Rebecca sighed, looking up at Ike, her hands on her hips.

"C'mon up, Red." he motioned, grinning down at her. "Or are you too chicken?" he teased.

"No!" she shot back, taking up his challenge. She grasp the first limb, and hauled herself up the tree until her face was even with his. "Am I chicken now?" she asked, smirking.

"I wanna see you get down, and then I'll think about it!" he smiled, brown eyes laughing.

Red looked down, and thought that the ground was farther away than she first thought. Her heart pounded an she silently cursed him.

Isaac laughed and began to lower himself with his natural agility. When he reached the ground, he looked up to see Rebecca still clinging to the branch.

"Coming down?" he called up.

"In a minute, dummy!" she yelled down at him, making a face.

"Bye then!" he replied, walking away.

"No! Ike! Stay with me!" she yelled, eyes clenched shut in fear.

"Whiney baby!" Isaac teased, stopping.

"I am not!" she yelled, looking down at him.

Isaac just stood there, his face odd. He was grinning, eyebrows raised.

"What are you staring at, idiot?"

"Now I know you're a girl!" he laughed loudly.

Red's face colored as she realized that Isaac could see straight up her dress. "You're dead!" she shrilled, and began to climb down. When she reached the ground, Ike was on the ground, laughing hard.

"Not funny!" Red screamed at him, pouncing on him. The two tussled, rolling over and over in the grass. Red pinned him down, grinning triumphantly.

"I win!" she said breathlessly.

"You win!" Isaac shrugged, smiling at her.

"You goof." she punched his arm, and got off. Isaac sat up, and began to pull twigs from his hair. Red giggled, and began to help him. He then helped pull the leaves from her firey red hair.

The two friends sat silently side by side, enjoying each other's company.

Red leaned against Ike's shoulder, staring at the cars driving by on the road a short distance away.

Ike listened to her even breathing and sighed happily.

"So, old man, how old are you?" she finally said, breaking the silence.

"12." he said proudly.

"Pah." she said. "Old." She was only 10.

Ike nodded wisely, and yelped as Red punched him.

"One! Two! Three-"

He caught her hands, and held them. "Man, you can punch."

"Sorry." she said, not at all sorry.

"Ike! IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKE!" cried a familiar voice.

"Oh, man." Ike rolled his eyes. His younger brother, Taylor, came running with a party hat strung unevenly on his head.

"The brat is back, eh?" Red said, pulling her hands from Ike's grasp. She brushed back a strand of red hair, grimacing at Taylor.

"Yeah. What do you want?" Ike asked his brother.

"Mom said that you've got to get ready for your party." Taylor recited his message, and ran off.

"Beans. I swear it's beans." Rebecca said, her eyes following the running Taylor.

"Well.." Isaac said, brushing the leaves off his coat. "I guess I'd better go. Wanna come?"