How do you spell your name?" I whisper.

"J-A-K-E . . . T-E-G-G-Y."

I write his name on the cover of my drawing pad and open to a blank page. "What do you like to do?"

"Mmm." Jake tilts his head and stares at the ceiling. "Sports."

"What's your favorite?"

He grins at me. "Basketball."