Access Denied (and other eighth grade error messages) (8 page)

WHEN ROSIE AND I WALKED into the computer lab for our computers and technology elective the next day, Reede was talking to
our teacher, Ms. Moreno.

“My dad’s a pretty big dude in the Internet world,” Reede was saying. “I might be able to get the class some free software
and stuff.”

“That would be very nice,” Ms. Moreno said. “Maybe he’d like to speak to the class, too?”

Reede shifted. “He travels a lot but I can ask him.”

As I passed by, Reede smiled at me and I smiled back. But I felt a little twinge.
I
was the web expert here. Couldn’t Reede just stay in her popular zone and let me be here?

When the bell rang, we all settled down. “Before we get started with class,” Ms. Moreno said, “I wanted to mention the Intranet/Internet
after-school club.” She explained how we were going to work on both the MBMS Intranet and the website. “There are only twenty-five
spots available for the club. Those of you who were in it last year will have priority. If there are more people who want
to join than there are spots, I’ll use a lottery system.”

She smiled at Reede. “I hope you’ll consider joining us. We could use someone with your experience.” I frowned. What experience?
For all we knew, she didn’t know a plug-in from a light socket. What about
my
experience? What about all the great stuff I did last year? I knew more than anyone about web design, even most of the eighth
graders. What about that?

“Erin was one of the leaders in the club last year,” Ms. Moreno said, as if reading my mind. “If you want to know everything
there is to know about it, ask her.”

“And everything there is to know about Erin herself,” Serena said, laughing. “Whether you want to or not.”

A few people chuckled and I laughed, too, before giving Serena a look. I didn’t really want Reede to know about the YOHE.

“Can we have video clips on the website?” Steve asked.

“We’ll see,” Ms. Moreno said. “We’ll need to concentrate on getting the basic structure and pages up first.” She walked around
to the side of her desk. “I’ll have sign-up sheets for the club posted outside the lab next Wednesday. Now, let’s talk about
what we’re planning to cover in this elective.”

Even though Reede was honing in a little on my turf, I couldn’t help feeling a ripple of excitement as I thought about I-Club
and everything I wanted to do this year.

“The website’s gonna rock,” Tyler said to me after class. “See you at the Y on Saturday.”

I smiled. Yes, the website would definitely rock. And Tyler had definitely improved his basketball skills since last year.
Saturday would be a fun time.

That night I was doing the dishes. As I rinsed a pot, Chris dropped something on the counter next to me.

“I think this is yours,” he said.

I looked down. It was my PEK (Period Emergency Kit)! My mom had given it to me in fifth grade. It was a small black cosmetic
bag with three appliqués she had stitched on it—a basketball, a soccer ball, and a cute little computer mouse. Inside were
two sizes of pads, two tampons, a tiny notebook and pencil in case I wanted to “record the event for posterity,” and an IOU
for chocolate.

“What does chocolate have to do with having your period?” I had asked her.

“Nothing,” she had said. “And everything. Just something to enjoy when you take this step in your life.”

“I found it when I was cleaning out my car,” Chris said, bringing me back to the kitchen.

“Since when do you clean your car?” I asked suspiciously.

He laughed. “Since Bethany said she won’t ride in the ‘trashmobile’ anymore.”

“Thanks.” Stuffing the bag into the top of my shorts, I turned back to the sink. Chris started putting things back into the
refrigerator.

“What do you keep in there, a lock of Cute Boy’s hair?” He thought he was so funny. Not only had the entire school read my
totally secret private blog but it had also made the rounds of the high school, courtesy of Serena, who’d given a copy to
her older sister.

“Very funny,” I said, turning to place a plate in the dishwasher. Chris snatched the PEK from my waist. “Hey!” I said. “Give
that back!”

He held it above his head. “Must be something pretty special in here.” He grinned and shook it in front of my face before
holding it up high again.

I paused in mid-reach. “Yeah,” I said, dropping my hands. “It
is
special. In fact, it’s perfectly fine if you open it up and look inside.” I smiled.

He eyed me suspiciously. “So all of a sudden it’s okay for me to look?” He held the bag at eye level and frowned. Then the
light dawned. “Yikes.” He tossed the bag toward me and wiped his hands on his pants.

“It’s not contaminated, you dork.” I unzipped the bag and held out a tampon. “See, it’s wrapped in hermetically sealed plastic.
But even if it wasn’t, it’s just a bunch of cotton.” I held it out to him. “You afraid of a little cotton?”

He stepped around the island so the counter separated us.

I grinned. “Catch!” I tossed the tampon at him. He jumped back as if it was on fire.

I busted out laughing.

“What’s the joke?” My dad stood in the doorway, eyebrows raised.

“Look out, Dad,” I said, taking a protective stance. “Dangerous tampon inches away.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake.” Dad leaned over and picked it up, holding it out to me. “Now, Erin, you know you aren’t supposed
to scare your brother with feminine hygiene products.”

“Sorry,” I said, wiping off the tampon before tucking it back in the bag. “It won’t happen again.”

Chris shook his head. “This is the kind of thing that keeps brothers from chauffeuring their sisters to the mall or the library,”
he said before lumbering down the hall.

Dad looked at me, eyebrows raised. “Does this mean…?”

I shook my head. “Not yet. Just making sure I’m prepared.”

“Good. Well, I’m sure I’ll find out when it happens.”

“You’ll be the sixth, seventh, or eighth one to know,” I said.

He smiled. “At least I’m in the top ten.” Squeezing my shoulder, he continued on his way.

THE NEXT MORNING I SHOWED up at the Y with Rosie. Tyler and Mark were already there, shooting baskets. We warmed up a little
with Around the World, then played a few games of two-on-two—first boys against girls, then Tyler and me against Mark and
Rosie, and finally we switched again, with Mark and me against Tyler and Rosie.

Mark and I won the first game pretty easily. We took a break after that so Rosie and I could get some water. As I started
back on the court, Mark froze in mid-shot.