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Casey looked at him.
Marvin wasn’t quite sure what her face said. It either said, You just said you don’t believe in the rock. It won’t work if you don’t believe.
Or else it said, No way! I can’t trust you, Marvin. Not after your last wish.
“Well, then, give the rock to Judy and let her wish for you,” said Marvin.
Casey puffed out her cheek with her tongue. This seemed to say, Judy doesn’t know about the magic crystal. She doesn’t know that’s why I can’t talk. And since I can’t talk, I can’t tell her.
“Well, write it all down on paper for her,” said Marvin.
Yeah, right! answered Casey’s angry face. You know I hate to write. It’s bad enough I have to write for school. If I tried to write all that to Judy, it would take ten sheets of paper. And I’d probably sprain my hand.
“Now you’re exaggerating,” Marvin said.
Are you insane? asked Casey’s scrunchedup nose.
“You’re just being stubborn,” Marvin replied.
Casey’s face turned red. I’m stubborn? You’re the one who’s stubborn! You’re a stupid, stinky booboo-head baboon!
“Fine, be that way!” said Marvin. “I don’t care if you never talk again!” He turned his back on her and angrily walked away.
The bell rang before he made it back to the wall-ball area. Now he was really mad. He’d wasted his entire recess, and it was all Casey’s fault!
He used to kind of like her. Sort of. But not anymore! Not after she called him a stupid, stinky booboo-head baboon!
8
Last Chance
Casey did not say a word all day. At least not when Marvin was near. He didn’t know if she said anything when he wasn’t around, although he suspected that she did.
After school, he walked with Nick and Stuart to Nick’s house. “She’s lying,” Marvin repeated several times on the way there.
“How can she lie if she can’t talk?” asked Stuart.
“That’s how,” said Marvin. “Because she can talk.”
“Why would she pretend she can’t talk?” asked Nick.
“Why do you care?” asked Stuart.
“I don’t care!” Marvin insisted.
He didn’t tell them about the magic crystal. He had promised Casey to keep it secret. And even though she was pretending she couldn’t talk, and even though she called him a stupid, stinky booboo-head baboon, he still kept his promise.
“You want to play basketball?” Nick asked when they reached his house.
“I don’t care,” Marvin repeated, still thinking about Casey.
“Sure,” said Stuart. “Horse, or knockout?”
“I don’t care,” said Marvin. “I just know she’s faking.”
They decided to play horse, because they’d need two basketballs to play knockout. Nick only had one basketball.
Nick talked and played at the same time. “… Yes, ladies and gentlemen. The amazing Nick Tuffle is now going to try a shot from behind the brown spot in the driveway! Can he do it? He’s taking careful aim. Oh, the pressure! It would be amazing if he can make this shot. He shoots! The ball is up. It bounces off the rim … and GOES THROUGH THE NET! He did it! Nick Tuffle made the shot!”
