Do Not Resuscitate

“Okay.”

The next day after school, the three of us started down the street, walking toward Patsy’s house.

“Wait a minute,” I said.

Patsy and Melody stopped, turning toward me.

“We’re taking bus number three.”

“No,” Patsy said. “I’d rather walk.”

“If you walk home every day, Ember wins. You know that.”

“I don’t care if she wins. I hate that song.”

“We can sing, too,” I said.

Melody smiled and nodded.

“I don’t—” Patsy began.

“How about if we sing a different song?”

“What song?”

I told them what I was thinking of. We then joined the line waiting for bus number three. Ember was ahead of us, talking and laughing with her friends. She didn’t notice us.

The bus pulled up, and the kids filed on. We were the last ones.