I couldn't believe it. My homework was gone. I had put it right in my backpack last night - I was SURE of it. But now, standing at my desk with Mrs. Rivera waiting, the folder was empty.
My face burned as other students stared at me. What were they thinking? Did they think I was lying? I wanted to explain, but the words stuck in my throat.
"Take a seat, Jordan," Mrs. Rivera said. "We'll talk after class."
I slumped into my chair, trying to remember where I could have left it. The kitchen table? My mom's car? This was going to be a very long morning.
Sofia bounced the basketball, her heart pounding. This was the shot that could win the championship. She thought about all the early morning practices, the hours of drills. Was she ready?
In the stands, her father gripped his seat nervously. He had never been more proud of his daughter, but he could barely watch. Next to him, Sofia's little brother was bouncing with excitement, sure that his sister would make it.
Coach Williams watched from the sideline, mentally going over every play they had practiced. She believed in Sofia, but she also knew that pressure could make anyone miss.
Sofia took a deep breath, focused on the rim, and released the ball.
Marcus carefully placed the last piece on his model rocket. He had spent three weeks building it in his room, keeping it hidden from his dad. Every night after dinner, he snuck materials upstairs, working in secret.
He couldn't wait to surprise his dad with it. Father's Day was only two days away, and Marcus knew how much his dad loved space. He imagined the look on his father's face - that would make all the hard work worth it.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps on the stairs. Marcus quickly threw a blanket over the rocket and grabbed a book, pretending to read. His dad poked his head in.
"Homework going okay?" his dad asked.
"Yeah, almost done," Marcus said, hoping his voice sounded normal. His heart was racing. Had his dad noticed anything?
I watched from my window as the moving truck pulled up next door. A family climbed out - two parents and a girl who looked about my age. She had short dark hair and was wearing a purple soccer jersey.
I wondered if she liked the same things I did. Maybe we could be friends? But what if she was mean, or already had tons of friends from her old school and didn't need any new ones?
The girl looked up at my window. For a second, our eyes met. I ducked away quickly, embarrassed to be caught staring. My heart thumped in my chest.
After a moment, I peeked back. The girl was smiling and waving at my window. Maybe I should go introduce myself...