• . . .
    "I'll have the stack of pancakes with apple juice please." I ordered at IHOP.
    "I'll have the same but make it orange juice instead." Jake said.
    "Coming right up." Said the waitress who looked in her late thirties, early forties.
    "How's life?" Jake asked absently.
    I knew something was up because whenever Jake wants to talk, he always asks me that. Usually he tells me some horrible rumor he heard about me or my friends and he just had to find out the truth.
    "Umm...nothing really. How 'bout you?" I asked hoping to tip-toe around Jake's reason to talk.
    "Hey now. I asked you a question." Jake accused.
    "And I answered it." I pointed out.
    "Yes, but that's not what I wanted to hear."
    "Too bad." I said a little sharper than I intented to.
    "Tally. Why can't we just have a normal brother to sister talk?" Jake asked, sounding kind of pained.
    "Oh, I don't know. Maybe because normal brothers and sisters don't talk."
    "True. But we do. Now come on. Tell me what's up." Jake prodded.
    "Nothing. I don't know what you're talking about." I replied truthfully.
    "Mom told me you guys had a fight. Do you wanna talk about it?"
    "No. Not really." I said looking away.
    "Okay. So, today's Friday." Jake said cheerfully.
    "Yeah, so?"
    "Nothing. It's just the weekend. Got any plans?"
    "Not that I know of."
    "Oh. Cool."
    "Yeah."
    The waitress came then with out food and broke the awkwardness.
    "Thanks." I said as she set my plate in front of me.
    We ate and drove to school in silence.
    "See ya later." Jake called as he headed for his classes.
    . . .
    "Tally you're on my team." said Lindsay Knox.
    Lindsay is one of the less friendlier athletes of the girls. She cares about her hair and make-up even though sports are important to her.
    I walked over to Lindsay's side of the gym. Today was dodgeball. Although I'm pretty good at it, it's not my favorite sport.
    "Isn't having P.E the first period a type of torture or something?" Asked my best friend, Samantha.
    "It should be." I answered as we slapped high fives.
    "Alright everyone, line up on the walls." Ms. Sipley said.
    Everyone did as she told so they wouldn't get on her bad side.
    "Let's play ball!" Ms. Sipley yelled.