Rocky Read Online Free PDF

the bed with Rocky on her lap, and Maria sat on the floor, playing tug with Buddy.
    “Okay,” Maria said finally. “Here’s what I think. You were a dope to lie to Allyson.”
    “I know.” Lizzie looked down at the letter in her hands. Allyson’s letter. She had gotten it out to show to Maria.
    “I mean,” Maria went on, “you’re pretty cool just the way you are. And so’s your family. Who needs a beautiful older sister, anyway?” She leaned over to tickle Lizzie’s foot.
    “I know,” Lizzie said again, although deep inside she still thought it had been kind of fun to make up a pretend sister.
    “Let’s see that letter again,” said Maria.
    Lizzie handed it over and waited while Maria read through it. Rocky had fallen asleep on her lap and was snoring peacefully. Lizzie could tell that even a short walk had been plenty for him. Rocky was so different from Cocoa. The chocolate Lab pup had needed as much exercise as you could give her, and still she never seemed to get tired. Lizzie petted Rocky’s short, smooth coat. That was the interesting thing about fostering dogs, she thought. Each one was so different.
    “The answer’s right here!” Maria said, tapping the letter with her finger.
    “Where?” Lizzie asked.
    “See, at the end here, after ‘Sincerely, Allyson’?” Maria held up the letter and pointed. “She put her e-mail address. All you have to do is write her a note explaining what happened. Then she can e-mail you back a new letter and you can print it out and bring it to school on Monday.”
    Lizzie grinned. “You’re a genius!” she said. Then her smile faded. “Except for one thing,” she said. “I’m going to have to tell Allyson the truth.”

“Come on,” Maria said. “You can do it.”
    Lizzie sighed. It was going to be so embarrassing to have to explain things to her pen pal. But it would be even more embarrassing to bring Allyson’s letter to school and pin it up. How would she explain it? Everybody knew her brothers were named Charles and the Bean, not Sebastian and Wolfgang.
    There was no getting around it. “Okay, Rocky,” Lizzie said, kissing the bulldog’s wrinkly face. “You’re going to have to get off my lap so I can write an e-mail.”
    Rocky woke with a snort and climbed down onto the floor, stretching and yawning.
     
    Aaah, there’s nothing like a good nap. So refreshing!
     
    Then he rolled over onto his back and paddled his paws at Buddy, inviting him to play.
    Lizzie and Maria laughed. “What a clown,” said Maria. “He’d cheer anybody up.”
    Rocky followed them down the hall to Mom’s study and Lizzie logged on. She sat there for a minute, trying to figure out what to say to Allyson.
    “‘Dear Allyson,’” Maria suggested. “‘I have a confession to make….’”
    A few minutes later, Lizzie had finished writing. She copied over her original letter to Allyson, the one where she had told the truth, and added that to her confession. Then she hit “send.” With luck, Allyson would A) forgive her for making up stories, and B) write her a new letter in time for Lizzie to bring it in to class on Monday morning.
    Lizzie spun around on the chair. “Thanks,” she said to Maria. Actually, it was a relief to set the record straight. Lizzie had felt a little funny about that first letter she had sent to Allyson. “Hey, you know what I was thinking?” she asked. “It hit me when you said that I’m pretty cool the way I am. Well, so is Rocky.”
    “So is Rocky?” Maria asked, looking confused.
    Lizzie sat down on the floor and pulled the stocky bulldog pup onto her lap. “Rocky is pretty cool just the way he is,” she explained. “So what if he’s not a guard dog? So what if he’ll never win the blue ribbon at an agility trial? He’s Rocky. He’s funny and sweet and really easy to take care of. He doesn’t bark or jump on people, and he hardly needs any exercise. And he makes everybody smile and laugh.”
    Maria nodded. “You’re