risky ; the goonies

half of four

nicole hursh

9:45 am

"anyways, get into groups of three, groups that you know you'll do well with," the teacher announces causing me to look over to mikey and mouth.

i point at myself to them, making it clear that they were to join my group and they both nod in agreement.

i stand up to walk over to them both.

"ready to win?" i ask. we were supposed to be doing a challenge today in science, like we do every once a month.

this time the children were supposed to see who could build the largest tower out of a certain amount of marshmallows and toothpicks.

"we better beat everyone else this time," mouth starts. his competitive streak always comes out during science challenges like this.

"should i go get some toothpicks and marshmallows?" mikey asks.

"yes, now mouth. where do you think it would be best to set up?" she asks, turning to face mouth.

"uh...there," he points at a spot next to the heater. a couple of girls with loud earrings slowly make their way over there but not before mouth runs and leaps to snatch the spot first.

"sorry ladies! there's still room on my lap if you want!" mouth calls out, laughing.

"act your age mouth," the girl mumbles to him, furrowing her eyebrows in annoyance.

"oh shut up nicky, i'm like young and this is how the boys my age act," he defends poorly, arms stretched out at his sides.

"well then act like a civil person!"

mikey came up to the two with the marshmallows and toothpicks, placing them on the ground.

"okay, let's do this," he says sitting down crisscross-applesauce.

mikey's breath sounds a little short, probably because of his asthma and allergy season. nicole gives him a small smile and moves the items around. mikey is a cute kid, always has been. it's confusing as to how he doesn't have a girlfriend yet, but yet again he's not exactly the river phoenix of existing. although nicole always found him interesting.

"thanks mikey," i say. maybe mikey isn't one of the popular kids but he's a good person. he hangs out with kids like chunk and the rest of the goonies. chunks the laughing stock of the grade seeing as how he's always embarrassing himself with stories of bank robbers and celebrity sightings in his own home.

i'm sure i'm in the group because i like comic books rather than the coolest new lipstick shade. mikey's probably here because mouths still here, and they grew up together the closest. data and chunk grew up with mikey and mouth too, meaning that we would obviously stick with them.

i came into the group a couple years late, not having such a best friend relationship with anyone, but we all got along just fine.

i'm not sure why mouth and mikey don't leave the group, i guess they believe in the power of friendship more than having an invite to the next hottest party.

"is everyone going to your house after school mikey?" i ask starting to build.

mouth's still causing a scene in the room and stealing people's materials when they're not looking so it's basically just me and mikey building.

"i think so. chunk said he had something to do first but mouth and i are walking back home together after school," mikey replies.

i look up and stare at him for a second.