8. … A Little Different

Chapter 8 … A Little Different He awoke to a loud cheer. Casey Happleton was staring at him. "Oh my gosh," she said. She bit her fìnger. "What?" asked Marvin. "You fell asleep in class!" said Casey. Then she laughed. Marvin shrugged. He wondered how long he'd been asleep. And if he had changed at all. He looked around. The other kids were all excited about something. "Settle down," said Mrs. North, "or I'll have to change my mind."

"What happened?" asked Marvin. "We get to go to Lake Park!" said Casey. "Oh, goody!" said Marvin. He clapped his hands. Casey looked at him funny. Her ponytail stuck out of the side of her head. Marvin wondered what it would be like to have hair like that. "What are you staring at?" asked Casey. "Your ponytail," he said. "What about it?" she demanded. "It's cute," he told her. "But you always wear your hair the same way. If I had long hair, I think I'd wear pigtails sometimes. Or maybe a French braid." Casey stared at him. "What's with you?" she asked. "Nothing," said Marvin. "And your voice sounds so funny," said Casey. "What'd you do? Kiss your elbow?" He stared at her. She stared back. She knew. He knew she knew. She knew he knew she knew.

He knew she knew he knew she knew. "No!" he said. "What do you think I am? Weird?" Casey bit her finger. The class had to pair up for the walk to Lake Park. Lake Park was three blocks from school. It had a great playground. Mrs. North sometimes took the class there on Friday if they'd been good all week. "Everyone find a partner," she said. Marvin ducked under his desk. He pretended to tie his shoe. He was afraid to be partners with Nick or Stuart. He needed to find a partner who didn't know him too well. Someone who wouldn't notice if he was … a little different. He peeked out from under his desk. Stuart and Nick were partners. Travis and Clarence. Kenny and Warren. Casey and Judy. Gina and Heather. One person stood alone. Patsy Gatsby. Kenny pointed at Patsy. "The cheese stands alone," he said. Clarence held his nose. "And it's stinky cheese, too."

Patsy looked down at her shoes. Marvin made his way across the room. "Would you like to be my partner, Patsy?" he asked. For a moment Patsy didn't answer. Then, very quietly, she said, "Okay." They got on the end of the line. Patsy kept her head down. Stuart looked back at Marvin as if to ask, "What are you doing?" Marvin shrugged. He saw Nick whisper something to Stuart. Then his two best friends laughed.

Warren sang: "Marvin and Patsy, Sitting in a tree, Kay-I-Ess-Ess

I-En-Gee" Marvin looked at Patsy. She was blushing. "Boys are so immature," said Marvin. Patsy looked up and smiled at him. She was wearing black suspenders over her pink Tshirt. Marvin thought it was a cute outfit. Girls are lucky, he thought, as they walked to Lake Park. They can wear anything. Even suspenders. But if I wore a dress to school, everyone would probably think I was weird or something. Maybe not? He wasn't sure. Maybe he should wear a dress to school tomorrow, he thought. See what the other kids think. Oh, I'm so silly, he suddenly realized. There's no school tomorrow. Today's Friday. Patsy Gatsby was quietly humming to herself. "Do you think it would be weird if I wore a dress to school?" Marvin asked her. She looked up, then giggled. Marvin giggled too. He didn't know why he was giggling. It was fun just to laugh.