Left Behind Read Free Page B

Mac’s eating habits are much better. I know they eat more fruit now and hardly ever have fast food anymore. Though I know Dr. Mac and Maggie still like pizza delivery. Zoe is the one who does most of the cooking and all of the food planning. The food at my house is often spicier than what my friends eat. After Zoe tasted my mother’s kati roll she begged my mother to teach her how to make it. My mother says Zoe’s kati roll is now finer than her own. I think Zoe will be a famous chef when she grows up.
    â€œOoh, what about this?” Brenna asks, uncovering a colorful glass bowl.
    Maggie shrugs. “Sure,” she says. Brenna brings the bowl of cut-up watermelon, strawberries, and blueberries to the table. Maggie spoons out servings of the mixed fruit for each of us and then perches on her knees on a kitchen chair. “It’s too bad we don’t have any whipped cream,” she says. “Not only would that make this a perfect Fourth of Julysnack with the red, white, and blue, but it would taste better, too.”
    We laugh, and then Brenna says, “So I’ve decided I want to run cross-country this fall. I was thinking you might want to, too.” Brenna looks at Maggie and then adds, “Oh, and you, too, Sunita. Have you ever thought about cross-country?”
    â€œI’m not really sure what that is,” I say.
    â€œI don’t know, Brenna. I’m planning to play basketball,” Maggie says, readjusting herself on her knees. “If I make the team.”
    Brenna puts her spoon down. “You’ll make it. But basketball is a winter sport. Cross-country is in the fall. It would be really good conditioning. You’d be in great shape by the time tryouts began for basketball.” Brenna pulls papers out of the manila envelope. “These are the two permission slips and these are the exercises and runs they suggest you do before the season starts,” Brenna says.
    Maggie and Brenna look through the paperwork.
    â€œHow is cross-country different than track?” I ask.
    â€œOh, sorry, Sunita. I didn’t answer you, did I?” Brenna passes me the sheet in her hand. “Cross-country is racing on a course instead of a track. Sometimes the course goes through woods and fields and alongside streams and over hills. It’s ateam sport, but you get individual times, too. My brother Sage has run cross-country for years. I’ve gone to a lot of his meets. I can’t say it’s that interesting for spectators because you really don’t see the runners for long. But Sage loves doing it. I’m pretty sure I will, too. What do you say, Maggie? Give it a try?”
    Maggie is reading one of the sheets. “The runners are called ‘harriers’?”
    Brenna shrugs. “I’m pretty sure I’ve heard that. But mostly they’re just called runners.”
    â€œYeah, well, good. ’Cause I’m not doing any sport that would make me a harrier.” Maggie smirks.
    Brenna bats at the sheet that Maggie holds and asks again, “So? Give it a try? Train with me this summer?”
    â€œMaybe,” Maggie says. “I’ll think about it.”
    Brenna doesn’t ask me again, even though I never did answer her. Even though I’m not sure that I would even like running, it seems like Brenna and Maggie have left me behind somehow.
    Dr. Mac comes in about an hour later. “Will you stay for supper, Brenna? Sunita is staying with us, and Zoe left us well stocked with good meals.”
    â€œI’d like to. Let me call my folks and see if it’s okay with them,” Brenna says, reaching into her pocket for her phone.
    â€œAsk if you can stay overnight, too!” Maggie adds. She looks at her grandmother, who nods a yes.
    I like Brenna Lake a lot. She’s smart and fun to be with. She cares so much about the environment and about animals. She’s also an amazing photographer. But I thought it was