The Popularity Spell (16 page)

I
n the morning I don't want to get out of bed. It's just like the times before the voodoo doll, when I didn't like going to school and Dad would have to yell two or three times before I'd get up.

When he finally says, “I'm not kidding, Cleo; I am not in the mood for this,” I roll onto the floor. My foot lands on my phone, which I tossed on the ground after texting Samantha last night. When I pick it up, I see that she wrote back. All her text says is:
What?!

I can tell from the frowny face that her text is extra serious. We'll have to talk about it at school.

I'm waiting for Sam in the courtyard before class when Scabby Larry walks up to me. “Hey, are you excited about callbacks?” he asks. “You were really good at the audition.”

While I appreciate the compliment, I can't enjoy it. I have bigger things on my mind right now. “Thanks. You too,” I mumble.

“Have you thought about what part you might want?”

I don't want to be rude when he's being so friendly, but I see Sam coming in from the parking lot. Her head is down low and when I try to get her attention, she walks straight by. I know she saw us!

I excuse myself from Scabby Larry and rush to Kevin's classroom. Sam is already sitting, looking down at her desk like there's something really interesting there. The bell rings and I have to sit too, but I still whisper, “Sam!”

Finally she looks at me. She's got the same frown as the emoji in her text.

During history class, Kevin shows a movie about World War I. It looks boring, but there's too much going on in my brain to snooze. I expect to feel a note from Sam poking in my butt cheek, but nothing comes.

When the bell rings for lunch, Samantha leaves without me. She's obviously avoiding me, but I'll be able to corner her in the cafeteria. I go to the bathroom first and get my phone out of my backpack. I know this is a bad idea because I could drop my phone into the toilet, which is about the grossest thing I can think of, and it's a miracle it hasn't happened to me yet. So I'm ultra careful. I look at my messages and there's a ton of texts.

What are you talking about?!

This is the best time we've ever had!

I thought we were friends!

Don't you want to be my sister?