Kyle, Summer, and Pigeon showed the yard duty their candy. She checked Eric and Denny as well. Apparently she had missed Nate’s flight, because she paid him no heed. She studied the ground, hunting for remnants of fireworks. Ms. Figgoria got huffier as it became clear that there was no evidence of wrongdoing.

“You haven’t tried the white fudge from Sweet Tooth, have you?” Kyle asked.

“I don’t eat sugar,” Ms. Figgoria replied. “And I don’t tolerate nonsense. You kids better get your acts together.”

“Later,” Denny promised, patting Pigeon on the shoulder before strolling off with Eric and Kyle to eat lunch.

“Are you okay?” Summer asked Nate.

“I’ve been zapped by those Shock Bits more times than I’d like,” Nate grumbled. “It’s like getting kicked from every direction all at once.”

“Summer shocked Denny back,” Pigeon said.

“I sort of saw,” Nate said. “What are they doing with Shock Bits?”

“Looks like they picked up our old after-school job,” Summer said.

“As if things weren’t bad enough,” Nate moaned. “You guys have many Shock Bits left?”

“A decent amount,” Pigeon said.

“I need to go to the rest room and wash up,” Nate said. “Can I borrow a dose for safety?”

“Of course,” Pigeon said. “How about two mouthfuls?”

“While you’re handing out candy, do you have an extra Sweet Tooth I could borrow?” Summer asked.

“Sure,” Pigeon said. “I’ve only used one so far.”

“Let’s hope they don’t know about these yet,” Summer said, placing the candy on her tongue.

She walked over to the table where Denny, Eric, and Kyle were sitting. Eric nudged Denny, who turned to confront Summer. “Touch me again and you’ll regret it,” he threatened.

“Don’t mess with my friends. I just came over to warn you guys about Mrs. White. She’s dangerous. Did you hear what she did to Trevor?”

“She told us how you guys betrayed her,” Eric said. “Man, you morons spoiled a good thing.”

“Our gain,” Kyle said.

“She trapped Trevor as a reflection in a mirror,” Summer said. “Maybe forever. Worse will happen to you guys. Count on it. You should quit taking candy from her.”

They were all listening attentively. Eric even nodded. Denny suddenly shook his head. “She warned us about the Sweet Tooth junk, if that’s what you’re trying.” The other two boys snapped out of the trance. “You almost had me going for a second.”

“I’m just giving you fair warning,” Summer said. “You’re walking into a very messy situation.”

“Only because you losers made the mess,” Denny said. “Stop trying to warn us. Stop trying to talk to us. I understand you’re jealous that we’re getting all your candy. Tough luck. Stay out of our way, or you really will get hurt.”

“I can’t believe how much Mandy Meyers keeps staring at you,” Summer said, changing the subject abruptly and making her tone much more conversational.

“Yeah?” Denny said, checking over his shoulder. Mandy Meyers was the sixth-grade girl who enjoyed the celebrity status of most desirable female at Mt. Diablo Elementary. Mandy was seated one table over. Summer had noticed that she was sort of facing Denny.

“That kind of window of opportunity closes fast,” Summer said. “If you like Mandy, you should make a move.” Summer deliberately said Mandy’s name loudly, earning a glance from her, which Denny noticed.

“You think?” he asked, sitting up a little straighter.

“Girls like Mandy want a guy who knows how to take control of a situation. She doesn’t want to play games. She wants a guy bold enough to fearlessly share his feelings.”

“Lame as you are, you may be right,” Denny said.

“Go for it,” Kyle encouraged.

“You’re the man,” Eric said.

Denny got up and started walking around the lunch table. Summer could not believe he was falling for it. What a difference between proposing something he wanted to hear versus suggesting an idea he didn’t want to believe! She would have to keep that in mind. She moved close enough to eavesdrop.

“I noticed you looking at me,” Denny said to Mandy.

She stared up at him uncertainly. “Excuse me?”

“Don’t be shy. I think you’re a hottie too. Want to go out with me?”

Mandy looked befuddled. “No, I don’t even know you.”

“That’s the idea, we’ll get to know each other,” Denny said, throwing in a wink.

“I think you need mental help,” Mandy said, turning her back on him. Her friends snickered.

Denny retreated, face reddening. He glared at Summer, awareness registering in his eyes.

“You don’t believe me when I tell the truth,” Summer said. “But you totally gobble up the lie!”

“Don’t worry,” Denny replied. “You’ll get yours.”

*****

The faded blue ice cream truck rolled forward, leaving behind a pair of young teenagers holding chocolate-dipped ice cream bars. Electronic music chimed, sounding like an amplified demo song from a cheap keyboard. Nate, Summer, and Pigeon did their best to look casual as the truck squeaked to a stop in front of them.

“Here are some familiar faces,” Mr. Stott blustered. “How about some candy on the house?”

“Sure,” Nate said.

“All of this candy is extremely difficult to make. Feel free to use it, but please do not waste it. Pigeon, this sack is full of Brain Feed. You will not eat this yourself. Brain Feed grants animals temporary human intelligence and communication skills. Most birds, mammals, and reptiles find it delicious. The effect should last about ten minutes. Brain Feed does not guarantee friendship, but you’ll find that many animals will be cooperative. A big helping lasts no longer than a small one, so portion it sparingly. Pretend to give me money for it.”

Pigeon acted like he was handing Mr. Stott money and accepted the bag.

“Summer, I call this gum Peak Performance. You get six sticks in a pack. While chewing it, you’ll find yourself performing at the absolute limits of your physical capacity for as long as the flavor lasts. Not only will you sprint faster than you ever have, you will be able to continue at top speed without tiring. You’ll find yourself almost perfect at dodging, aiming, balancing, and a wide array of acrobatic feats. A serious athlete would trade anything for a substance like this.”