I was as disappointed as everyone else. But I was also happy to be getting out of that creepy house

safe and sound. And pleased that I had proven to the others that I was as brave as they were.

Sure, Rubin would continue to pick on me and make my life hard. But I had proven something to

myself.

We gathered up our coats, which were still damp from the rain. Then we hurried out the front door.

Rubin slammed it hard behind us.

The rain had stopped, and a pale half-moon hung between the clouds. The air smelled cool and fresh.

Puddles glistened on the driveway as we made our way to the street.

We said very quick good-byes. I think we were all eager to go home and get warm. Buzzy and I

crossed the street and headed toward our block.

"You feeling okay?” Buzzy asked. “You were looking pretty strange in there.”

“Yeah. Fine,” I said. “I think I just caught a chill or something. It was so cold in there.”

"Shame we didn’t get our proof,” Buzzy murmured.

“Yeah. Shame,” I said.

As my house came into view on the next block, I was happy to put an end to this Halloween night

and our stay in the old haunted house.

I didn’t realize that my life was about to change forever.

ЧАСТЬ ТРЕТЬЯ НЕСКОЛЬКО ДНЕЙ СПУСТЯ 18

"Let’s begin our discussion, everyone,” Miss Flake shouted over the voices and laughter in the room. Lunch

period had just ended. A seventh grader had passed around a big basket of leftover Halloween candy. And

we were all pretty hyper from the chocolate.

“I hope you all read the unit in your texts about the early exploration of the West.” Miss Flake

motioned with both hands for us to quiet down.

She dropped onto the edge of her desk and tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for all the talking to

stop. She picked at something on the sleeve of her white sweater. Then she called for quiet again.

I sat in the middle of the back row. I felt pretty safe back there. I hate class discussions, and I hate

being called on. The main reason is Rubin Rubino.

Every time I say something in class, he makes a joke about it. He thinks it’s a riot to imitate me and

put me down and make fun of everything I say. Miss Flake has warned him about it, but Rubin doesn’t

quit. And lots of times, he gets big laughs at my expense.

I finally decided the best way to stop Rubin’s jokes was for me to stop saying anything in class. So,

the middle of the back row is the best place for me to sit. I can just duck my head low behind Derek

Delaney, a big mountain of a kid who sits right in front of me, and Miss Flake never sees me to call on me.

"Sammy, did you read the chapter?" Buzzy whispered from the seat next to me.

I nodded. "Yeah. Sure. Did you?”

"I left my textbook in my locker yesterday,” Buzzy said in a loud whisper. “So I couldn’t read it.”

"Maybe she won’t call on you,” I whispered back.

"So who can tell me why the early pioneers were so eager to explore the American West?” Miss Flake

asked. Her eyes surveyed the room. "What were their reasons? They had a lot of reasons for leaving their

homes in the East and heading west, right? What were they?”

Several kids raised their hands. Rubin didn’t raise his. He just shouted out, “They wanted to visit

Hollywood!”

That got a big laugh. Miss Flake laughed, too. She thinks Rubin’s jokes are funny, and she lets him

shout out stuff all the time.