Stupid Fast

Felton bikes to football practice hours early to avoid the situation at home, leaving Andrew in the garage and Jerri in the living room. As Felton waits and watches baseball practice, he realizes that now when the jocks call him “Rein Stone” it has a positive connotation. Coach Jones offers to get Felton his driver’s permit forms. Felton performs well with his football runs when he relaxes. He realizes he is a natural at running and catching the ball with his huge “gorilla hands.” He is also faster than the other players, including Karpinski, whom Felton has always disliked. Felton impresses everyone when he runs a fly route and catches the ball. He is proud of himself.

Cody asks about Felton’s bike, and thinks Felton’s dad must have been tall, though Felton does not think so. Cody, Karpinski, and Felton stop at Subway for lunch, where Karpinski bullies younger kids by shooting food at them through a straw. Felton pretend-laughs, but painfully remembers jocks doing the same to him and Andrew when they were younger. Felton knows Gus would be mad at him for laughing. Felton decides Karpinski is not that bad, and Karpinski thinks Felton is not as much as a “dickweed” as he thought.