by Chloe Taylor
Ivy Wallace, Shannon Chang, and Bree Sharpe were some not-so-nice girls who went to Mapleton Prep.
“That’s right. Well, remember how Daphne wrote a comment on my blog about how creative people have to get used to criticism because art is subjective and reminded me about sticks and stones?”
“How could we forget?” Priti said. “That was supermega-exciting!”
“Well, she invited me then, and I wanted to go right away, but I couldn’t because of school.”
“How could you stand waiting?” Priti demanded.
“Well, to tell you the truth, I got so busy with Doggie Duds and everything else that I kind of forgot about it for a while,” Zoey confessed. “But Dad talked to her assistant about setting a date for when school ended, and I’m going next Friday!”
“Really? I’m going from Thursday night through Sunday,” Libby said. “Aunt Lexie’s taken Friday off from work for a special treat she’s got planned.” She paused, thinking for a moment. “What if . . . It would be fun if we went to New York together and you spent the weekend with me and Aunt Lexie, wouldn’t it? I’d have to check that it’s okay with her, but what do you think? Maybe we can all go!”
Zoey had met Libby’s aunt when they went to an accessories show and had really liked her. Spending a weekend with her and Libby in New York sounded fabulous.
“That sounds like fun,” Kate said. “Wish I could join you, but I’ll have already left for camp.”
“I won’t have,” Priti said. “Even if my parents force me to go, camp’s not for another few weeks.”
“Cool! I’ll call Aunt Lexie tonight and ask if it’s okay to bring friends,” Libby said. “It would be so much fun for all three of us to go together. My mom can drive us.”
“And I’ll check with Dad,” Zoey said. “I hope he says yes!”
It wasn’t until she got home and was waiting impatiently for her father to return from work so she could ask him that it suddenly struck Zoey that maybe Dad would be upset if she wanted to go to New York with Libby instead of with him. After all, he’d gone to all the trouble of asking her to take him shopping for a special “cool Dad” outfit, just so he wouldn’t embarrass her at Daphne’s studio. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt his feelings.
The truth was, Zoey had been looking forward to their daddy-daughter day in the city. But the prospect of a weekend-long slumber party with her friends and Libby’s aunt Lexie sounded like so much fun! She didn’t want Dad to be upset, but she didn’t want to miss out on a good time, either. What should she do?
After her father came home, Zoey waited until they’d all sat down to dinner to broach the question, when he was more relaxed.
“Guess what, Dad? It turns out Libby is going to visit her aunt Lexie the exact same weekend as I’m supposed to go tour Daphne Shaw’s studio. She has to check with her aunt first, but she thought it would be fun for us to have a slumber party at her aunt’s apartment for the weekend.” Zoey wasn’t sure, but she thought she caught a look of disappointment flash across her father’s face. “So . . . what do you think?”
Mr. Webber put down his fork slowly and carefully. When he looked up at Zoey, he smiled.
“That’s a great idea, honey,” he said. “I’m sure you girls will have a blast . . . as long as it’s okay with Libby’s aunt.”
Zoey breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t want her father to be mad or upset about not going—but she wanted to have fun with Libby, too!
“Zo’s having a girl’s weekend in the city?” Marcus asked. “I need a boy’s weekend. I still haven’t been to Rudy’s Music Stop.”
“We’ll have a boys weekend sometime soon,” Dad promised. “I’ll take you to Rudy’s Music Stop, and you can eat all the New York pizza you want.”
“Sounds like a slice of heaven,” Marcus said.
“Dad, I just thought of something,” Zoey said. “What if Lexie can’t take me to Daphne’s studio? Libby said she’s taken Friday off from work for a special treat for Libby. Maybe she has big plans.”
“Let’s just take this one step at a time,” Dad said. “We don’t even know if Libby’s aunt has agreed to this yet. I’ll call Mrs. Flynn tonight and ask for Lexie’s phone number, so we can work out the logistics tomorrow.”
“Okay,” Zoey said.
She really hoped things worked out. In the meantime, she kept thinking of how much fun it was going to be hanging out in the city with Libby and Priti and Libby’s aunt Lexie. She couldn’t wait!
