>Be Evan.

>Be nine, turning ten.

>Family just moved to neighborhood.

>The neighborhood is throwing a beginning of summer block party, and the main drag of the neighborhood is closed off.

>Tables line the street laid out with platters of burgers, dogs, chicken wings, bags of buns and bottles of condiments.

>There are coolers brimming with ice, beer and soda.

>Someone's got a bouncy house set up a few yards down, and Evan and Jason eye it with casual interest.

>There are volleyball nets, horseshoes and street hockey set up in other yards and driveways.

>Maddie occupies their mother's swelling stomach.

>The family wades into the throng of neighbors, it's a sunny Saturday afternoon, few clouds, not too hot, a perfect day for meeting people.

>Evan's father approaches their next door neighbors, whom they met briefly on the day they moved in. He shakes hands, gets introduced around.

>His mother smiles warmly at the other wives, formalities are exchanged, they comment on how well she looks and ask how the baby is coming along, and before long she is stolen off and gossiping.

>Jason and Evan stick together, observing the other kids.

>There are several of them but not as many as they were hoping for, and a lot of them are way younger.

>Two of the other kids who appear close to Evan and Jason's age, a boy and girl, stand in front of their father, who shakes hands with Evan and Jason's father and introduces himself as Larry.

>This is Martin, and Lily, Larry says, pointing down at his children.

>Jason and Evan, says their dad, nudging them forward.

>The four kids look at each other.

>Martin says, My name's Marty, don't call me Martin, no one calls me that.

>Evan, I think you and Martin—er, sorry, Marty-- are the same age, says Evan's dad.

>You got any older kids? Jason asks.

>Larry chuckles.

>Nope, this is all I got right here. I have an older son from my first marriage but he lives with his mom. Sorry.

>The girl named Lily looks at Evan and Jason like they've been sent to eat her dessert.

>You have any girls? she asks.

>We're going to have a girl, their dad says, pointing at their mom. But she's not due til this fall.

>Lily looks disappointed.

>There aren't any girls in this neighborhood, she whines. None that are my age, not a single one, they're all too old or too little.

>Well, maybe that's why you need to get along with a few of them in your class, says Larry, who's actually probably her step-dad. You can't get mad at the new family because they don't have a girl.

>I'm not mad.

>Evan notices Marty's shirt for the first time. It has a red t-rex on it.

>He's suddenly engrossed.

>Is that Diablo from Primal Rage?

>Marty looks impressed.

>Yeah, it is.

>Where did you get that?

>What?

>Your shirt.

>Larry and their dad begin talking. Jason walks over to the coolers. Lily walks back over by her mother, chewing a strand of hair.

>I don't know, my aunt got it for me for my birthday, says Marty.

>You play Primal Rage?

>Marty smiles.

>Yeah, I do. I play it on my PC.

>Evan is in awe.

>No one else knows about that game, he says.

>I know, and it's damn shame.

>Evan was startled.

>You said the d-word!

>Sure did. How do you know about it?

>The arcade game was in this ice cream shop I used to go to.

>Come on, I'll show it to you, says Marty. I don't want to be out here anyway.

>Evan follows him, his nerves evaporating.

>On his way, he notices Marty's sister Lily standing by her mother and looking bored.