Ira Thackeray

I zipped closed my puffy orange jacket and fidgeted with the zipper as I waited at the bus stop. I got here too early, I thought, glancing around for any other kids, but there were none. The early morning light reflected off the roofs of the houses along the street and made the puddles sparkle on the road. The sound of laughter caught my attention, and I turned to see a group of kids my age walking over to the bus stop as they joked with each other. They were the neighbors’ kids across the...

My locker closed with a dull, metallic thud . It was midway through the school year, and I was already completely burnt out. It was...

Dara tossed her boogie board to the side and ran barefoot into the sand, welcoming the feeling of the tiny pebbles squishing between her...