Chapter 3

Chapter three, Before I could get up the nerve to use even one of those excuses, movie night had started. Ashley took the pillows from the couch and arranged them on the floor for us. Frankie got the movie all set up in the TV. Cheerio settled in on my dad's chair, panting hard like he does when he gets excited. And my dad surprised us by bringing in a big bowl of popcorn. Emily, still half covered with scales, followed him. "Even though I'm not allowed to watch the movie with you, I helped Dad make you popcorn," she said. "Just to show you how nice us Komodo dragons are." "Wow, Mr. Z," Frankie said. "That's a whole lot of popcorn."

"We made extra," my dad said, "because Nick McKelty is coming over to watch the movie with you guys." Did he just say Nick McKelty, the biggest bully in our class, was coming over? To my apartment? That wasn't possible. My ears must have gone out for a walk. "Wait, Dad... none of us invited him." "I ran into his father on the street," my dad explained. "He and I are going to the neighborhood-council meeting tonight. He needs a place for Nick to stay for a couple of hours. Since your mom will be home, I said of course he's welcome here." "No, he isn't," I said loudly. "Yes, he is," my father said, even louder. This night was getting worse by the second. The doorbell rang, and my stomach flipped like a pancake on the griddle.

"Please, Dad," I begged. "Tell him we moved." "Yeah," Frankie chimed in. "To Iceland." "No," Ashley added. "To Pluto. It's the planet farthest away." "Pluto is no longer a planet," Emily the know-it-all dragon said. "It is now known as a dwarf planet, and, if you'd like, I can explain to you why." "You know what, Em?" I said. "Why don't you save that for a rainy day?" The doorbell rang again. "Fine," Emily said. "Have a good time with McKelty. Mom and I will be in my room working

on my costume." She stomped out, leaving a trail of green cardboard scales behind her. My dad picked them up as he went to open the front door. Standing in the doorway, shoving a jelly donut in his mouth, was Nick McKelty. "I have arrived," he grunted, with the red jelly from the donut squirting through his teeth. "Now the party can finally start." My dad got his jacket, yelled good-bye, and disappeared into the hallway with Mr. McKelty. Nick the Tick marched his blobby self into the living room and plopped down on the pillows. "What are we watching?" he asked, stuffing the last of the donut into his mouth while his

other hand was reaching for popcorn. i wondered if he was going to wipe his jelly- covered fingers on the couch pillows. He wiped them on his pants instead. "Attack of the Zombies," Frankie told him. "That movie is for babies," he said with a snort. "I've seen it eighty times." "Then maybe you don't want to stay," I said. "You could hang out with Emily. She's having a dragon party in her room. You'd fit right in." "Your family is so weird," McKelty said. "Let's just watch this movie already so I don't have to listen to you guys." "That's a good idea," Ashley said. "Why don't you sit up on the couch so we don't have to look at the jelly hanging off your nose?" Ashley pressed the PLAY button, and the movie started. As soon as he heard the scary

music, Cheerio started to whimper. Inside, I was whimpering right along with him. I hate scary music. I tried to hum a tune inside my head to drown it out, but the only one I could think of was "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed." That got too annoying, so I had to stop. And then, there it was again, that creepy music. Cheerio jumped off my dad's chair and ran into Emily's room. Even though I have no interest in cardboard lizard scales, I wanted so badly to go with him. But Ashley was grinning at me and shooting me a big thumbs-up sign. She really wanted me to love this movie. I decided I'd try. But not for long! In the very first scene, a bunch of zombies missing hunks of their faces marched into the town. With their arms stretched out in front of them, their low moans sounded like a herd of sick cows.