The First Last Day by Dorian Cirrone

information to solve this mystery by myself?
    There was one person who could help me: Kevin. He paid attention to everything—especially when he was filming.
    But did I dare tell him about the painting? What would I say? Hey, guess what? I found a set of paints in my backpack, and when I used them it caused a monumental rift in the space-time continuum—just like those movies you love so much.
    No. He’d never believe me.
    Still, I knew if anyone could help me solve the mystery, it was Kevin.
    I looked up from the list as he strolled in, wearing that same shirt with Captain America on it. As he slipped into the booth, I made a split-second decision. I took a deep breath and whispered at rapid speed, “Listen, I have something really important to tell you. You may not believe me. But you’ve got to help me. No matter what. Promise?”
    Kevin’s eyes widened. “What is it? Are you okay? Did something happen to you?”
    â€œNo. Well, yes. Sort of. Just tell me you’ll believewhat I say—even though it’ll sound impossible.”
    Kevin’s expression changed, and it reminded me of the look on his face every night when he came through the door. “Of course I’ll believe you. You know you can count on me for anything .”
    The way he said “anything” made me believe him with my whole heart. “Okay, I’m going to talk fast because we don’t have a lot of time.”
    â€œYou’re scaring me,” Kevin said.
    â€œDon’t be scared. Just listen.” The words flew from my mouth, almost at the speed of light.
    Kevin’s eyes were glued to mine as I spoke. His expression remained serious.
    But the second I finished, he broke into a huge grin. “You had me going there for a while.”
    I’d expected that might happen. “Honest,” I said. “I’ve done enough research to know we can’t explain everything about space and time. And I’m telling the truth.”
    â€œSure you are.” He laughed and shook his head.
    I had to do something to make him believe me. As soon as I spotted Annie walking our way, I ripped a small piece of paper off the bottom of the list andwrote on it. I folded it into a tiny square, slid it across the table, and demanded, “Don’t open this until Annie leaves.”
    Kevin ordered the usual and I asked for a bowl of banana nut granola. We had our everyday conversation with Annie. Then her eyes welled up just before Joey flipped the pancake, and it landed on the floor.
    As soon as Annie left, I pointed to the folded square. “Go ahead, open it.”
    Kevin unfolded the note and read what I’d written: Splat! Joey just dropped a pancake on the floor. Kevin looked puzzled at first, but then smiled. “That was a pretty good trick.”
    â€œTrick? What do you mean?”
    â€œYou were here before me. You must have made a deal with Joey to drop the pancake.”
    â€œNo. No. I didn’t talk to Joey at all. Go ask him. I knew it would happen because it happens every day. Because every day is the same .”
    Kevin put the note on the table. “Even if you didn’t talk to Joey, it’s not that surprising that he dropped the pancake. He is kind of clumsy. Remember that time he knocked the wooden ark full of muffins off the counter?”
    â€œOkay, you have a point.”
    Kevin nodded. “Let’s see if you can tell me something else that’ll happen.”
    I rattled off a list of events, starting with Mateo’s joke from the Popsicle stick and everything after that, including building the stegosaurus and helping G-Mags cook.
    â€œI guess those things might happen,” Kevin said with a wrinkled brow. “But now that you’ve put them into my head, we’ll probably do all those things.”
    â€œWhat about Mateo’s joke?”
    â€œYou could have planted the Popsicle stick so he’d find