For a young Mod, there's no better invention than a scooter that can hold a change of clothes.

Jake leaned against his SkootCase, holding a rolled up slice of smoked turkey between his lips. His cousin Dakody tapped his arm and laughed. "She's got your eye, huh?"

Jake didn't answer. Not with words, anyway. But when he opened his SkootCase and pulled out a thin black tie, he said everything that needed to be said.

"Her name's Alexa," Dakody said, offering his cousin another rolled up slice of smoked turkey. Jake took it, tapped the end, took a long nibble.

"Where's she from?"

"Italy." Dakody nodded as Alexa looked at them over her shoulder. "I hear she loves scooters."

Jake kicked the sturdy rubber wheel of his SkootCase. "When do you think she'll notice it's just a suitcase?"

Dakody blew turkey breath coolly into the air. "That's not how you think, cousin. She's a fancy exchange student, you're a daring young American schoolboy. Play your cards right, you might get your first kiss."

Jake laughed. "And then what, Dakody? I fly back home to meet her parents? Fit my carry-on sized SkootCase into the plane's overhead bin? Face it, come the third ten week period, she'd be out of my life forever."

"But you'd have the memories, right?" Dakody patted Jake on the shoulder and straightened his tie. "Just follow my lead."

"THANKS FOR LETTING ME BORROW YOUR RIDE, CUZ!" Dakody yelled. "I'LL GET IT BACK TO YOU LATER! HOPE YOU FIND SOMEONE TO TAKE YOU BACK DOWN THE BLOCK BEFORE SUNSET!" With two quick kicks, the SkootCase was rolling away.

Jake felt like an idiot just standing there until Alexa started to walk across the street.

"I'm not allowed to cross the street." Those were the first words she said to Jake. And he knew right away, his life would never be the same.

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