Hi, my name is Jack Downey. A few months ago, a couple friends of mine, along with myself, helped solve a big mystery involving our teacher, Mr. Walker. OK, it was mostly Lexy, but the rest of us helped. During that time, I got to know Lexy really well. At first, I thought she was a really stuck up girl who only thought about shopping and fashion and stupid stuff like that, but the whole time we were working together, I started to realize little by little that she actually wasn’t that. In fact, it was her fashion sense that solved the mystery.

Anyway, enough about that. After we helped her solve the mystery, we started hanging out a lot together. We had decided to go bowling, so I called her to see when she wanted to go.

“Hey, is Lexy there?” I asked when her dad answered.

“Yeah, hang on a minute,” he said, and I heard him call her name. A minute later, she answered.

“Hello?”

“Hey Lexy, this is Jack.”

“Oh.”

“You sound disappointed,” I joked.

“No, it’s not that!!” she said, and then added, “I was expecting Jen to call.”

“Oh.”

“So, what did you call for?”

“Oh, um, I was wondering when we were going bowling.”

“Oh, well, how about this Saturday? I’m free then.”

“Sure, that sounds great. You wanna invite Jen and Gabe too?” I asked.

“Yeah, we can ask them tomorrow at school.”

“That sounds good,” I said. There was a little silence, and then I added, “Well, I gotta go finish my homework, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

”Sure, how about you meet me at my locker before school, and we can talk to Jen and Gabe there.”

“Yeah, that sounds good. Bye, Lexy” I said, and we hung up. At that moment, my mom walked into the room.

“Who was on the phone?” she asked.

“Oh, no one, I just called them to get some help on some homework,” I said, and put on my most honest face, and hoped she believed me.

“Who is she??” ma asked and smiled.

“WHAT?? How do you know it’s a she?”

“Well, you’ve never needed help with a homework assignment, and the only other time you used that face on me was when you were talking to…. you know who.”

“Ma, I told you not to talk about her!!!!” I yelled. “I never want to hear her name again!!”

“Sorry,” she said, and then added, “but I didn’t say her name. Then she started to leave the room, but turned around again. “Oh, before I forget, a letter arrived from your brother today. It’s on the counter if you want to read it.” Then she turned around and left. As she walked out, I turned back to my homework, but all I could think about was Lexy. The more I thought about her, the more I hoped this time it wouldn’t turn out like *her*.

Just then, I heard the door open, and ma called “Jack, I’m leaving!!”

“Bye!!” I responded.

“Don’t forget the dishes!!”

“OK, BYE!!!!” Then the door slammed, and I went back to my homework, this time making sure not to get sidetracked. After I finished a grueling math study session, I went down the stairs to get a snack. As I was putting something in the microwave for my nachos, I glanced over and saw the letter from Todd on the table. I decided to look at it while I was waiting for the microwave to go off. As I walked over, I saw there was one for Ma, and another one for me in the envelope that was still unopened.

“Dear Jack,
Aloha!! How are you?? I’m doing pretty good. Got a good tan, ha ha ha. (You were supposed to laugh there too.) Well, actually, it rained the last couple days, but other than that it’s been pretty nice weather. The guys down here are all cool, (but not as hot as the hunnies, if you catch my drift, but don’t tell ma!!). We go out almost every night (me and the guys that is). What’s going on up there? Anything interesting (like a girlfriend??) Well, I gotta go now, I gotta do some work at some point today. Write me back.
Aloha,
Todd"

As I finished the letter, the microwave went off, and I ate my snack as I re-read the letter. By the time I was done eating and doing the dishes, it was 11:00, and he decided to go to bed.