Green (25 page)

259

"I didn't come for ice cream anyway. I was actually looking for you."

"Really?" I asked, amazed.

"Maybe we can hang out at your house today. If you want to," she added with an odd sideways glance of her blue eyes.

"Okay."

We crossed at the corner light and headed down the sidewalk toward our neighborhood. I still wasn't sure what was going on; I was just really glad that Kendall wasn't mad at me.

"Did you go see
Samurai Princess
with Lola?" I asked.

"Of course not. Listen, I was going to tell you this when we went out for your birthday, but--" Cutting herself off abruptly, Kendall dragged me under a shady tree and pulled a present out of her bag. "Here, this is for you. Happy birthday!"

"Kendall!" I exclaimed. "You didn't have to get me anything."

"I wanted to."

I hesitated two full seconds to admire the gift wrap. Then I started ripping. Underneath were a disposable camera and a photo album with pink fabric covers.

"I made that myself," she said, poking the album proudly. "Look. It's padded." Grabbing the camera, Kendall held it at arm's length and aimed for our heads. "Smile!"

260

A flash went off, leaving me blinking.

"There. That'll be your first picture. We can take more too. If you want." She had that weird look on her face again.

"Wait. Did you and Lola have a fight or something?"

"No, but that's what I wanted to tell you the other night. Me and Lola ... She's a good friend and I'll still see her. But we aren't that alike anymore. I like hanging out with you now, Lily. I thought maybe we could hang out more."

"Really?" And then the best part hit me. "And you wanted to tell me this on my birthday?" That was
before
I'd come home with a new haircut, magic shoes, and a boatload of leprechaun luck. On my birthday, I'd been plain old Lily.

Kendall nodded. "So, do you want to? Be better friends, I mean."

I smiled as if I'd just been named keeper all over again. "Totally."

On the corner of our block, right as we made the turn, Kendall squealed and pointed. Byron Berry was coasting past my house, standing on his bike pedals to see in our front windows.

"Ooh, Lily!" Kendall teased. "I think someone likes you!"

I rolled my eyes as if she were crazy, but I walked a little taller. Who knew? Byron had never cruised my house
before
.

And then I noticed the rainbow. The arcing-out-of-a-clear-blue-sky-right-down-to-my-bedroom-roof

261

rainbow. "Uh-oh.
That
doesn't happen in the Meadows."

"What?" Kendall said.

"Huh? Oh, just ... mumbling."

I obviously needed to hide my gold better--and fast.
Underground
, I thought, instinctively guessing the solution.
That's where the leprechauns keep theirs
.

I needed to tell my mom about it too. And I would. Eventually. Definitely before college. Just as soon as I came up with a good story.

It will all work out
, I thought with a secret smile. I was thirteen now and much better at dealing with things.

Besides, I was feeling lucky.

262

263

Laura Peyton Roberts
is the author of many books for young readers, including the novels
Ghost of a Chance, The Queen of Second Place
, and
Queen B
. She lives with her husband in San Diego. Visit her at
www.laurapeytonroberts.com
.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2010 by Laura Peyton Roberts

All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

Delacorte Press is a registered trademark and the colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.

Visit us on the Web!
www.randomhouse.com/kids

Educators and librarians, for a variety of teaching tools, visit us at
www.randomhouse.com/teachers

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Roberts, Laura Peyton.

Green / Laura Peyton Roberts.--1st ed.

p. cm.

Summary: Abducted by leprechauns on her thirteenth birthday, Lilybet

Green learns that there is more to her family tree--and to her bond

with her late grandmother--than she ever imagined.

eISBN: 978-0-375-89545-6

[1. Leprechauns--Fiction. 2. Grandmothers--Fiction.] I. Title.

PZ7.R5433Gr 2010

[Fic]--dc22

2008054241

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