𝑬𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝑴í𝒂 | ᴮᵒʸ ᴹᵉᵉᵗˢ ᵂᵒʳˡᵈ

2: All is Fair in Love and War

Shawn, Cory, and I were at lunch talking about superheroes.

"Say you could pick any superhero to be your dad. Who would you choose?" Cory asked.

"Batman," I answered. "You get to live in a cool cave, have loads of money, and get to borrow the batmobile."

"He lets Robin hang out with him and play with all his stuff, and Robin's not even his real kid!" Shawn said. "He's his ward." "What's a ward, and how do you get to be one?" I asked.

"Batman?" Cory questioned. "Is he faster than a speeding bullet? I don't think so. Is he more powerful than a locomotive? Uh-uh." He added. "I'd want Superman." "Sees through walls. You'd never get away with anything." Shawn told him. "I'd like to have Superman for a dad." Cory said, crossing his arms and resting his upper body on the lunch table.

"Hey, there's Minkus." Shawn said, pulling out his water gun and shooting Minkus with it. I smiled and laughed a bit. "Whoa! The 2000-X Hydro-Saturator!" Cory said in amazement. "Careful! Feeny sees this baby on school grounds. He'll shag it, and I'll have to sit out the water war." Shawn replied, putting away the water gun.

"I've been saving up my can money all month for this bad boy." I lifted my water gun out of my backpack and put it on the table. "Hydro-Sat 3000-Z. My dad doesn't know I bought this, so don't say anything." "The 3000? That's not even supposed to come out till Christmas!" Cory said. "My brother knows a guy." I aimed the water gun at Minkus and sprayed him.

"You really shouldn't do that." Minkus said. "Why? You gonna melt?" I teased. "No." Minkus said as he pulled out this big instrument case. He took out an even bigger water gun. "I'm going to retaliate." My jaw dropped as we pointed out water guns at each other.

"Go ahead. Make. Me. Wet." Minkus warned him. I groaned and lowered my water gun, then put it back into my backpack. "Wise choice." Minkus said, then putting his water gun away. "Ah, who needs one of those? For your information, a well placed water balloon can give you just as much splash for your cash." Cory said as he got up and walked over to the water fountain to fill up his water balloon.

"Like everyone is gonna have a humongous water gun." Cory muttered, then turned around and saw everyone pointing a water gun towards him. He tried to play it cool. "How are ya?" He asked as we all began to squirt him with the water.

"Stop! I'll get one! I promise!" He yelled. "Oh my G– I'll get one! Stop! I promise!" He said as we all stopped and hid our water guns as Mr. Feeny walked in with his lunch tray. Cory leaned against the fountain.

"Mr. Matthews. The drinking fountain is not a toy." He told Cory as he took a sip from the fountain and walked to his lunch tray. I tried not to laugh as Shawn did the same.

♥

A few days later, it was time for the water war. Shawn, Minkus, and I went to Cory's house and into his backyard. "Water war time, Cory!" Shawn said as he turned the corner. Cory was painting the fence white. It had green stripes on it, which confused me.

Minkus came running with his big water gun and dressed in rainy weather attire. "War!" He yelled. Shawn smiled and laughed. "War brings out the beast in Minkus." He said.

"You kids and your water wars." Cory replied as if he were a parent. "I'd love to join you, but I'm having way too much fun here!" He added, motioning to the partially painted fence. "You're bailing on the water war to paint a fence?" I questioned. "You say 'paint a fence' I say 'party!" Cory responded. "And by the way— even if you wanted to, I wouldn't cut you in on this action."

"Why not? I thought we were friends?" Shawn said, sounding disappointed. "Yeah, why are you cutting us out?" I asked. "People, people. Am I the only one who read the summer reading list?" Minkus responded. "I got a chapter of the first book in, then dipped." I answered.

"Tom Sawyer? He's sucking you in to do the work for him!" Minkus said. "Guys, who are you gonna listen to? Me or the banana?" Cory asked. "Well, let's see. The banana says "play," you say, "work." Shawn replied. "We're gonna hang with the big yellow guy!" He finished.

"Okay, look. I got seven bucks left. After buying my Hydro-Sat, and it's yours if you help me paint the fence." Cory offered. "I say we hold out for lunch." Minkus said, then pointing his water gun at Cory. "And that's Mr. Banana to you, Bud." Shawn held out his hand and took the seven dollars.

As we painted the fence, Shawn asked for ice cream. Cory seemed upset that we kept asking for stuff, but it's hot, and we're thirsty and hungry. He brought back vanilla ice cream that was dipped in chocolate.

Minkus said he preferred a "heath bar crunch," which sounded a bit gross. Cory grabbed the ice cream, went over to a flower pot, and put dirt on it. "Here you are, Minkus. Crunch on that." He said. "Is it just me, or is he coping an attitude?" Minkus asked as Shawn and I nodded. "I'm beginning to feel unwelcome here." Shawn said. "Me too." I replied. "Water war?" "Water war."

We began to walk away. "Hey, come on, come on! I paid you. I brought you sandwiches. I brought you ice cream!" Cory called out. "Yeah, so?" Shawn asked. "So, I'm gonna sue you!" "Fine, have your lawyer call my mom." Shawn yelled back. We walked to the park for our water war.

Cory showed up later on and helped me win against Shawn and Minkus. Then I betrayed him and won the war all for myself. I went home soaked and cold, but it was all worth it.