Roger sat lone on the bench in the playground, lightly taping his foot as he waited for Mark. If Mark wasn't there that day, there was going to be some explaining to do. Why did the stupid school system have to put them in different classes? Roger looked at the playground ahead, looking for any sign of Mark. Then he saw a plastic black thing bobbing up and down in the mass of kids. This was him.

"MARK!!!" Roger called to the kid across the playground. The black thing turned in his direction, and began running toward him. Mark finally appeared, weighed under a huge video camera. "Why do you bring that to school?" Roger sighed as Mark shuffled to set the heavy machinery on the faded green bench.

"I don't know- maybe I enjoy carrying it around." Mark replied rather sarcastically for a first grader. "I have to stop- Mrs. Henchion says that if I bring it again I'll be suspended." Mark answered curtly.

Just then, a ball flew out of nowhere- hitting Mark on the back of the head. "Ow!" A girl with long, curly hair ran up to him with her arms open, waiting for him to throw it to her. "If you are expecting me to give you your stupid football, Maureen," Mark said, bending down to pick it up, "Think again."

The girl named Maureen put her hands on her hips. "Come on Mark! Remember when Mrs. Henchion wouldn't give you a pencil after you lost yours? I gave you one, remember? I could have gotten in trouble!"

"No! That stupid ball has hit me FIVE times this week! I am sick and tired of it." Mark said, sitting down on the bench, ball in hand.

"Come on, Mark! Give it to me!" Maureen begged. Mark shook his head. "What are you going to do with it anyway? It's not like you know how to play!" Maureen spat.

"I am going to take it home, and feed it to my shark!" Mark said, showing with his hands, a shark, reaching up to bite the football.

"NO!" Maureen squealed, dodging for the ball. Mark was too fast for her, and switched it to his other hand. "I bet you don't even have a shark!"

Mark seemed appalled that someone would even doubt his lie. "Yes I do! His name is Bob!" Roger did a small giggle under his jacket sleeve. "See! Even Roger knows! Roger has seen it, right Roger?"

"Hm-hm." Roger's voice was muffled as he covered his mouth slyly.

"Roger would know! He got eaten by it once, right Rog? Then the shark didn't like him, and it spit him out. Like I do with broccoli!" Mark's tale span deeper and longer and Maureen wasn't buying it.

"Uh-huh, sure! I know that you don't have a shark! My uncle used to have one, but then they took it away, and he gots o-rested." Maureen knew that she had won. Mark when pink in the face, and Roger once again, quietly giggled from under his jacket.

"Fine! Have your stupid ball! But don't go crying to me if it just happens to go missing!" Mark said as he threw the ball back to her.

"Who was that?" Roger asked when she finally left.

"Oh, that was this stupid girl from Mrs. Henchion's class! Some day she is going to be needing a favor from me, and I am not going to give her it!" Mark vowed. "Oh yeah! I was wondering if I could come to your house for a sleepover or something! After all, it is Friday."

Roger looked hesitant. "We don't have people over much."

"Why not?"

"It's a long story. Not tonight, okay?" Roger said.

"Maybe next weekend then. Or you could come over to my house!" Mark suggested.

"Um… that's not such a good idea either. Maybe another time."

And with that, the bell rang.

--

TBC

Sorry it took so long!! And sorry it is so short!

Lot's of love,

Shiloh