Later that evening, Zoey and her father were watching TV when the phone rang. Mr. Webber picked up, and after saying hello and listening for a minute, he went into the kitchen, obviously not wanting Zoey to hear, which of course made her more curious. She decided to go get herself a glass of milk, and when she went into the kitchen, he was still on the phone. “No, Zoey doesn’t—”
He spotted her and stopped speaking. The expression on his face made Zoey anxious. . . .
Who was he talking to? Was there a hitch in the weekend plans? Or was her dad more upset about her bailing on their daddy-daughter day than he was letting on?
She took her glass of milk out to the living room. When her dad came back, he settled onto the sofa and asked her what he’d missed on the TV show. She told him and then asked, “Is everything okay?”
“Sure, honey. Why wouldn’t it be?” her dad asked.
Zoey shrugged.
She still felt uneasy.
CHAPTER 3
Slumber Party in the Big Apple
I can tell you my big secret now! I’m going to visit the design studio of none other than my fashion idol— *drumroll, please*—DAPHNE SHAW!! Can you believe it?! I have to keep pinching myself so I do.
To make things even more exciting, I might be having a sleepover party in the big city with my friends that same weekend. I’ve designed these NYC-inspired pajamas for myself and am making them tonight, but the funky slippers are just an idea for now. I’ve learned a lot since I started sewing, but I have no idea how to make slippers!
I hope it all works out, because while our slumber parties in Mapleton are fun, a slumber party in the Big Apple would be a really great way to start the summer, don’t you think? Here’s to summer—or slumber—in the city!
“Okay, you guys, I’ve got good news and bad news,” Libby announced at lunch the next day. “Which do you want first?”
“I could use some good news with everything going on with my parents,” Priti said. “Let’s have that first.”
“Well, the good news is that Aunt Lexie was okay about me inviting a friend,” Libby said. “But that’s also the bad news. She’s got a really small apartment, and she said she can really only handle two tween girls there at a time.” Libby looked from Zoey to Priti and then back again. “I feel really awful about this. What do we do?”
Zoey and Priti exchanged glances. Zoey really wanted to go with Libby, but the last thing she wanted to do was upset Priti, especially after Priti said she needed some good news. Things had been difficult between Priti’s parents for a while now. Maybe I should just let Priti go with Libby, and I’ll go with Dad as we’d originally planned, Zoey thought.
She was just about to open her mouth to suggest that when Priti spoke up.
“Zoey should go,” she said. “After all, she’s got an actual reason to be in New York next weekend. I just wanted to tag along because it sounded like fun.”
“Are . . . you sure?” Zoey asked. “Because my dad can still take me if you really want to go.”
“I’m sure,” Priti said. “Come on, Zo. You’re going to see Daphne Shaw! You deserve to have a totally awesome weekend.”
Zoey reached over and hugged her friend.
“You’re the best BFF ever, Priti,” she said. “I was just about to ask you if you wanted to go instead.”
“Which makes you a great BFF too,” Priti said. “But I do have a price for my BFF-iness.”
“Which is . . . ?” Libby asked.
“Cupcakes!” Priti said, smiling. “I want a cupcake from Sugar Sweet Sunshine in the Lower East Side. It’s the most amazing cupcake bakery in the entire universe. OMG, they are so good. I’ll take a Sassy Red Velvet cupcake. No, wait, an Ooey Gooey cupcake. No, a—”
“We’ll bring you an assortment,” Libby said. “Then you can try them all.”
“Now I’m starting to wish I was going to be home instead of at camp,” Kate said. “I mean . . . I just had lunch, but those cupcakes are making me hungry again!”
“We’ll have another cupcake party when you get back,” Zoey said. “A ‘Welcome Home, Kate’ cupcake party.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Kate said. “A yummy plan!”
Zoey was relieved that everything seemed to be working out for the big weekend without anyone getting really upset. Priti seemed content with the promise of her favorite cupcakes from Sugar Sweet Sunshine, and Dad . . . Well, he said he was okay with not going, but Zoey wasn’t 100 percent sure she believed him after seeing him looking so serious on the phone the night before.
