But my mom and Tiffany wear their hair short and I wear mine long. And they both have these incredible dark eyelashes. I have to wear black mascara every day to make my eyelashes as dark as theirs. It's funny how families look alike in such mixed-up ways. My face is longer, shaped more like my father's. He's not very tall, and I'm not going to be really tall either, I can tell. But Mom is tall, and so is Tiffany and so is Maria. Maria, however, has the same dark coloring as my father and his brown eyes. If you looked at us altogether,

though, you'd know we are related, that we're a family.

"An anchovy cheese slush!" cried Maria, skidding down the hall outside the den.

"Maria, slow down!" said my mother. Hearing my mother say that was funny, because she moves at hyper-speed a lot herself, just the way Maria does.

"Can't," said Maria breathlessly. "I've got to go to swim practice."

Just at that moment, a car horn sounded outside. "That's my ride!" exclaimed Maria.

"A peanut butter and ketchup sandwich," I called after Maria as she bolted for the door.

"Euuuuuw," she said. The door slammed behind her, cutting her off.

"The Gross Food game," said my mother. "How about — chocolate-grapefruit sundae?"

"I don't know, Mom. Sometimes I think chocolate goes with everything."

My mom laughed a little. "That's true. Well, then ... a ... a ..."

I laughed a little, too. "I think Maria might be the family champion at this. I'd better go start on my homework."

"Shannon? I was thinking of taking Astrid for a walk. Do you want to come along?"

I stopped and turned around.

"I really have to get my homework done,"

I said. "Thanks anyway. I'll take Astrid later if you want."

My mother looked disappointed for a moment. Then she said, "Maybe Tiffany will want to go."

"Well, if she doesn't, I'll make it an extra-long walk for Astrid," I promised. "As soon as I get the math out of the way."