2 Heartichokes

CHAPTER 2 HEARTICHOKES I LOVE SCARING PEOPLE. On the school bus, Penny and Doris sit down on either side of me. They start telling me about their dolls-I'm moving! I go to the back of the bus, but they follow me. T. Rex, our bus driver, tells us to stop changing seats, so I'm stuck with them for eight blocks. What do they want? SIT DOWN! YES, SIR. OK. SORRY.

"Who are you going to give a valentine to Hubie?" asks Doris, fluttering her eyelashes at me. The heart is out of the bag. "I don't know," I answer "My name has two n's," says Penny. Now she flutters her eyelashes at me. "I know," I reply. WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR EYES?

I LOVE EATING SPIDERS. "My name doesn't have any n's," blurts Doris. "That's nice," I answer. Luckily we arrive at my stop and I bolt for the door. I'm out and still single. They're both waving and winking at me from the back window as the bus pulls away. The pressure has already started. THAT WAS CLOSE. I KNOW.