THE SOCIAL GAME

Almost right on schedule, my next door neighbor trudged out of his house,

lugging a stack of hefty books. Once he saw me, his eyes lit up with excitement

and he instantly ran down his driveway, trying to catch up to me. "Lex, wait up!"

I let out a sigh as he bolted down the driveway. The same sigh I let out at the

beginning of the year, when he'd insisted on walking me to and from school, and

the same sigh I've let out every day since.