Friends Forever? (6 page)

“That must be why your stomach hurt,” Chloe said. “You had cramps.”

“I think so,” Zee told her, “but they're gone now.”

Chloe studied Zee. “This is so awesome!” She jumped up and down and squealed.

Ally looked up from her dusting. “Watch out!” she called. “You're going to spill all the dirt, and it'll take us longer to clean up.”

“Oh, gosh! You're right,” Chloe said. “I guess I got carried away by Zee's big news. I'm sure she told you right away.”

“What big news?” Ally asked.

“About Zee's period,” Chloe explained.

“Oh yeah, she told me this morning. I'm so psyched.” Ally gave Zee a hug.

 

L
ater that day, fifth-period science gathered on the camp's wooden outdoor stage to practice for the talent show. After the lodge cleanup, Zee had changed into a skirt with leggings underneath and a long-sleeve gray T-shirt. She had gotten enough bug bites to understand that even when she wasn't scavenging deep in the woods, she needed to cover her arms and legs.

Zee, Chloe, Ally, and Jasper were all sitting cross-legged on the platform around Mr. P. “Have you guys decided on a song?” he asked.

“I was hoping we could sing ‘Forever Fabulous'—since everyone knows it from music class,” Zee said. “I have my guitar, Jasper has his bass, and Ally brought her flute, so she
can play with us.”

“And since I didn't bring my ginormous cello, I'll sing, too,” Chloe said.

“Jasper is going to be the lead singer, though,” Ally said.

“Sounds like you guys have it figured out,” Mr. P said. “Now I think I need to go help Kathi and Missy.”

Zee glanced over to the corner where the girls were practicing their violin duet. Kathi breathed fast, as if she might hyperventilate, while she watched Missy. Missy's bow smoothly danced across the strings, and her left hand quickly glided up and down her violin's neck. But if Missy noticed Kathi's panic, she didn't show it and stayed focused on getting the notes right.

When Mr. P walked away, Ally put her hand on Jasper's shoulder. “You are going to look so good,” she told him. “We can do something really cool with your hair. Don't you think he's going to look hot, Zee?”

Zee could feel her face warm and wondered if it was as red as Jasper's. She could understand why Jasper was embarrassed, but why was she? Was it because of the way Ally was acting—or something else?

“Too bad your
boyfriend,
Jacques, can't come to see you perform, Ally,” Zee said, sliding between her friends.

 

 

Ally stood to stretch her legs. “Oh, I don't think Jacques would be very interested in a school talent show.” Then she sat down again—next to Jasper.

“Really? Has your
boyfriend
ever heard you perform before?” Zee asked.

Ally giggled and wrinkled her nose. “Zee, you're so funny. You keep saying ‘boyfriend' like it's a bad word.”

“Oh, I don't think it's bad at all,” Zee defended herself. “I think it's great you have a boyfriend. Back in France. Named Jacques.”

“Me too,” Ally agreed.

“Ahem.” Landon seemed to appear out of nowhere and was standing at the stage.

Without even thinking, Zee slid away from Jasper. “What's up?”

“Our group was wondering if you have a pipe cleaner, a Hula-hoop, and a skateboard,” Landon said.

“For what?” Jasper asked.

“For our comedy sketch,” Landon answered Jasper, even though he looked straight at Zee. She started to get an uncomfortable feeling and looked away.

“Are those things supposed to be humorous?” Jasper asked.

Landon finally turned his eyes away from Zee to Jasper,
giving him an exasperated look. “Dude, the
things
aren't funny, but what we do with them will be.”

This time Zee put herself between the two boys. “I don't have any of that stuff. Sorry.”

“Yeah, I didn't bring anything like that for the camping trip,” Chloe said.

“Neither did I,” Jasper said. “I neglected to pack my Hula-hoop.”

Ally laughed harder than Zee had ever heard her laugh the entire time they'd known each other.

“Thanks anyway,” Landon said, and smiled at Zee. “Later.” He walked back to his group.

Zee watched Landon leave, then sat down. She could barely concentrate on the talent show. Why didn't Landon and Jasper get along? And why were Jasper and Ally getting along too well? Was everyone going crazy?

 

“How many of these do we have to put together anyway?” Kathi asked.

