H. A. Carter Read Free Page A

lunch
and before recess. I was as regular as Old Faithful when it came to
taking our daily bathroom break, but today I had planned on
skipping bathroom break to go outside early with JJ. I thought I
was finally joining the “in” crowd and this was my chance. Maybe I
shouldn't have had that second juice at lunch.
    “No, Harvey! Just hold it and come with me. I
said she'll be waiting for you!” JJ scolded.
    I had to pee so bad it was beginning to hurt
my sides. I didn't know what to do. JJ was being nice to me and
told me Joanna liked me and wanted to meet me by the swings at
recess. Me! Can you
    believe it? Joanna was the coolest girl in
the third grade and she liked me! I thought the world of her.
    Oh, Joanna. She was smart, pretty, and
popular. What's not to like? Plus, she was one of the only girls
that wasn't mean to me. I would give anything to have her be my
girlfriend, and that meant skipping my usual bathroom break. I
couldn't be late or she might think I don't like her. This was my
chance to be in the cool crowd and get the girl. Just like in the
movies! I couldn't waste this moment.
    “Alright, JJ. I'll hold it,” I said
shakily.
    “Good, keep holding it, Harvey. She'll be
there.”
    JJ and I strolled over to the swings,
navigating our way through the hustle and bustle of what seemed
like hundreds of other kids on the playground. I looked around
anxiously, but Joanna wasn't there. I began to panic, thinking
maybe I was too late. I gave JJ a terrified glance.
    He smiled back, “Oh yeah! She told me she was
going to be a few minutes late. You know how girls are.”
    He chuckled a little and nodded to his best
friend, Mike, who gave him a thumbs up. I assumed this was a sign
that she was on her way. I sure hoped so, because there was no way
I could hold it much longer.
    The time seemed to drag on. It seemed like a
lifetime had passed rather than a couple of minutes as I waited, my
teeth almost swimming. My insides gurgled slightly and I feared
what was coming next.
    Uh oh! Oh, man! I'm going to pee my pants! Oh
man, oh man, oh man!
    Hold it. Hold it. Hold it!
    I can't hold it!
    “I'm sorry, JJ. I need to go. Please, please
tell her to wait for me. PLEASE!!” I begged him
    as I began to leave.
    “You're not going anywhere, Carter,” a
mischievous smiled spread across JJ's face.
    Mike grabbed my arm and yanked me back. He
kept hold of me, his hands tightening around
    my small wrist. Two other kids grabbed on as
well, gluing me in place.
    “Hold him! Don't let him leave!” JJ commanded
the other boys.
    “I've got to go!” I yelled as I tried to free
myself of their grip, still a little unsure as to what was going
on.
    It was already too late. I could feel the
warm trickle of what was left of my apple juice from lunch
streaming down my legs. My eyes began to water, and I felt my face
get red hot.
    “Carter, did you just piss your pants?” Mike
yelled loudly.
    My chance was ruined. It was all ruined! Wet
tears fell softly down my face. My blue jeans were sticking to my
legs. A cool breeze chilled my damp clothes, fusing them to my
scrawny body. Goosebumps soon appeared up and down my spine. I
tried desperately to pull my green t-shirt down over my pants.
    “Hey, everyone! Carter just peed himself!”
another one of JJ's goons shouted.
    “Oh man, Carter. I can't believe you actually
peed yourself! Hey, Mike, I guess I owe you a dollar after all. You
were right! You won the bet!” JJ laughed hysterically, high-fiving
Mike as they both busted up.
    Four classes worth of third graders came
charging over to the swings to see what all the commotion was. I
could hear the giggles and cackles already beginning. The wind blew
them away at first, but soon there was too much laughter for even
the strongest of gusts to cover up. It spread like wildfire
throughout the playground. Soon every kid out there saw what I had
done. The dark spot in the crotch of jeans more than enough
evidence to prove my guilt. My head