She called me Freaky. I hate that name! It makes me worse than angry.
“Don’t call me that!” I yell, wanting to hit her.
She frowned again. Why was she frowning so much? I was the one that was mad.
“Okay, I won’t,” she said and then she smiles. I smile too.
I start walking again. I need to get home. I have been standing there too long. I only have twelve more minutes to get there. I haven’t even passed the red barn yet. I know I should have passed it two minutes ago.
“Wait up, Flynn!” Ellie said, running to catch up with me.
“I haven’t passed the barn yet,” I tell her.
“What?” she asks.
I point to the building ahead of me. I should have passed the barn when my watch said three forty-five. Now it is three forty-nine. This isn’t right. I feel anxious.
“Okay, well let’s hurry up then,” Ellie said and starts to run down the road. I don’t like to run but it is already three forty-nine. I should have passed the red barn at three forty-five.
I start to run. We pass the barn at three fifty.
“Where to next?” Ellie asks after we have slowed down.
“The stream with the four rocks. I’ll see it in four minutes,” I tell her, still walking.
“Cool. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the stream with the four rocks,” she said, pushing her shoulder into mine. I move away from her when she touches me even though I kind of like it. Because she is still smiling. She is really pretty, even though her hair is blue now.
“I hate the blue,” I said, pointing to her head.
Ellie touches her hair and her mouth stops smiling. “Me too,” she said. I don’t understand. If she doesn’t like it, why did she make her hair that color?
“Is that the stream?” she asks, pointing. I look down at my watch. It is only three fifty-three. We have gotten to the pond too early. It should have taken four minutes, not three. I start rubbing my hands. Up and down. Over and over again.
“Hey, what is it?” Ellie asks.
“It should have taken four minutes. Not three! Four!” I said, feeling upset.
Ellie laughs. “It’s okay, Flynn. That just means we’ll get to where you’re going that much quicker. No need to get upset about it,” she said.
I look at my watch. Ellie puts her hand over it and I pull away.
“Stop it!” I tell her, feeling mad again.
“Stop looking at your watch. It’s okay if it takes us a little longer. What’s the big deal?”
I point at my watch and the list of times Mom had made. “It was supposed to take four minutes! Not three!” I yell. Why can’t she see it?
Ellie takes the paper and looks at it. “Is this for real?” she asks and I don’t understand what she is saying.
“I’m supposed to be at the purple mailbox in three minutes. See,” I said, pointing to the paper, still feeling upset.
Ellie is frowning again. I like it better when she smiles.
“What’s wrong with you?” she asks me and my stomach twists up. Everyone always asks me that. I don’t understand why they ask me that.
“I have to get to the purple mailbox,” I said, taking the paper from her hands and folding it back up along the creases.
Ellie walks beside me. I don’t want her asking me that question again. That question makes me angry and worried.
