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1995
Panda sat on the Hanson's couch sandwiched between Rodrigo and Raine. It was a sobbering day Jenny Lewis, the fifth of the quintet, had finally lost her battle with leukemia early that morning. Zac sat in the easy chair beside them, looking straight ahead, though Panda doubted he saw at all.
"Zac," she said softly, her voice choking on fresh tears. He didn't even blink, which made her wince. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks, and she pulled her knees to her chest.
There was nothing she could say or do. Alhtough the five kids had all been considered inseperable, Jenny and Zac had always been different-had always stayed ever-so-slightly out os the circle.
Nobody noticed, she tought bitterly. Nobody noticed that Panda Lewis had always been just a bit envious of Zac's affection for Jenny. To everyone else, the five were a scheming, laughing club of only the best 10-year-olds in the 6-by-6 block area of West Tulsa; each had his or her own part in the club of mischief, and no others were accepted, and now they would see that one of the five was gone. They would think that the five would strenghten, and maybe find a replacement.
Panda's dry thoughts hung heavy in the cluttered living room. 'They would like to think that, wouldn't they?'
