Jema

Regan {eight}

I'm not tall enough to ride the roller coaster at the park.

It's stupid, too, 'cause I'm only two inches too short. I gotta be 4'10". I'm 4'8". Stupid.

The worst part is that Toby and Corey and even Dennis get to go on the roller coaster. Dennis is younger than me, too. Freakin' dumb. I'm not gonna cry about it, though. I think Jonah is here, and if he sees me cry, he'll get his friends to call me a girl again.

So I have'ta sit down again until they're done.

I suck on my lollipop beside the playground until they're done riding. It's no fair to leave me, just 'cause I'm short. Maybe I will cry.

When I look up from my shoes, I see Regan from school. She's too short to ride the roller coaster, too. "Hey, Corbin Slate."

"You know I don't like that name," I sigh. "You're too short?"

Regan smacks her gum loudly with her mouth open. My mom would smack her right on the lips for doing that. It's impolite. "Yeah. You're short, too. Want some gum?" I hold out my hand. Regan sits beside me. I like her hair. I wish my hair was that color. Blonde and dark and pretty. "I heard you're gonna go to the dance on Friday."

"That's not true," I sigh.

"Well, you should go. Valerie's gonna be there with me 'nd Janet." Regan flips her hair over her shoulder. "It's a cool dance. Lots of girls there."

"Cool."