Freddie Ramos Makes a Splash (3 page)

I reached Adriana just in time to bump into her.

We both fell over. The pink wallet flew out of my hand.

“Freddie!” Adriana shouted. “What are you doing?”

“Saving you from the fire hydrant.”

Adriana rubbed her elbow.

“Thanks. I guess.”

“Are you all right?” a deep voice said.

I looked up at Mr. Vaslov. This was the second time in one afternoon he’d found me on the ground. Superheroes should fly, not fall on their bottoms. They should also do a better job of catching people.

“We’re fine,” Adriana said. “But I lost my wallet. Did you see it?”

Mr. Vaslov pointed at something behind us. “Is it pink?”

“Yes!” Adriana leaned over and grabbed it. “Thanks! My wallet must have fallen out of my pocket. I’m glad to have it back.”

I was glad Adriana had her wallet back, too. I just wanted to be the one to give it to her. Sometimes hero jobs turn out to be duds.

“How’s summer camp going?” Mr. Vaslov asked.

“Freddie is one of my Tadpoles,” Adriana said, “in swimming lessons.”

The Tadpoles were the beginners. After that came the Frogs, the Dolphins, and the Sharks. One day, I wanted to be a Shark. But so far, all I’d learned how to do was cling to the side of the pool and kick my legs.

“Not enough kids at Starwood Park know how to swim,” Mr. Vaslov said. “I’m glad you’re teaching Freddie how to be safe in the water.”

“Mrs. Barlow, the swim coach, wants to do more than that,” Adriana said. “She wants to teach Freddie and lots of other kids to be lifeguards one day.”

Lifeguards save people! That was for me. If I could learn to put my face in the water, I could be a lifeguard!

Adriana put her hand on my shoulder. “Tomorrow, Mrs. Barlow plans to spend extra time with Freddie while I help the other campers.”

Extra time? Mrs. Barlow liked the way I kicked the water. She said if I’d just let go of the side of the pool, I’d do great.

“Good!” Mr. Vaslov said, just as his cell phone rang. “Leaking bathtub in 15C? I’ll be right there.”

Since Mr. Vaslov hurried off to fix the bathtub, Adriana and I walked home together. We said good-bye at her apartment, and I went on alone to 29G, where I live.

That’s when two things happened at once. I stepped in another wad of grape bubble gum, and the girl on the green bike rode up.

The girl on the green bike parked in front of me, blocking my way.

“How’d you get that wallet out of my basket?”

Her voice sounded like a growl. I wanted to back away—nice and slow—the way I’ve seen people do on TV when they meet bears in the woods. But my shoe was sticky with bubble gum. I needed to clean it off first. Who was throwing gum on the sidewalk?

“Tell me how you got the wallet!” The girl leaned forward into my face. I smelled grapes. That answered one question. She was the one spitting bubble gum at Starwood Park.

I watched the girl’s jaws move up and down, trying to remember where I’d seen her before. The gum made a popping sound under her teeth. Something inside me felt like it was being chewed up, too.

A purple bubble poked out of her lips, growing bigger and bigger, heading right for my nose.

If I didn’t do something, I was going to have a sticky purple face! Could I jump? I pressed the button on my wristband. There was no tingling or humming in my feet. Zapato Power wasn’t going to save me this time. I had to use brain power. “Watch out!” I shouted, ducking down low.

The grape bubble exploded all over her face, not mine. Whew!

“YOU’RE GONNA PAY!” she snarled, pulling purple stuff off her cheeks. “No one takes stuff from me!”

That’s when my face got licked.

Gio’s dog, Puppy, came rushing up to say hello. Gio was behind him, pulling the green wagon. He looked at the girl on the green bike.

“Who are you?” he asked. “And why do you have a purple face?”

Gio is five, so he’s still full of questions older kids are afraid to ask.

“None of your business,” the girl on the green bike said.

She stared at Gio as if she was daring him to ask another question.

Puppy jumped in and out of the wagon, barking.

“You should keep your dog quiet,” the girl said.

“How come?” Gio asked.

“Because I said so.” She shoved Gio’s shoulder and rode off.

Gio started crying. “I don’t like her!”

Puppy barked.