How did I let her do this? I thought, and tried to back away to the window.

Lin was too busy monologuing, so I decided to take the chance and make my getaway. She was going on and on about things like her prowess and how dexterous she was with a spoon.

“Great choice of weapon,” I said, my hand unlatching the window lock behind my back, “but next time, please do spare me the awful speech.”

Lin’s black eyes widened as she realized what I was doing.

“Xiaoli, you wouldn’t,” she warned me, her spoon now facing me again.

I shrugged. “Oh, I would. Watch me, great Spoon Ninja.”

With a click, the window was free! I tilted my weight backwards, and I felt myself tumble onto the tent. The world spun around like a mad top, and I uttered a giddy prayer of thanks I had skipped that horrid-looking chicken salad at lunch.

Suddenly, there was a splat, and something burned my eyes. I sat up, in a sea of red, trying to discern what I landed in.

“A tomato cart?!”