CHAPTER ONE Did you hear the news Liv Hernandez blurted out She didn’t even say hi first She walked right up to Michael and Leo and announced Tina Maria Carlos is moving away Michael Wilson and Leo Hammer were sitting on Michael’s front porch steps working on Leo’s computer Leo had been having trouble with the cooling fan inside the laptop It was supposed to blow all the time so the computer wouldn’t overheat Instead Leo’s fan was starting up with a weird soft humming sound and seconds later it would sputter and die The computer was a present from Michael He’d rescued it from the trash and fixed it up Sometimes things didn’t work the way they should Today was one of those days It was bad for a computer to get too hot It could even start a fire if they weren’t careful The two boys were so involved in the problem that for a moment they didn’t understand what Liv was saying They both stared up at her Tina Maria is MOOOVING she announced again in a loud clear voice Huh Michael asked When he was working hard on something it took a while to get his attention He tipped back his baseball cap and stared up at his cousin Liv and Michael were both ten years old Like their moms who were sisters they were best friends Their other friend Leo was nine Leo was so smart he’d skipped a grade and was in Liv and Michael’s class As the reality of what Liv said sunk in Leo jumped up off the steps Tina Maria he exclaimed But she just moved here Leo spent a lot of time with Tina Maria They were both great at math Their teacher
had picked the two of them to represent the school in a citywide math competition It can’t be true Leo insisted Tina Maria didn’t tell me she was moving I just talked to her yesterday No way He pushed back his long sandy brown hair to get a good look at Liv’s face Yes way Liv replied Are you sure Michael asked Liv He squinted at her sideways Maybe you heard wrong Tina Maria told me herself Liv said shaking her head hard Her dark brown ponytails swished and her glasses slipped down her nose She pushed up her red frames and said The moving truck’s coming tomorrow Leo started down the porch steps Michael’s house was at the top of a long hill on Shaker Street Tina Maria lived near the bottom Leo hated going up and down the hill but this was important I’m going to talk to her She can’t leave town The math competition is in two weeks Leo put his hands on his hips I have to convince her to stay How are you going to do that Liv asked him I don’t know yet Maybe I’ll start with begging He imitated the way he’d do it Please don’t leave Please Leo looked at Liv and asked Do you think it’ll work You need to convince her parents Liv said She’s leaving because they want to move Hmm Leo considered the problem I think I should bring them a present He checked his pockets They were empty I don’t have money for flowers or candy he said Turning back he asked Michael What can we make Michael set Leo’s computer down on the porch Let’s go see he said Michael’s family lived in a tall purple Victorian house His grandfather his dad’s dad lived in a round tower on the top floor Grandpa’s glass windows overlooked the
