Can I Play, Too?
Cassandra Sunn

Rating: PG for language.

Genre: Humour

Summery: A nice story about a boy named Ken. It’s his life and stuff. I’m terrible at summaries! Just read it. It’s good, I swear!!

Disclaimer: None! It’s not a fanfic. Mine!! . Grrrrr...

Mindless Dribble: Blah!

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Chapter One
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Hi! My name is Ken and I’m six years old. It’s my first day of first grade. My first recess. Everyone was playing games and having fun. I stood there, watching five of my classmates play basketball. At least, the first grade version of the game, which was mostly running after the ball. The ball bounced my way and I caught it.

“Can I play, too?” I asked.

“No way,” one of the boys replied.

“Why not?”

“Because you’re a four-eyed shrimp.”

Harsh for a six-year-old.

So I wear glasses. So I’m a bit short for my age. I can still play basketball. Right?

I guess not.

I threw the ball to the boy and left. I saw two children playing tag. Tag doesn’t require height, just speed. And I can run.

“Can I play, too?”

“No!” the girl yelled. “It’s a two person game.”

“Yeah,” the boy added. “No more people.”

I don’t take up much room. Why couldn’t I just join in?

I walked away and sat on the swing.

“Get off!” a voice called out. I turned to see a little pigtailed girl with her hands on her hips and a glare on her face. Three other girls stood behind her.

“Why?” I asked.

“‘Cause we’re playing a game and we need the swings.”

“Can I play, too?”

“Girls only! Go away.”

I got off the swing and started up the slide.

“Off the castle!” the girl yelled. “That’s part of the game!”

I got down and walked away. I saw some kids playing on the monkey bars and started towards them. Wait. They won’t let me join in. I turned away and went to a small, grassy hill. It was deserted. Lovely. I sat down and plucked up a blade of grass. My older brother, Harry, had shown me how to whistle with grass, but I never got the hang of it.

“I guess now is a good time to practice,” I muttered aloud. “This is the only game I can play.”

“Can I play, too?”

I looked up to find a boy hovering over me. He was taller than me, but let’s face it, who isn’t? He had short brown hair and a friendly smile.

“Um, okay,” I said, curious as to why he would want to be with me.

“Thanks,” he grinned. He sat down. “No one else will let me play with them.”

Ah, I’m a last resort. Rather be with me than be alone.

“So, what are you playing?” he asked.

“Um, my bigger brother showed me how to whistle through grass. I’m trying to do it.”

“Sounds like fun!”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“My name’s Calvin. What’s yours?”

“Ken.”

“Wanna be friends, Ken?”

“Really?”

“Yeah!”

“Okay!”

My first friend. Calvin. We spent the rest of recess together, trying to whistle with the grass, and failing miserably. But we had fun. It was sad when the bell rang. We didn’t have the same teacher. He had Mr. Cole and I had Miss Andrews. We promised to spend lunch together. And we did. And third recess, too. All the time trying to whistle. It made us laugh. The grass tickled our lips.

When I got home, I ran to Harry’s room. “Guess what?”

“Um, you saw Bigfoot?” Harry guessed.

“That was yesterday!” I giggled. Harry was always kidding around and it was fun to kid with him. “No, I made a friend! And I tried to teach him that whistle-y thing you did with the grass, but I couldn’t, ‘cause I couldn’t do it either, but it was so much fun!”

“Well, good for you!” Harry clapped for me. “I told you that whistling grass was a good way to make friends.”

“You were right!” I yelled, hopping from foot to foot. I had so much energy!

He laughed. “Go run laps or something, Kid. I have homework to do.” Harry was in high school. There was a lot of homework in high school.

Four years later. The end of fifth grade. Calvin and I were still friends. Best friends. Best friends that would be separated.

“Do you really have to move?” I asked, near tears.

“Yeah,” Calvin replied, as close to crying as I was. “My dad got a job in another town and they have a good school there. A private school. My mom wants me to go there. She went there when she was my age.”

“So? We’re friends!”

“You have other friends. What about Lisa and Roger?”

“Yeah, I have them. But what about you? You don’t have them at your new school. And you don’t have me!”

“We can talk on the phone and visit. It’s not like we’ll never see each other again.”

“I guess. I’ll miss you.”

“Me, too.”

Middle school passed too slowly. In seventh grade, Roger moved, leaving me with Lisa. She was cool, but a guy needs guy friends. I did not want to talk about hair and clothes. It was hard losing Roger, but it wasn’t as bad as Calvin. It turned out the private school his mom was talking about was a boarding school in England. I haven’t seen him since fifth grade. I get a letter once in a while, but no calls. He doesn’t even come home for Christmas! His parents aren’t the best in the world.

I knew high school would be the same as middle school. Lousy. Lonely. But ten times the homework. Harry always had homework to do. He always complained. But he was a good student. I wish I was as smart as him. Oh, well. I have other things to worry about.

Like my height. I’m still a shrimp. Not the same as in first grade, but I look like I could be eleven or something. And I’m going to be a freshman? Great. At least I have my contacts. No more four eyes! Haha!

