My New Best Friend (12 page)

Jenna rolls onto her back and stares at the ceiling again. Her face looks stone still, but her eyes look soft and wet like clay.

Suddenly, I want to say, "Guess what? I have a secret, too. There's a shrine in my attic with an evil mermaid and everything. Want to see?"

But instead I just look back at the ceiling. "I won't tell," I finally say.

"Thanks," Jenna says back.

I must fall asleep for a while because when I open my eyes again someone has turned off my desk lamp and Jenna is snoring softly next to Rachel.

I creep out of my room and tiptoe up the attic steps. I turn on the light and walk over to the mermaid. I plug her in. Then I pick her up and look her right in the evil eye.

"I just wanted you to know that I don't think you're so powerful anymore."

Her glow warms my hand, but when I set her down it hardly tingles at all.

I pick up all the plastic spiders and doll body parts and toss them onto a shelf. I crumple up the foil and throw it away. Then I carry the jar of purple water to the bathroom and dump it out. I put away the roll of toilet paper.

I go back to the attic and unplug the mermaid. I set her on a shelf with all the other stuff. Then I take out her lightbulb. Just to be sure.

I creep down the attic steps, but I don't go back to bed.

I tiptoe into my parents' bedroom instead.

I poke the lump that is closest to me. It groans and rolls over. So I walk around the bed and poke the other lump. Harder.

My mom shoots up like her hips are springs.

"I-Ida?" she says. "W-what is it? Is something wrong?"

"No," I say. "I just wanted to remind you about something."

My mom looks at the clock on her nightstand. The one, five, nine changes to a two, zero, zero. She lets her head fall back onto her pillow. I wait while she rubs her eyes. "What?" she finally asks.

"I'm nine, you know."

Mom cracks an eye at me. "I know."

"Which means I'm getting pretty big now. So you should probably start telling me about big things."

"What big things, Ida?"

"I want to know about any bumpy roads we might be experiencing. The ones that cause a lot of fighting."

My mom nudges herself up onto an elbow. She studies me through half-closed eyes. "Ida, no one is experiencing bumpy roads and no one is fighting," she says.

"Some people are," I say.

"Who?" Mom asks.

I fidget a little, remembering my promise. "Well, obviously,
someone
is.
Somewhere.
But if there was any bumpiness in our family you would tell me, right?"

My mom is quiet for a moment. Then she says, "Yes, Ida. I would tell you."

"Okay, then," I say. "That's all for now."

I start to walk away. Then I stop and turn around. "Me and Stacey play in our attic sometimes. I thought you should know."

Mom smiles. "Thanks for telling me."

"You're welcome."

When Dad and I get back from driving Jenna, Rachel, a spinach lasagna, and a bunch of brownies home the next day, there's a bike in my yard. And a surprise on my porch.

Stacey.

"I'm done being grounded," she says after my dad goes inside.

"I see that," I say back.

"I'm sorry I was avoiding you on Friday. I was afraid you were still mad at me."

"You were avoiding me?" I say. "I was avoiding you. I thought you were mad after I yelled at you and everything."

Stacey smiles a little. "I wasn't mad. I was just ... upset. Because I knew you were right about telling the truth to my dad. Which I did."

"You did?"

Stacey nods. "When we were driving to his place I told him that our program hadn't really been canceled and that I was sorry I had lied and that I hoped he could still come. And then I told him I was afraid to invite Tanya because it might make Kelli sad to see how happy he is with her. And then I told him I was tired of not telling Kelli the truth about everything that's going on with Tanya, and with my brother, Jake, almost never being around."

"Wow, you said all that?"

Stacey nods. "It was hard, but I did it."

"What did he say?"

"Nothing, at first," Stacey replies. "When we got to his apartment he called Kelli and they talked for a long time. When he got off the phone, he gave me a hug and told me I didn't have to keep secrets from her anymore."

Stacey is quiet for a moment. Then she says, "Ida? I'm sorry about all the lies. I know the mermaid can't make things happen."

"That's okay," I say.

After Stacey bikes home, I go upstairs to get
ready for the program. And that's when I find another surprise.

A bright orange leotard is sitting on George's lap.

So is a note.

Ida,

Some mountains have volcanoes hidden inside (I know because I researched it). The real Mount Ida doesn't, but you can still wear my orange leotard and pretend you are lava inside your costume. If you want.

