Rani, the sister of Mac’s enemy, Rhett, was walking back and forth waiting for Mac to come out of his house. She didn’t want it to look obvious that she was waiting for him but she had a new puppy and she couldn’t wait to show it to him.
Rani smiled when she saw him. “Hi!”
“Hey Rani! Cute puppy.
“I jussssssst got him for my bbbbbbbirthday.”
Mac sat in the dirt and played with the feisty golden puppy. Rani really liked Mac. He never made fun of her stutter and they had fun together.
Just then a group of boys, led by Rhett, rode up on their bikes.
“Where’s your bike, Mac? ‘Thought you had such a cool bike.” Rhett laughed and the boys laughed with him.
“I do, jerk. It’s in the shop. I bent the axle a little when I was jumping. Made it over three trash cans.”
“You did? That’s wonnnnnderful , Mac,” Rani said.
“You are so full of crap!” Rhett said. “You don’t even know how to ride! I bet you still got training wheels, right guys?” They all laughed. Again.
“Rrrrrrrhet, you shut up. You are ssssssso mmmean!”
Rhett ignored her.
Mac stood a little taller. “Get lost, Rhett. I could ride circles around you with one hand tied behind my back, balancing a fish bowl on my head, and a blindfold on.”
Rani stepped closer to Mac. “Yeah!”
“Yeah.”
“Come on Rani,” Rhett said, “don’t get close to orphan boy. You might get his cooties and you’ll never get ‘em off ‘ya. Come on, guys! Nothing to see here. Nothin’ at all!”
The boys rode off spraying Mac and Rani with the loose gravel.
“I know you can ride your bike real good, Mac,” Rani said and patted his shoulder. “I know you haven’t taken it out of the ggggggarage yet bbbbecause…”
Mac sighed and kicked the dirt. “’Cause my dad…I wanted to wait to do it with my dad.
As soon as he gets home we’ll get it out. It’s special, you know? He promised.”
He patted the puppy then shuffled slowly back into the house.