“Mom!” I yelled. “I can’t find my contacts!”

“We gotta go, Ken!” she yelled back. “Just grab your glasses.”

No! I couldn’t! Damn it, I had too.

Man, I worked so hard to look good! I grew my hair long enough for a “cool-guy” ponytail, bought “cool-guy” clothes and all that. Now I had to wear my “nerd-guy” glasses. I’ll never get a girlfriend like this.

The first day passed. Not too bad. I had some good classes. I’m thinking of joining the soccer team. Maybe. I’m a good runner. It’ll be fun. Lisa wants me to try out for the tennis team with her. Yeah, right!

Oh, good news! Roger’s back. His new place was too far away to go to the same middle school, but the high school was in range. So I got him back. Now we just need Calvin. Not likely.

Roger hadn’t changed at all. He was still a goofy clown. But he’d gotten taller. Damn, so had everyone! This kid named Simon was about as tall as me in eighth grade. He’s now a head taller! It sucks being five foot one. A lot.

The next day, I had my contacts. And I looked good! Of course, only Lisa and Roger noticed. Oh, well.

It was only the second day and I already have a crush on someone. New record! Whoo! Her name is Chris. Short for Christine, I’m assuming. She’s really pretty. She has short blond hair and beautiful blue eyes. And she’s only two inches taller than me! Bonus! She’s in my English class. She has the prettiest accent! British. I’m in love! Only one problem. I can’t get up the nerve to talk to her. She talked to me, though. You want to know our conversation?

Chris: (with sexy accent) Hello.

Me: (with no accent) ... blink ... H-hi... :failing to hide blush:

Chris: My name is Chris. I just moved here.

Me: ...

Chris: This place seems okay, but I do miss London.

Me: ...

Chris: Okay, then. See you later. walks away

Me: ... Damn.

See? I suck at talking to girls! Except Lisa. But she doesn’t really count. To me, at least. Roger has started going all funny around her. And not clown funny. Me-talking-to-Chris funny. Though not that extreme. I’ve only seen that extreme in movies. I didn’t know it could happen in real life. I told Lisa what happened and she couldn’t stop laughing. I think she knows something because it was not that funny. Especially since she started snickering when I called Chris hot. And that was before I told her what I had said! What’s wrong with Chris? Surely Lisa would tell me if something was up. But then again, this is Lisa. Damn. Double damn. I tried asking Roger about it, but as soon as I said Lisa’s name, he was off in La La Land. Guys in love can be so annoying! Oh, I guess I can’t talk.

When I got home, I called Harry. He’s now twenty-two and living at college. Anyway, I told him about Chris and what Lisa did.

“Lisa knows something,” Harry said without hesitation. “Maybe this Chris person already has a boyfriend. Eight feet tall and rides a Harley. Tattoos all over. The usual Hell’s Angel.”

“Oh, come on!” I yelled. “She just moved here. She couldn’t have a boyfriend already. Especially like that.”

“British Hell’s Angel?”

“You are so annoying sometimes.”

“Hey, there was a time when you would kid with me. What happened?”

“Normally I would, but this is the love of my life we are talking about here.”

“Okay, okay. Hey, maybe she’s the daughter of some royal aristocrat guy. And if you touch her, they’ll shoot you!”

I hung up.

That night, I was on my computer and I got an email from someone. Someone I didn’t know. I was bored and no one was on, so I checked it out.

Kenny boy! How are you? Still whistling grass?

No way. FauxBrit was online, so I sent an instant message.

HellChild01: Hey there, fake British person.

FauxBrit: Kenny!

HellChild01: Don’t call me that, Cal. What’s up?

FauxBrit: Oh, nothing much. Dying of boredom. Boarding school sucks! You?

HellChild01: In love, man!

FauxBrit: Really?

HellChild01: Well, I just met her.

FauxBrit: Oh, yeah, that’s love.

HellChild01: Romeo and Juliet!

FauxBrit: And they died.

HellChild01: Okay, I’m gonna leave now.

FauxBrit: No, come on, I was only joking.

HellChild01: And I’m not in the mood.

FauxBrit: Fine. What’s she like?

HellChild01: Hot! She has blond hair and blue eyes and a sexy accent.

FauxBrit: What kind of accent?

HellChild01: British.

FauxBrit: Oh, maybe I know her.

HellChild01: Yeah, she just moved here from London. Her name is Chris... damn, I don’t know her last name.

FauxBrit: Well, it doesn’t matter. I don’t know a female Chris. I know some guys, though.

HellChild01: Oh, that helps.

FauxBrit: I do try.

HellChild01: Fine. Be that way.

FauxBrit: I will.

HellChild01: Okay.

FauxBrit: Fine.

HellChild01: Sure.

FauxBrit: Yeah.

HellChild01: Cal?

FauxBrit: Yeah?

HellChild01: You’re weird.

FauxBrit: Thanks.

FauxBrit: Oh, damn, I gotta go. TTYL!

HellChild01: Bye!

It’s nice talking to Calvin. But this Chris thing is really bugging me! I got offline and went to bed. I dreamt about Chris. She’s a good kisser. Sigh.