Jenna

P.S. Thank you for inviting us to sleep over. We had a good time.

At the bottom of the note there's a drawing of me, shooting out of a mountain. It makes me laugh. And then I laugh again because I'm pretty sure this is the first time Jenna Drews has ever made me laugh about anything.

When Mom, Dad, and I get to the dance studio later, Mr. Crow and Miss Woo are standing in the
entrance, greeting everyone as they arrive. Mr. Crow is wearing a toga and sandals. And very hairy legs. Miss Woo is wearing a toga and sandals, too, only it's a much better look on her. Trust me.

I peek inside the studio and see chairs set up all around the edge. Painted cardboard pillars stand in each corner and a table full of Greek food—grapes, olives, cheese, crackers, and punch—is set up in front of the wall of mirrors.

"Want to help hand out olive branches?" I hear someone say.

I turn around and see Tom Sanders. He's wearing a shiny gold toga and holding a bunch of fake olive-branch crowns.

"Sure," I say, taking some of the crowns. I give two to my parents. They put them on and head to the food table. I give more crowns to Jolene's family when they arrive. And Meeka's. And Randi's. Pretty soon the whole place is crawling with people who have leaves sticking out of their hair.

I'm down to three crowns when Mr. and Mrs. Drews arrive with Rachel and Jenna. Rachel is wearing her blue tutu and carrying a lumpy plastic bag. Jenna is wearing her green leotard and vines. I see her glance at the bright orange leotard
I'm wearing under my white hoodie. Even though her face is painted with bugs and butterflies, I can still see her grin.

"Thanks, Ida," Mr. Drews says as I hand him and Mrs. Drews their crowns. "And thank your mom for the spinach lasagna. It was delicious."

"You can thank her yourself," I say, looking toward the food table.

"We'll do that," Mrs. Drews says, taking Mr. Drews's arm and heading inside.

I feel a tug on my sleeve. "I want to wear a stick," Rachel says, eyeing my last olive-branch crown.

"No, Rachel," Jenna says. "You're
in
the program. Those are only for the people who watch."

"I gotta watch," Rachel says, holding up her wrist. Her frog's tongue ticks off the seconds.

Jenna rolls her eyes. "That doesn't count."

"It does, too," Rachel says, pointing to the numbers. "And so do I."

She takes the crown from me and puts it on her head.

"It's almost time to start," Mr. Crow tells us. "I want everyone to gather off stage until it's your turn to perform." He points to a room that's
hooked to the studio. I see Mount Ida waiting inside.

We all head to the room. I pull up my hoodie and slip on my box.

"Where's Stacey?" Jenna asks, glancing around the room.

I glance around, too. "Don't worry," I say. "She'll be here."

"She better be," Jenna says.

Mr. Crow walks to the center of the studio and greets everyone. "We'd like to begin our program with a poem written by Stacey Merriweather. Mr. Crow looks around. "Is Stacey here?"

"Right here!" Stacey runs into the studio from outside. So do Kelli and Grandma Tootie. And a man with dark eyes and curly hair, just like Stacey's. And a woman who's holding his hand. And a bigger boy with spiky blond hair, like Kelli's.

"Here, Jake," Stacey says, tossing the boy her jacket. "Hold this."

"What am I? Your servant?" he asks.

"Servant, brother, same thing," Stacey replies.

Kelli laughs. So does Grandma Tootie. And Stacey's dad. And Tanya.

Stacey hurries over to Mr. Crow.

"Sorry I'm late," she says.

"You're right on time," Mr. Crow replies. "Ready?"

Stacey nods and unfolds a piece of paper. She smiles at her family. Then she starts reading.

In ancient times when Earth was new,
The goddess Gaia knew what to do.
She made more gods right on the spot.
Her husband, Sky, helped out a lot.

The god Poseidon made men flee
Each time his trident hit the sea.
Athena with her shiny shield
Made bad guys run and armies yield.

The best at beauty was Aphrodite.
The head god, Zeus, was strong and mighty.
Strange Argus with his hundred eyes
Kept watch for sneaky tricks and lies.

As nymph or goddess, god or muse,
We're here to share some made-up news
And offer no apology
For this friendly mythology.

Everyone applauds. Stacey walks over to where I'm standing.