Still, Zoey was so excited for her weekend slumber party with Libby that it was hard to concentrate for the rest of the afternoon in school. She kept imagining all the fun things they were going to do in New York. When Zoey’s imagination was on the loose, she couldn’t help doodling too.
Luckily, with there being less than a week of school left, there wasn’t that much going on in class, so she only got called out once for daydreaming.
Mr. Webber was home early that evening and speaking on the phone when Zoey got home from school.
“Great! We’ll look forward to seeing you next Friday, late afternoon. And thanks again for agreeing to host Zoey!” he said before hanging up the phone.
He seemed in a much better mood than he’d been in the night before.
“Hi, Dad,” Zoey said. “Who was that?”
“That was Libby’s aunt Lexie,” Dad said. “There’s been a slight change of plans.”
Zoey’s face must have given away her worry that the sleepover was off because her father said, “Don’t worry, Zo! You still get to spend the weekend with Libby.”
“Oh, good,” Zoey said.
“Now, I have to trust you to keep this part a secret, because it’s a surprise for Libby. Can you do that?” her dad asked.
“Ookay,” Zoey agreed, wondering what was so hush-hush.
“Aunt Lexie can’t take you to Daphne’s studio on Friday because she planned a surprise spa day for her and Libby in the morning—and visits to some art galleries in the afternoon. Promise you won’t tell Libby?”
“I won’t,” Zoey promised.
“So, instead of you going on Thursday with Libby and her mother, I’ll drive you on Friday as we’d originally planned, drop you at Daphne’s studio, stay for a bit—and then I’ll meet an old college friend for lunch,” Dad explained. “When you’re done at Daphne’s, I’ll take you to Lexie’s apartment. Then Libby’s mom will drive you home on Sunday. How does that sound?”
“It sounds perfect!” Zoey exclaimed. “It’s the best of both worlds.”
She hugged her father. “I’m glad you’re going to be taking me to Daphne’s. I would have missed having our daddy-daughter time—and besides, you look so snazzy in your new outfit!”
Mr. Webber brushed a stray lock of hair back from Zoey’s face.
“I’m glad we’re going to have our Dad and Zoey time too. The last thing I want is for you to miss out on fun times with your friends, but . . . I’m happy it all worked out so I get to be a part of your big day too.”
“Now I have to figure out what to wear.” Zoey sighed. “I mean, this is Daphne Shaw we’re talking about here.”
“I’m the last person who can help you with that problem,” her father said, grinning. “You better dial 1-800-AUNT-LULU for that kind of advice.”
Before Zoey knew it, the last day of school arrived. Nobody was even pretending to do any work. Teachers either let the students watch movies or sign yearbooks. In language arts, Zoey asked Lorenzo Romy, the boy she’d had a crush earlier in the year, to sign hers.
“Sure,” he said, taking it from her, scribbling his name and “Have an awesome summer!” and then handing it back.
Even though she and Lorenzo were just friends, Zoey thought he would have written something a little more thoughtful than that. She stood for a moment, waiting for him to ask her to sign his, but he didn’t. Shrugging, she turned and walked back to her desk.
“Hey, Zoey, can I get the autograph of Mapleton Prep’s most celebrated student for my yearbook?”
Gabe Monaco, the boy who’d sat in front of her all year, was holding out his yearbook and a pen.
“Celebrated?” Ivy retorted, leaning over her desk to interrupt. “Are you sure you don’t mean ‘dorky’?”
Gabe kept his eyes on Zoey. “No, I’m pretty sure I meant ‘celebrated,’ as in well-known, respected, and admired,” he said.
“Well, in that case, you can definitely have my autograph,” Zoey said. “As long as you autograph my yearbook too.”
Ivy muttered something about “nerd love,” but Zoey ignored her as she gave Gabe her yearbook. His cheeks were tinged pink. She reminded herself that Ivy might think Zoey was dorky, but the rest of the student body had voted her Best Dressed. Maybe it was true what Libby said about Ivy just being jealous.
