Bonus Scene
Livy studied her tiny new backyard through her bedroom window. Brown grass, broken fence, debris and trash littering the dead earth. They wouldn’t be able to let their beagle, Popcorn, outside without supervision until her dad fixed the fence.
The house next door had a huge, way cooler yard.
It had a fancy tiki bar with fairy lights that were probably magical in the dark.
A hockey goal sat along the immaculate high fence, a board with hockey pucks and sticks strewn about several feet across from it.
Tall trees with pretty, wavy-shaped leaves shaded most of the bright green grass.
One held a sturdy-looking treehouse. Maybe the neighbors had a daughter her age. Maybe she could have friends.
A knock at her door startled her out of her treehouse-sharing daydreams. She whirled around to face Jayden. He held a leash out to her.
“Mom says we need to take Popcorn out.”
Livy snatched the red leash from her brother’s hand. “Okay, but I get to walk him this time. You can pick up the poop.”
Jayden followed her outside, and she held tight to the leash while Popcorn did his business.
While Jayden bagged it, disaster struck.
A squirrel darted across the dead lawn, and Popcorn shot after it, dragging Livy with him.
When she toppled over and her puppy dragged her behind him, she freed her wrist from the leash in an attempt to avoid her arms and legs being mutilated by the hazardous waste all over their yard.
Popcorn squeezed through a hole in the fence.
Livy got up, dusted herself off, and ran after the dog, her brother at her heels.
The squirrel hopped off the top of the fence and into the neighboring yard.
In the alley, Popcorn jumped against the neighbor’s gate, and it swung open.
He welcomed himself in and continued chasing the squirrel.
The squirrel disappeared into the magical-looking tree, and Popcorn clawed the side of the tree after it.
Livy grabbed his leash and tried to pull him away.
“Hey!” someone yelled.
She and Jayden faced the boy coming out of the sliding glass door.
Jayden raised a hand and waved. “Hey!” he said. “Sorry, our dog is crazy.”
“That’s okay.” The boy trotted across the massive backyard and shut the gate.
Livy could barely hear him over Popcorn’s freaking out.
The boy approached them and asked, “Is your dog nice?”
Livy rubbed her sore knees. “He’s nice. But not to squirrels.”
The boy grinned and pulled something out of his pocket. He held out a handful of Cheez-It crackers and asked, “Can he have one?”
Jayden shrugged. “He might shut up if you give him one.”
The fearless boy stroked a snarling Popcorn’s head and waved a cracker in front of his face.
Popcorn stopped barking and retreated from the tree, sitting at the boy’s feet, waiting for his treat.
The boy offered the cracker to Popcorn. The beagle snatched the treat, almost gobbling the boy’s whole arm in the process.
The boy giggled and held up his slimy hand. “Eww,” he said. “What’s his name?”
He pulled another cracker from his pocket and fed it to the beagle while Jayden answered. “This is Popcorn. I’m Jayden,” he pointed to her. “That’s Livy.”
“I’m Connor,” he said.
“Do you have a sister?” Livy asked. She’d always hoped for a girl neighbor to play with.
“Nope,” Connor shook his head. “No other kids live around here. I’m happy you’re here now.”
“Darn it,” Livy said. “I’m always stuck with boys.”
“You don’t have to play with us,” Jayden said, pushing her toward the gate. Typical. He would steal this boy, and then Livy would have nobody to play with.
Connor stood up for her. “You can, though. If you want.”