"That was great," I say. "I didn't know you wrote a poem for the program."

"I wrote it this weekend at my dad's," Stacey says. "Tanya even helped me. Then Kelli called Mr. Crow this afternoon to see if I could read it."

Randi and Rusty bump past me as they head into the studio.

"Watch where you're going," Jenna barks from behind me. "You almost dented Ida's box."

Randi and Rusty turn around. Six eyes look back at us—four regular and two googly.

"Sorry, Ida," Randi says. "We didn't
see
you."

"Yeah," Rusty says, pointing to his forehead. "My
eye
isn't what it used to be."

They both crack up, head on stage, and start telling jokes.

"
What did the boy cyclops say to the girl cyclops?"

"
You're the apple of my eye!
"

"
What do you call a cyclops who wears glasses?
"

"
Two-eyes!
"

"
What do you call a cyclops pirate?"

"
Man overboard!
"

"
When do cyclops friends fight?"

"
When they don't see eye to eye!
"

Randi and Rusty tell a few more jokes, peel off their googly eyes, and take a bow.

Tom takes the stage. Actually, he shoots across it. On rollerblades. He's wearing a box that's painted like a golden chariot. A
TOMO
is written on the sides. Zane, Dominic, and the Dylans are pulling him along. They're wearing basketball jerseys and bridles—a team of horses. Get it?

I smile as Tom zigzags across the floor because it's funny and because it's nice to know I'm not the only one wearing a box.

After Brooke and Meeka spell out A-P-H-R-O-D-I-T-E and A-T-H-E-N-A using only their body parts, Mr. Crow gives me a sign. Jenna gives me a nudge. "Go on, Ida," she says. "We're next."

I gulp and walk to the center of the studio. I glance around at all the smiling faces.

"This is the myth of how Gaia, goddess of the
Earth, saved baby Zeus from being eaten by his father." I bite my lip, trying to remember what else Jenna told me to say. "Starring the Do-Good Nymphs. With a special appearance by Rachel Drews as baby Zeus."

I glance at Jenna. She gives me a nod.

Miss Woo starts the music and Randi gallops up to me. She pulls three Kens and two Barbies from a plastic bag. They're wearing toilet paper togas.

I glance at Rachel and see her smile.

Randi fake-swallows the dolls. Then she pulls Rachel's stuffed poodle and a rock out of the bag and shows them to the audience. The poodle is wearing a sticky note with goat printed on it. The rock is wearing one that says rock. She fake-swallows them, too.

Jolene rolls a basketball across the floor. Randi stuffs it under her spaceship toga. She staggers around, holding her stomach.

Jenna dances out with Rachel and the nymphs. Rachel stops and waves to Mr. and Mrs. Drews even though it's not part of the dance. Nobody seems to care. The nymphs help Jenna hide Rachel inside my box with me. It's cozy, but we fit.

A moment later, Rachel crawls back out, picks
up her lightning bolt, and gives Randi a whack in the stomach. Randi coughs up the rock and the poodle.

"
Barf-O-Rama!
" Rusty shouts.

Everyone laughs.

Rachel gives Randi another whack and she coughs up the dolls, togas and all.

Randi falls to the floor. Rachel takes a bow. So do Jenna, Brooke, Meeka, Jolene, and Stacey. I toss off my box and take one, too.

Everyone claps like thunder.

Mr. crow steps forward. "We have one last presentation," he says and gives Quinn a nod.

Quinn carries in a horse hanging from a long pole. Joey and Dominic whack it with wooden swords. When it finally splits open, a hundred plastic army guys spill out.

But that's not all.

Candy spills out, too.

Tons of it.

Everyone dives in.

A minute later, Randi jumps up holding a fistful of Choco-chunks in each hand. "Sweet!" she shouts.

I smile because I couldn't agree more.

Now that Greek Day is over, I have some new things to be thankful for.

• Mr. Crow started reading a new book to our class called
Black Beauty.
It's a story about a horse. Actually, it's a story
told
by a horse. No lie. When Mr. Crow is done reading it, he's taking all of us horseback riding. He says it will be a lot of fun, but if my horse starts talking to me, I'm out of there.

• Mr. Crow also got around to remembering the math quiz we never took. Normally, that wouldn't make me thankful, but I actually did pretty good.