I'm Marvin Oliver Gilinske. I'm 13 years old. Everyone calls me Vinny. I'm with my older brother, Louie. He's a year older than me. We live in a place called Gem City. I just want to go on an adventure. I want to rescue someone. It's July 2nd now, and enjoying my summer as time goes by.

Louie and are in the mall. I saw two familiar people. Dayna Conville, who I have known for years, she went to school with me. Dayna has light brown hair. There's the other person, Dave Torte, with hair almost red, one of my new friends. They were going opposite directions.

"Hey, Louie," I said. "Can I go to Dave and talk?"

"Sure." replied Louie. "Don't go too far though!"

I walked towards Dave. "What shoes are you wearing, Dave?"

"I'm wearing my Washingtons." said Dave. "They are my favorite type of shoes. I'm going to buy yellow and black ones later. What about you, Vinny?"

"I don't really know yet," I replied.

"Oh, and one thing, Rachel still hasn't returned my eraser!" Dave was laughing. Rachel Gelsinger was in my class. She talks to Dave A LOT. Know what I mean? Why did she take Dave's eraser? It's red, but why does she not get her own? Something's going on here...

"I have to leave now. Bye!" Dave was going to the left.

Time to talk to Dayna. There she is. In the center of the mall. "Are you doing anything for the summer?"

"I'm going to the beach," answered Dayna.

"You should go online and see Dave's profile pic on Tortecher," I said. "He is holding a coconut and trying to eat it!"

"I don't go on Tortecher." replied Dayna.

"Make one," I said. "It's fun! Bye, D.C.! Nice to talk to you!"

So I went back to Louie and told him who runs to the exit the fastest is the winner. We don't get to win anything, but it's just for fun. I won!

"Oh yeah?" said Louie. "How about a jumping contest?"

The ceiling was low when we're at the exit, so we can touch it. Louie won that time. "Let's just go home, Louie."

So we walked home. I looked at my DuSy, a cell phone popular in Gem City, to see if I have any new messages. One was from Bobby Glensome, my friend shorter than me.

Hi, Vinny. Are you having a great time? I don't want to see Rachel in the neighborhood. If you don't know, she's my neighbor. There's Ollie, too. We are going to the candy store with our Dowlers. Do you have some? I will give you a Dowler later. Dowlers are used as money in Gem City. Oh, Vinny, you know that already. Just wondering. Gerald and I are in my house playing games. Want to come next time? ~ Bobby Glensome

Next one is from Gerald Skitture, Bobby's friend. He looks familiar with the dark brown hair and glasses, but I forgot who it was.

I never talked to you for a long time, Vinny. Austin and I are hanging out in my house. I don't think Austin knows you yet. I'll introduce you to him in the next school year. You know Dayna? Tell her I was sorry for being mean to her. I'm not really interested about what Dayna talks about. Dayna is a good speller, too. She got 50 out of 60 in the spelling test. I got 42 out of 60. We were very close. So, are you going somewhere? Tell me more later! Gerald S.

One more message from Dayna Conville.

I was well... uh... at the mall looking for new shoes. Dave and I were there, but we never talk. What's with him? He doesn't realize I want to be his friend. He talks to Rachel, why not me? I'm planning on getting some Washingtons. Most people in our school wear them.

That's all of the messages now. Louie and I are at home now. There's Louie, watching TV.