Dante walked up to Sammy and said, "Don't listen to them. They're lying to you!"

"How do you know?" the first grader asked.

"Get lost," said one of the older boys.

"Sammy, listen to me," Dante pleaded. "They're lying!

"You already said that," sneered another older boy.

"You're just jealous because they didn't ask you to be in their club," said Sammy.

"There isn't any club! They're just trying to get you to do something bad!"

"How do you know?" Sammy asked again.

"Because that's what they did to me!"

"I don't believe you," Sammy said.

"I swear that's what they did," Dante said.

"Then tell me what they made you do," Sammy challenged.

Before Dante could answer, the older boys started to walk away, saying things like "Oh, forget it!"
and "Why are we wasting our time with babies?" and "Who needs a first-grader in our club anyway?"

"Thanks a lot," Sammy said sarcastically.

"You're welcome," Dante said sincerely.

He walked home. There was one more thing he had to do.

Joe came home from the 2-3 an hour later.

"Supper will be ready in ten minutes," Paulina said.

"Great," said Joe.

Dante knew that the time had come. He couldn't put it off any longer.

"Mom, Dad," he began, then stopped.

"What it it, Son?" Joe asked. "Is there something troubling you?"

"Yes, Dad," Dante answered. He took a deep breath. "There's something I have to tell you."