𝑬𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝑴í𝒂 | ᴮᵒʸ ᴹᵉᵉᵗˢ ᵂᵒʳˡᵈ

2: All is Fair in Love and War

Shawn, Cory, Marcel, 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, no question." Marcel said. "Live in a cool cave, 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." "How do you get to be a ward?" Marcel asked.

"Batman?" Cory asked. "Is he faster than a speeding bullet? I don't think so. Is he more powerful than a locomotive? Uh-uh." Cory said. "I'd want Superman." "Sees through walls. You'd never get away with anything." Shawn said. "Because I'd make somebody a very cool ward." Marcel said. "I'd like to have Superman for a dad." Cory said, crossing his arms and resting his upper body on the lunch table. "What about you, Adriana-Camila?" Shawn asked. "Batman or Superman?"

"I gotta say Batman. I like the dark so I wouldn't mind the living situation." I spoke. I feel like Batman would be a great dad. "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 said, putting away the water gun. "Gentlemen, and Adriana-Camila, meet the Hydro-Sat 3000-Z. Blow your head clean off." Marcel said, pulling out his water gun. "The 3000? That's not even supposed to come out till Christmas!" Cory said. "I know a guy." Marcel said, then squirted Minkus with the water.

"You really shouldn't do that." Minkus said. "Why? You gonna melt?" I asked, teasing him and laughing. "No." Minkus said as he pulled out this big instrument looking case. He took out an even bigger water gun than Marcel's and Shawn's. "I'm going to retaliate." Shawn and Cory admired Minkus' water gun as I moved to the side so Marcel and Minkus could have a water gun standoff. "Go ahead. Make. Me. Wet." Minkus warned him. Marcel backed down and put his water gun away. "Wise choice." Minkus said, then put 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 said, then turned around and saw everyone, including myself, pointing a water gun towards him. Cory tried to play it cool.

"How are ya?" He asked as we all began to squirt him with the water. Cory began yelling. "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.

The day went slow and fast at the same time.

In a few days, Shawn, Cory, Minkus, Marcel, and I are going to have a water war at the park.

I took all my dad's beer cans and put them in a trash bag and took it down to the corner so I could trade the cans for money so I could get a better water gun.

After I bought the water gun, I had some money left over, so I put it in the small jar in the back of my closet that had all the money I've been saving since I was little.

A few days later, it was time for the water war. Shawn, Minkus, Marcel, 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 rain, weather attire screaming "War!" Shawn smiled and laughed. "War brings out the beast in Minkus." He said.

"You kids and your water wars." Cory said as if he was a parent. "I'd love to join you, but I'm having way too much fun here!" He said, motioning to the partially painted fence. "You're bailing on the water war?" I asked. "To paint a fence?" Marcel asked in disbelief. "You say "paint a fence" I say "party!" Cory said. "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, how come you cutting us out?" Marcel asked. "People, people. Am I the only one who read the summer reading list?" Minkus asked. We didn't say anything. "Tom Sawyer? He's sucking you in to do the work for him!" Minkus said. Marcel pointed his water gun at Cory. "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 said. "We're gonna hang with the big yellow guy!" Shawn 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." Cory said. "Is it just me, or is he coping an attitude?" Minkus asked. We all nodded. "I'm beginning to feel unwelcome here." Shawn said. "Me too." I replied. "Water war?" Marcel asked. "Water war." I said.

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

As we walked, I felt someone grab my hand. It was Shawn. He was holding my hand and smiling at me. I held his hand and smiled at him. This is new and different. Cory ended up being able to come to the water war. It was fun.

When I got home, I kept trying to wrap my head around why Shawn held my hand on the way to the park. He's never done anything like that before. I didn't mind it, and it was kind of nice. Who am I kidding? It was amazing!