My Extra Best Friend (16 page)

Jenna crosses her arms and gives Liz a look. “Thank you
soooo
much, Liz Evans,” she says.

Liz grins back. “You’re
soooo
welcome, Jenna Drews.”

“Ida! Liz! Jenna! Over here!”

We look toward the beach and see Randi waving. Meeka is lining up the other girls. Brooke is tossing aside her beach queen stuff and smoothing back her hair. “Hurry! Group shot!”

Rachel hops over to her parents.

We join the other girls. Even the boys bunch in, pumping the Silver Paddle over their heads.

“Say
cheese
!” Meeka cries, holding up her camera.

“Cheese!” all us girls sing.

“Cheese
turds
!” the boys chime in.

We do a few poses. Serious. Silly. Glamour.

Click!…Click!…Click!

“Let me take one, Meeka,” Liz offers, stepping out of the shot. “Or you won’t be in any of the pictures!”

Meeka gives her camera to Liz.

Liz takes aim.

“No, no, let
me
do that.”

Mrs. Morgan walks up to Liz and takes the camera. Then she looks over at Brooke and gives her a smile.

Mrs. Morgan hands her bouquet of flowers to Liz. “Welcome home, dear,” she says.

Liz’s eyes go wide behind her glasses. “Thank you!” she says, smelling the bouquet.

“Now shoo,” Mrs. Morgan says, waving Liz away. “Stand with your friends.”

Liz clomps back to us.

We haul her in.