2. Monday

Chapter 2 Monday "You're so brave," said Casey Happleton. She sat next to Marvin in Mrs. North's class. She had a ponytail that stuck out the side of her head, instead of the back. Marvin shrugged and smiled. He didn't know why Casey thought he was brave, but he was glad she did. "Judy and I are going to come watch you," said Casey. "Watch me what? When?" "Saturday," said Casey. "When you ride your new mountain bike down Suicide Hill." Marvin felt as if he'd been kicked in the stomach. He tried not to show it. He didn't want Casey Happleton to think he was scared. "Who told you that?" he asked. "Judy," said Casey. "She said you would have ridden down last Saturday, but you got in trouble for calling your sister a stupid pest. Now you can't ride your bike for a week." Marvin didn't know how Judy Jasper knew so much

about his life. "Stuart told her," said Casey. Marvin never told Stuart he'd ride down Suicide Hill on Saturday. He just told him that he couldn't ride his bike for a week. "Marvin," said Mrs. North. "Have you been listening to anything I said?" He looked at his teacher. "Um, I'm not sure. What did you say?" Mrs. North gave Marvin the Look. At recess, Marvin asked Stuart why he told Judy that he had called his sister a stupid pest. "She asked me," said Stuart. They were playing wizzle-fish tag. "Let me get this straight," said Marvin. "Judy Jasper just came up to you and said, 'Did Marvin call his sister a stupid pest?'" "Something like that," said Stuart. "And you told her we're going to ride our bikes down Suicide Hill on Saturday?" Marvin asked. "No," said Stuart.

Marvin was glad about that. "I told her you were going to ride your bike down Suicide Hill. My mom won't let me." "My mom won't let me, either," complained Nick. "Just because it's dangerous or something." "But we'll come watch you," said Stuart. "You might need someone to call 911," said Nick. Marvin couldn't believe it. They were the ones who had wanted to ride down Suicide Hill, not him. He thought he remembered Nick bragging about how he'd ridden down Suicide Hill lots of times, full speed all the way. "I thought you said you've ridden down Suicide Hill," he said. "No, I never said that," said Nick. Marvin knew he was lying. He tossed a paper plate on the ground and stepped on it. Everyone had two paper plates. The paper plates were the wizzle fish. Clarence and Travis wizzled beside him. "Hey, Marvin," said Clarence. "Are you really going to ride down Suicide Hill?"

"Uh, I'm not sure." "See, I told you he was chicken!" Clarence told Travis. "We're not scared," said Nick. We? thought Marvin. "If Marvin says he'll ride down Suicide Hill, then he'll

ride down Suicide Hill," said Stuart. He patted Marvin on the back. But Marvin never said he'd ride down Suicide Hill, thought Marvin. "When?" demanded Clarence. "Saturday," said Nick. "At twelve o'clock." "High noon," said Stuart. "This I've got to see," said Clarence. "I'm going to get a front-row seat," said Travis. "It's going to be the biggest wipe-out in history," said Clarence. He and Travis laughed. Marvin didn't know what to do. Everything was happening too fast. He felt like he was speeding downhill, out of control, unable to stop. He wanted to scream.