Now, what should she write in Gabe’s yearbook? She wanted to write more than “Have an awesome summer!” Gabe made her laugh and always stuck up for her when Ivy was being a pain. He was also a lot more fun to dance with than Lorenzo, as she had discovered at a school dance.
In the end, she sketched a picture of him sitting at his desk with her behind him, sending a paper airplane that was trailing a banner that read: HOPE WE’RE IN CLASS TOGETHER AGAIN NEXT YEAR! YOUR “CELEBRATED” FRIEND, ZOEY.
Gabe took even longer than she did, even though he was writing slowly. He looked like he was thinking about each word before he wrote it.
“Are you writing a book?” Zoey teased.
“No,” he said. “Just . . . a little something.”
The bell rang as soon as Gabe gave back her yearbook, so it wasn’t until she was sitting next to Libby in art class that she was able to see what he’d written:
To Zoey—who always makes life more interesting and colorful. I’ve really enjoyed being in class with you this year. Hope you have a great summer. I’ll miss you.
Looking forward to seeing you next year,
Gabe
“Interesting and colorful,” Zoey repeated to herself. “I’ll miss you?” Now she was the one with the pink-tinged cheeks.
“Libby,” Zoey said, showing her Gabe’s inscription. “What does he mean by ‘colorful’? That’s a compliment, right?”
“Definitely, especially coming from Gabe!” Libby said. “I think he might have a crush on you.”
Zoey really liked Gabe. But in a way she was glad summer vacation was about to start. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for any more crush dramas right now. After an action-packed year, she just wanted to relax, enjoy the summer, and have fun with her friends.
During math, Zoey was called down to Ms. Austen’s office. Usually, she wondered if she’d done something wrong if she got called to the principal’s office, but she was pretty sure her slate was clean. Besides, it was the last day of school. Ms. Austen was hardly likely to be giving her a detention!
“This came for you,” Ms. Austen said when Zoey arrived, handing her a small padded envelope. “I think it’s from your friend Fashionsista. It’s lucky it came today, isn’t it? Just in the nick of time.”
“I know!” Zoey said, opening the envelope. Inside was an adorable pincushion shaped like a hedgehog, attached to a cuff bracelet so it could be worn on her wrist. The pins looked like the hedgehog’s little spikes. Zoey slipped it on her wrist and admired it.
“Ooh, it’s so cute, isn’t it?” she said, showing it off to Ms. Austen.
“It is adorable. Practical, too,” Ms. Austen said. “It’s much easier to pin a hem when you’re wearing the pincushion on your wrist.”
Zoey took the note out of the envelope and read it aloud:
Dear Zoey,
I was in England recently, and when I saw this, I thought you’d get a kick out of it. Congratulations on a beyond-successful year of school and best wishes for an exciting summer!
Your friend,
Fashionsista
“That’s so nice of her!” Zoey exclaimed.
“It really is,” Ms. Austen said. “You’re very lucky to have a friend like her. She seems to have taken a special interest in you.”
“It’s amazing. I wish I knew who she was, you know, so I could thank her in person,” Zoey said, “instead of just writing to her on my blog. Plus, I’m dying of curiosity!”
“Aren’t we all?” Ms. Austen chuckled.
At the end of the day, when the final bell rang, everyone cheered. Zoey emptied the things from her locker into her book bag, and, overloaded, went out front to find Priti. Zoey’s dad had left work a little early and was picking up Zoey and Priti from school as a treat. When Zoey found Priti, Mr. Webber had already arrived and was talking to Ms. Austen by the entrance.
Zoey stopped for a minute and watched them before they caught sight of her. Dad was wearing his new jeans and looked younger than he usually did. But there was something odd about the way he and Ms. Austen were chatting. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
“Zo . . . is it my imagination or are your dad and Ms. Austen really . . . smiley with each other all of a sudden?” Priti asked.
Zoey stared at Priti, wide-eyed, as she contemplated what that might mean and looked back at her dad and Ms. Austen.
Is that it?
“Um . . . yeah, they are. But . . . maybe it’s just because it’s the last day of school and they’re in a good mood or something.”
“Yeah. Maybe,” Priti said. But she didn’t sound completely convinced.