Joshua rolled out of bed and ran to the toilet to pee. Back in his room, he stepped out of his pajama bottoms as his mother called from the bottom of the stairs. “Joshua-a-a, get moving. Breakfast is on the table!” From the pile of clothes on the floor of his closet, he picked out his lucky red shirt. Fridays were spelling test days and he knew he would crush it. He had spelled the words perfectly last night with his mom. He thought about Joanie, his seat mate, who he secretly loved. He found his jeans balled up under his bed and his shoes in the corner where he had kicked them off. The rubber band that he used to tie back his hair was around his wrist.
HIs older brother, David, was already at the table, hunched over his bowl of Cherrios. Joshua grabbed a bowl and the box. “Hey, dick-brain! I’m reading that.” Joshua rolled his eyes and poured himself a bowl of the cereal. He set the box down on the table, out of David’s reach.
David stared at Joshua. “You look like a girl with your stupid long hair. That tee-shirt barely fits over your fat stomach.”
“David” his mother reprimanded. “Josh, don’t listen to him.”