Chapter 1: Paintball SummerThe final excruciating seconds of the school year ticked away. In a few moments, Quinton would be on summer vacation gearing up for his favorite activity in the whole world: the annual paintball tournament. He kept his eyes glued to the clock. He felt like a hawk preparing to take flight. Four, three, two, one!The bell rang, and even the normally proper Ms. Determan smiled. “Ah, the sweet sound of summer! Don’t forget your summer reading lists to prepare you for eighth grade. And try to stay out of trouble!”With a cheer, all of Quinton’s classmates snatched up their books and rushed toward the door.Just a few more days until the paintball tournament! Quinton thought.Quinton turned to see his best friends, Logan and Ethan, standing close by him. Ethan grinned from freckled ear to freckled ear.As they started walking, Ethan began to bounce around him and Logan. “This is it! The Summer Paintball Tournament trophy is ours this time. I can feel it! Even Zach’s band of monsters can’t stop us, right, Logan?”Logan smiled. “Yeah. I guess so.”Quinton slapped him on the shoulder. “Come on, man!” he said. “Think about it. With you and Ethan marking people left and right and my skills as commander, The Dragons are a lock to take home the trophy this year. I don’t care what Zach thinks. We’ve been practicing all year. My aim is way better and Ethan is nearly impossible to hit!”“I am pretty nimble,” Ethan said, smiling a crooked smile.Quinton continued, “You put that together with you, Logan, and Danny, and we are the team to beat! We attack hard and fast and together. We are the Dragons!”The three boys reached their lockers and shoveled a year’s worth of books, scraps, and empty soda cans into their backpacks.Logan shut his locker with a bang. “And Adam,” he said.“What?” Quinton and Ethan asked at the same time.“I said, ‘and Adam,’” Logan said, standing as tall as he could. “I know you think you have this all figured out, but we’re a five-person team. You always forget Adam. This isn’t just your show, you know.”Ethan rolled his eyes, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and fist-bumped Quinton. “See ya later, bud.”As Ethan ran down the hall, jumping to touch the mascot sign on his way out the door, Quinton slammed his locker and turned to Logan.“Okay. Sorry, I forgot Adam,” Quinton said. “What’s your deal? Are you even excited for this season at all?”Logan sighed. “I don’t like you acting like my brother is some sort of afterthought. You never even include him in the game plan. Adam has worked just as hard as any of us and has improved a lot this year. He would surprise you if you gave him a chance.”___Adapted from Paintball Boss, by Jake Maddox, ©️ by Capstone. Reprinted with permission.

Answer 1

Chapter 1: Paintball Summer

The final excruciating seconds of the school year ticked away. In a few moments, Quinton would be on summer vacation, gearing up for his favorite activity in the whole world: the annual paintball tournament. He kept his eyes glued to the clock, feeling like a hawk preparing to take flight. Four, three, two, one!

The bell rang, and even the normally proper Ms. Determan smiled. “Ah, the sweet sound of summer! Don’t forget your summer reading lists to prepare you for eighth grade. And try to stay out of trouble!”

With a cheer, all of Quinton’s classmates snatched up their books and rushed toward the door.

Just a few more days until the paintball tournament! Quinton thought.

Quinton turned to see his best friends, Logan and Ethan, standing close by him. Ethan grinned from freckled ear to freckled ear.

As they started walking, Ethan began to bounce around him and Logan. “This is it! The Summer Paintball Tournament trophy is ours this time. I can feel it! Even Zach’s band of monsters can’t stop us, right, Logan?”

Logan smiled. “Yeah, I guess so.”

Quinton slapped him on the shoulder. “Come on, man!” he said. “Think about it. With you and Ethan marking people left and right and my skills as commander, The Dragons are a lock to take home the trophy this year. I don’t care what Zach thinks. We’ve been practicing all year. My aim is way better and Ethan is nearly impossible to hit!”

“I am pretty nimble,” Ethan said, smiling a crooked smile.

Quinton continued, “You put that together with you, Logan, and Danny, and we are the team to beat! We attack hard and fast and together. We are the Dragons!”

The three boys reached their lockers and shoveled a year’s worth of books, scraps, and empty soda cans into their backpacks.

Logan shut his locker with a bang. “And Adam,” he said.

“What?” Quinton and Ethan asked at the same time.

“I said, ‘and Adam,’” Logan said, standing as tall as he could. “I know you think you have this all figured out, but we’re a five-person team. You always forget Adam. This isn’t just your show, you know.”

Ethan rolled his eyes, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and fist-bumped Quinton. “See ya later, bud.”

As Ethan ran down the hall, jumping to touch the mascot sign on his way out the door, Quinton slammed his locker and turned to Logan.

"Okay. Sorry, I forgot Adam,” Quinton said. “What’s your deal? Are you even excited for this season at all?”

Logan sighed. “I don’t like you acting like my brother is some sort of afterthought. You never even include him in the game plan. Adam has worked just as hard as any of us and has improved a lot this year. He would surprise you if you gave him a chance.”