Chapter 25 / Part Two

(This part is narrated by Melek, but it is still Habbab's imagination).

Melek

Fourth grade...

" Why weren't you at school today?" Habbab asks as he walks in the door of my house.

"I have a cold." , I say and look away from him, trying to hide my embarrassment.

"You don't look sick." He closes the door and follows me as I go into the small living room.

"I'm fine now," I tell him, looking at the TV.

"So, it was like a six-hour cold? I don't understand."

"Your mom is going to start yelling at you."

"No, I told her I was going to visit you and bring you your homework." He puts my backpack on the couch and then sits down next to it.

"Mrs. Sahin said we have to read four chapters tonight and I thought we could do it together to make it less boring." He pulls out the copy of Bridge to Terabithia, issued by the school, and starts flipping through it.

"I'll read it later," I tell him as I get frustrated and walk back to the front door.

"Maybe you should go" He looks at me and his eyes narrow.