“Ms. Merriweather said we could stop after we've done one hundred,” Zee said.

Kathi and Zee were making s'mores packets with Landon and Jasper for the campfire later. They sat around a square table, working together. Zee grabbed two graham crackers,

Jasper dropped in the chocolate, Landon added a couple of marshmallows, and Kathi sealed them in a bag.

“It feels like we've already done a hundred,” Kathi said.

“Actually, we've done ten,” Zee pointed out.

Landon popped a piece of chocolate into his mouth. “It could be worse,” he said. “We could have to clean the bathrooms.”

“That's not even funny,” Kathi said. “I would be so out of here if I had to clean bathrooms.”

“At least it's for a good cause,” Zee said. “The campfire's going to be great.”

“I've never been to a marshmallow roast before,” Jasper said as he took a bite of graham cracker.

“Never?” Zee said. Jasper shook his head. “Cool beans!
It's so much fun—especially when you roast the perfect marshmallow. It's brown and gooey but not burnt. But mostly it's just fun hanging out with friends.”

“Speaking of which,” Kathi began, “it must be so fantastic to have Ally back in Brookdale.”

“Definitely,” Zee said. “Sometimes it feels like she never left.”

Then Kathi turned to Jasper. “But I'm sure it's weird for you,” she said to him.

“Wumpt?” Jasper asked. He'd just put another graham cracker in his mouth.

“You know, Zee's best friend having a crush on you,” Kathi said.

A spray of graham cracker crumbs flew across the table. “Gross!” Kathi screamed, jumping up and frantically wiping her shirt.

Landon started laughing. “Go for it!” he said to Jasper. “Ally's cute.”

Jasper's face turned as red as Zee's bob. Zee wasn't sure it would ever return to its normal pale shade.

After sputtering a few noises, Jasper managed to say, “Maybe
you
should ‘go for it' if you think she's so cute.”

“I don't think Ally is Landon's type at all,” Kathi put in.

“Ally has a boyfriend,” Zee said.

“Yes, that's right,” Jasper said. “Jacques. From France.”

“That doesn't mean she can't like Jasper, too,” Landon explained.

“Actually, it does,” Zee said. “Well, I think it does.”

“I agree with Zee,” Jasper quickly added. “I certainly wouldn't want my girlfriend to have a crush on someone else.”

“Well, I wouldn't, either,” Landon defended himself. “I just thought—”

“I'm done!” Kathi suddenly interrupted.

“But we still have a ton of packages to put together,” Zee pointed out.

“Sorry, but I'm just not feeling well,” Kathi said. She swooned a little so her hair swung back and forth across her shoulders. “All of this work is making me sick.”

“It's okay,” Landon said. “I can seal the bag after I put the marshmallows in.”

“See ya!” Kathi waved as she walked away.

Now Zee was left with Landon and Jasper.
Awkward!
Zee thought.

Landon and Jasper did their jobs without looking up. Zee desperately wanted to fill the silence with words. But she couldn't think of a single thing to say. Instead she sat quietly, hoping a bear would come swallow her whole.

 

Later, as Zee approached cabin one, she heard murmuring. “You have a boyfriend?” Kathi said.

“His name is Jacques,” Ally told Kathi.

“Isn't having a boyfriend so cool?” Kathi asked. “The presents. And flowers.”

“Well, Jacques doesn't really buy me a lot of stuff, but we do talk and text all the time.”

“That's almost as much fun!” Kathi said. “Is he older?”

“No, he's twelve, too—or should I say, ‘
douze.
'” Both girls giggled.

Zee opened the cabin door. “What were you guys talking about?” she asked.

Ally and Kathi looked at each other. Ally was about to say something, but at that moment, Jen, Missy, and Chloe arrived.

“Man, I'm tired,” Chloe said, landing on her bunk.

“Well, at least we'll never have to collect firewood again,” Missy said.

“Thank goodness!” Jen added. “That job is
the worst.
”

Ally closed her mouth as the other girls went on. Zee couldn't believe that Ally was confiding in Kathi. Ally always said she didn't trust Kathi. Had Kathi invited Zee's BFF to be in a secret club, too? This time a club that Zee couldn't join?

The Boyfriend Club? The Boobs Club?
Zee wondered.
Why would Ally talk about her boyfriend to Kathi instead of me?