There were some kids who laughed at the suggestion, but not many.
I felt the pit of my stomach turn sour again, but then someone grabbed my hand. I jumped, surprised. It was Faith. She had skated out to the centre of the rink to stand by my side.
Wyatt looked dumbfounded. I think he was trying to say something, but I couldn’t understand anything coming out of his mouth.
Nobody else in the rink laughed with him anymore. Most of them had already moved on, skating circles on the track.
‘Congrats,’ Faith said with a smile.
Embarrassed, I smiled. ‘Thanks. I uh … it was pretty difficult.’
‘I bet!’ she replied.
I lifted our hands up. ‘So … does this mean … ?’
Faith laughed and she squeezed my hand. ‘It means whatever it means.’
I stared at her with my big stupid grin.
‘Oh,’ Faith continued. ‘And we’ll have no more of your sitting-alone-at-lunch nonsense. I was going to say something earlier this week, but you kept hanging out in the lobby. You’re always welcome at my table with me and my friends.’
It was nice of Faith to invite me, but I felt uncomfortable. ‘Thanks, but your table is full of girls. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I’d probably never hear the end of it.’
Faith was confused. ‘What’s there to make fun of? You’d be the only dude at a table filled with girls. Any guy at Buchanan would kill to have that spot.’
I laughed, understanding she was totally right. But then I realised another thing – I didn’t really care what anyone thought anyway, and that surprised me.
Gavin skated out to the centre of the circle as his two hall monitors helped Wyatt off the rink.
‘What’s gonna happen to him?’ I asked.
Gavin looked back at Wyatt. ‘Nothing, I suppose. We’re not in school right now, so my men are just helpin’ him off the skate floor. As far as school goes, I’m not sure. There’s not much evidence against him except for your word. It looks like he might get away with it.’
As much as it pained me to think of Wyatt going unpunished, I realised something else – sometimes people get away with what they’ve done. It’s unfair, but it does happen from time to time. All I could do was put best foot forward and leave it alone – try my best to ‘play a different game’ as Zoe had said.
I took a breath, and asked, ‘What about the red ninja clan?’
‘They’re next on my agenda,’ Gavin said, ‘but I could use someone on my team who has experience.’
I glanced at Faith, remembering that she knew my secret. ‘He means I’m a pretty good detective.’
Gavin paused. ‘Right, if that’s what you think I mean. Anyway, I’m sure that wasn’t the last we seen of those red ninja fellas. Something tells me they’ll be back.’
‘I think Chase will be a good addition to your team,’ Zoe added. ‘He’s got special skills that make him an expert in that sort of thing.’
I heard Wyatt shouting at the hall monitors to let him go once he was off the rink. I glanced over in time to see him swat the two boys off. ‘As long as he’s at Buchanan, I think the red ninja clan is something we’ll have to worry about.’ Then I looked at Faith. ‘But for tonight, I think I’m gonna just let it go.’
She smiled at me.
Gavin nodded, and started skating away. ‘Alright then. I’ll see you first thing on Monday morning.’
The lights to the skating rink switched off suddenly, and the disco ball lowered from a spot in the ceiling. A light hit it, reflecting thousands of dots across the floor.
‘Moonlight skate for couples only,’ the DJ said with a low voice. ‘Couples only moonlight skate.’
I felt Faith let go of my hand as she started skating away. ‘Yeah, right,’ she laughed. ‘I wouldn’t be caught dead skating the moonlight skate with someone!’
I laughed too, because it was a relief to not have to skate in the middle of the room while everyone was watching. I knew I still had a big dumb grin on my face as I caught up to her, but I didn’t care. There wasn’t anywhere else I’d rather be in that exact moment, and if I could make it last an eternity, I would.
It sounds sappy, I know, but guess what? I couldn’t be happier.
Marcus Emerson is the author of several highly imaginative children’s books, including the 6th Grade Ninja series, the Secret Agent 6th Grader series, Lunchroom Wars and the Adventure Club series. His goal is to create children’s books that are engaging, funny, and inspirational for kids of all ages – even the adults who secretly never grew up.
Marcus Emerson is currently having the time of his life with his beautiful wife and their amazing children. He still dreams of becoming an astronaut someday and walking on Mars.
Rise of the Red Ninjas Page 8