By+Lori+Anastasia

"There's a new kid in our class，" I told my friend Aidan as we hung up our coats at the back of the classroom.

"How do you know？" Aidan asked.

"He moved in next door to me，" I said， sitting down at my desk. "Mom and I took muffins1） over yesterday."

"Class， please welcome Brady Walker，" Ms. Simpson said. My new neighbor stood beside her.

"Brady， tell the class something about yourself，" Ms. Simpson said.

"I'm from California，" said Brady. "I have a dog that eats all my stuff."

Everyone giggled2）. His dog sounds just like mine， I thought.

"I like baseball and basketball. And I take dance class."

"Dance class，" Aidan yelled. "That's for girls！"

The whole class laughed. Brady's face turned bright red.

"That's enough，" Ms. Simpson said.

At lunch， Brady walked over to an empty seat at my table. "Hi， Emilio，" Brady said to me. "Thanks again for those awesome3） muffins. Can I sit here？"

I was about to say yes， but Jordan put his foot on the chair. "This seat is taken，" he said. "Sit with the girls."

Aidan laughed.

Brady walked away and sat by himself.

That afternoon， Brady sat by himself on the bus. I felt bad for him. I thought about sitting with him， but I didn't want to get picked on4）. I remembered how everyone teased5） me when I knit a scarf for Ms. Simpson. I didn't like being teased， so I gave up knitting. But what would have happened if I'd stood up for6） myself？

When I got home， I made a peanut butter and pickle7） sandwich. My dog， Gus， was barking by the living-room window. I walked over to see why. Brady was shooting baskets in his driveway8）. He was really good！ I went back into the kitchen to get my sandwich， but it was gone. Gus stood by the counter9） with a tiny pickle hanging from his mouth.

The next day， we had gym with Coach Kelley.

"Today we're playing basketball，" Coach Kelley announced. "Emilio and Natalie will be captains10）. Emilio， you pick first."

I looked around the room and noticed Brady. It felt like giant robots were wrestling inside my stomach. I didn't want to get laughed at. But I knew what I had to do.

"I choose Brady，" I said.

"What？" Aidan yelled. "He can't play basketball."

A giant smile spread across Brady's face. He ran up and stood beside me. "Why did you pick me？" he asked.

"I wasn't a good friend yesterday，" I said. "Plus， I know you're good at basketball."endprint

We started playing. Brady made 10 baskets and stole the ball from Aidan four times.

"Wow，" Aidan said to Brady. "Where did you learn those moves？"

Brady smiled. "Ballet class."

Aidan looked at me， then at Brady. "Could you teach me？"

Brady， Aidan， and I started hanging out together all the time after that. Usually， we were in Brady's driveway， practicing our basketball ballet.

“我们班要来一位新同学。”我和朋友艾丹把外套挂在教室后面的时候，我告诉他。

“你怎么知道呢？”艾丹问我。

“他刚搬到我家隔壁。”我边回答边在自己的座位上坐了下来。“我和妈妈昨天给他们送了一些松饼。”

“同学们，请大家欢迎布雷迪·沃克。”辛普森女士宣布道。我的新邻居就站在她的身旁。

“布雷迪，向同学们介绍一下你自己吧。”辛普森女士说。

“我来自加利福尼亚，”布雷迪说，“我有一条狗，它会啃咬我所有的东西。”

大家都咯咯地笑了。他的那条狗听起来跟我的差不多，我心想。

“我喜欢打棒球和篮球。我还上舞蹈课。”

“舞蹈课，”艾丹大喊道，“那可是女生才会上的啊！”

全班同学都大笑起来，布雷迪的脸变得通红。

“好了好了。”辛普森女士说。

午饭时，布雷迪走到我坐的那张餐桌的一个空位旁。“嗨，埃米利奥，”布雷迪向我打了声招呼，“再次感谢你们送来的那些美味松饼。我可以坐在这里吗？”

我正准备说“可以”，可乔丹却把一只脚放在了那个座位上。“这个座位已经有人了，”他说，“去跟女生们坐一起吧。”

艾丹哈哈大笑。

布雷迪走到一旁，自己一个人坐着。

那天下午在校车上，布雷迪也是一个人坐着。我为他感到难过。我想过要跟他坐在一起，可又不想被别人捉弄。我曾给辛普森女士织过一条围巾，我记得当时自己被大家取笑得有多惨。因为讨厌被人取笑，我就再没织过东西。可是，如果我当时为自己辩解了，又会怎样呢？

回到家后，我做了一个花生酱加泡菜三明治。我的狗——格斯——在客厅的窗户前汪汪叫着。我走了过去，想要看看它为什么叫。原来，布雷迪正在他家的车道上投篮呢。他投得可真好！我走回厨房去拿三明治，可它却不翼而飞了。格斯站在流理台旁，嘴上还挂着一小片泡菜。

第二天，我们有凯利教练的体育课。

“今天我们要打篮球，”凯利教练宣布，“由埃米利奥和纳塔莉担任队长。埃米利奥，你先来挑选队员吧。”

我环顾了一下体育馆，注意到了布雷迪，感觉像是有几个巨大的机器人在我肚子里面搏斗一样。我不想被别人嘲笑。不过，我知道我该怎么做。

“我选布雷迪。”我说。

“什么？”艾丹大叫道，“他不会打篮球啊。”

布雷迪的脸上绽放出了灿烂的笑容。他跑上前来，站到了我身旁。“你为什么选我？”他问道。

“昨天我没有做到一个好朋友应该做的，”我说，“而且我知道你篮球打得不错。”

我们开始比赛了。布雷迪投篮中了十次，还从艾丹那里断球四次。

“哇，”艾丹问布雷迪，“那些动作你都是从哪里学的呀？”

布雷迪笑了笑。“芭蕾舞蹈课啊。”

艾丹看了看我，接着看了看布雷迪。“你可以教我吗？”

从那以后，布雷迪、艾丹和我总是一起出去玩儿。通常我们会在布雷迪家的车道上练习我们的篮球舞步。

1. muffin [?m?f?n] n. 松饼

2. giggle [?ɡ?ɡl] vi. 咯咯地笑

3. awesome [???s?m] adj. <主美口>顶呱呱的

4. pick on： <口>作弄

5. tease [ti?z] vt. 取笑；戏弄

6. stand up for： 维护，保卫

7. pickle [?p?kl] n. 腌菜，泡菜

8. driveway [?dra?vwe?] n. 私人车道

9. counter [?ka?nt?（r）] n. （= countertop） （厨房的）工作台面，也就是我们常说的流理台。

10. captain [?k?pt?n] n. （运动队的）队长

译 / 赵越endprint