PS: I did help my sister with her blood sample. I had to hand her a ketosis strip after she stabbed her finger with this little jabber to get a drop of blood. She said I had to be there in case she fainted. I nearly fainted myself when she squeezed the blood onto the strip and then stuck it in a little machine. But she was happy because the machine gave her a good number. I don’t know what ketosis is or why she wants to have it in her blood, but I bet it’s not healthy and that my mom would be so upset if she found out. Thought you might appreciate how weird our family is.

5

Hey, Larry,

Today our math teacher, Miss Jenkins, gave us a pop quiz to assess our skill level. Miss Jenkins is smiley but she’s also sort of mean. Evidence: quiz on day four.

I could tell the kid in the next desk was lost, so I helped him out just like you used to do for me. I nodded at my paper in front of me and he understood right away.

After I showed him the answer, he nodded in my general direction. He was normal looking, unlike lots of the other kids in my class who seem too strong or too tall or like they don’t have showers to get clean but instead jump in rivers and then roll around on rocks like otters. I think it might be from all the outdoor activities people around here do. The kids look old, and the adults dress like kids. It’s strange.

After class, the kid I helped leaned over to me. “Thanks. Who gives a test in the first week?”

“Yeah,” I said. I didn’t mention that in my old school we’d learned about multiplying and dividing decimals a long time ago and that the quiz the teacher gave us was totally easy.

“I’m Dave,” he said. “You going for lunch?” He is a white kid with short brown hair and round glasses.

I’d been planning to sit near my locker by myself and play games or maybe write to you, but that wasn’t going to get me any more friends. A person needs to have online friends and real ones for a healthy mix. I currently have none anywhere, which isn’t great.

I semi-shrugged, because I didn’t know if he was asking if I wanted to join him and his friends or just asking a general question. For about the hundred and fiftieth time, I wished I was back at Circle Square with you guys.

“I’m going to eat out by the benches. You can come if you want,” said Dave.

“Sure,” I said, because Rule #4 is Learn about People and Rule #5 is Put Together a Winning Team. You can’t do either of those things when you don’t talk to anyone.