The Summer I Saved the World ... in 65 Days Read Online Free PDF

away, or been carried off by an extremely strong ant population, or even been eaten by Beanie.
    I leave the plate by his door.
    When I come in, Matt is leaning against the kitchen counter, wearing dark sunglasses and a cap, eating a brownie.
    â€œMatt,” I say happily. “Welcome to the downstairs.”
    â€œFunny,” he says, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth and taking another brownie. “Why’d you make these?”
    â€œI just felt like it. How are they?”
    He smiles at me with chocolate all over his teeth. “Good.”
    â€œSo, are you in disguise?”
    He lowers the glasses and raises an eyebrow. Doesn’t answer.
    I put the pan in the sink and run water into it. I justknow he’s going to finish the brownie and disappear again. “Hey, um, are you doing anything? Wanna hang out? Maybe … play cards?”
    He shrugs.
    â€œRemember that time we played war for hours? We said we’d play till someone won.”
    Matt laughs. “No one ever wins war.”
    â€œYou won that time.”
    â€œI did? Oh, yeah.”
    I cross my arms. “I want a rematch.”
    He pushes up his sunglasses. “Can’t. Got some stuff to do. See ya.”
    He goes out. I look at the gross brownie water.
    Nice chatting with you, Matt
.

I n the morning, the plate of brownies is still there. I can see it from my window. This makes me sad, and more worried about Mr. Dembrowski.
    In our basement storage room, there’s a treasure trove of stuff in boxes and bags: unopened gifts my parents received from clients, things they bought and never used, and other random items.
    I have good uses for them.
    11. I wrap up a package of gel foot pads, the kind for shoes, and leave them for Eli’s mom, Mrs. Bennett, who is a nurse and stands for hours at a time.
    12. I leave an aromatherapy candle for Jorie’s dad because he needs to calm down.
    13. There’s a box of wrapped cigars that Dad has never even touched, and I have this feeling that Mr. Millman is the kind of man who would like to smoke a cigar once in a while. Living with Mrs. Millman can’t be easy.
    It’s when I’m sneaking the cigars to the Millman house that I realize the plate of brownies is no longer on Mr. Dembrowski’s front step.
    I’m elated. I have a warm feeling inside, like a tiny flame was lit.
    14. When Jorie drops her lip gloss on the bus, even though it’s slightly rude that she has her back to me and is talking to the girl across the aisle, I catch it with my foot, pick it up, and slide it into her tote bag.
    That night, I see a small red glow across the street and I can just make out Mr. Millman standing in his driveway, smoking a cigar. He looks content.
    Then I hear voices. Jorie’s. The bounce of a basketball. And … Eli’s laugh.
    I go downstairs and pass Mom and Dad, who are working at the kitchen table.
    â€œHey, hon,” Mom says, not looking up but waving in my direction. “Did you eat?”
    â€œYeah. I had a frozen pizza.”
    â€œNina,” Dad says, “could you grab that bottle of seltzer from the fridge?”
    I hand it to him, then poke my head out the front door.
    Jorie and Eli are in his driveway. It looks like they’re playing one-on-one, and Jorie is going for a gold medal in flirting. She’s wearing the shortest butt-hugging shorts I’ve ever seen. With a tight, low-cut tank top. Dark purple, glittery. Plus she’s doing this fake, high-pitched giggling. That’s not how she laughs. “Show me how to do a layup,” she says.
    Eli puts his hand on top of hers and helps her dribble. Then when they get close to the basket, he picks her up so she can shoot the ball.
    She sort of falls back into him as he lets her down. And fake giggles. And shakes out her long hair. The ball rolls onto the grass, and they’re standing really close.
    I feel sick. Like I’m watching something