“What about water balloons,” said Erin.
“Or snowballs,” said Zachary, “if it ever snows again.”
“What if we just came up with the most shocking and amazing and completely awesome and vexylent endangered animal report ever in the history of the world instead,” I said.
“That sounds good to me,” said Erin.
“Okay, I guess.” Zachary seemed a little disappointed.
“Let’s get back to work,” said Logan.
“I’ll close the curtains,” I said.
8
The Missing Books
We know it’s time to leave for school in the morning because we hear Charlie’s basketball bouncing outside our front door. Since we had his ball at our house, though, he couldn’t dribble it, and we were almost late for school two days in a row. On Wednesday we race-walked the whole way, but on Thursday we had to jog.
“I’d like you to return Charlie’s basketball today,” said my mom.
Louie ran out of his house without his mom and Maggie, and we all started jogging again.
“I’d rather wait until he comes and asks for it back nicely,” I said. “And apologizes for being in cahoots with Rosemary T.”
“Dumb old Rosemary T.,” said Tess.
“Teresa Louise Smith!” My mom stopped right where she was.
Uh-oh, I thought, but out loud I said, “Mom, we can’t stop now.” Maybe by changing the subject I could save Tess from getting in trouble.
My mom started jogging again, and we all did too. We made it to school just when the lines were heading in, so we weren’t late at all. Phew! I do not like to go to the office and get a late slip from Mrs. Bentley, the school secretary, if I can help it. And it’s not because she’s mean or anything at all. It’s just because I’m a very law-abiding citizen and being late is sort of against the rules.
Erin and I went to the library at first recess, but Ms. Pearl hadn’t had a chance to check in all the returned books yet. She told us to come back at lunch recess, and that’s just what we did as soon as we finished eating. Right when we opened the door to go in, the Rosemarys came racing out and nearly knocked us over.
“What in the world?” I said.
“Watch where you’re going,” said Erin.
“You watch where you’re going,” said Rosemary W.
“We weren’t the ones running inside,” I said.
They both started giggling and hurried off.
“That was close,” I heard Rosemary T. say.
“That was weird,” said Erin.
I just shrugged my shoulders. It seemed like almost everything the Rosemarys did was weird nowadays.
“Hi, Ms. Pearl,” I said. “I’m here for the books.”
“They’re waiting for you right on my desk,” she called from the other end of the library. “They’re rubber banded together with your name on them. Why don’t you look through them and decide which ones you want?”
“Okay.” I glanced at her desk but didn’t see anything. “Do you think it’s okay if I move things?” I asked Erin.
“I’m not sure.” Erin put her head close to the desk and tried to peek under some papers without touching anything.
“I don’t see them, Ms. Pearl,” I said.
“I’ll be right there.” She walked over. “They’re right . . . Hmm. I thought they were right here.” She looked under some papers and then on her chair and around the floor. “That’s odd.”
She looked in the bin where we return books and on a rolling shelf for books that are ready to be reshelved. “Very, very odd.”
“We can help,” I said. “I’m sort of an expert at finding lost things.”
We spread out and looked all around the library, by the computers, on all the worktables, even in the garbage cans.
“Maybe Mr. Harrison or one of the other teachers picked them up,” she said. “I’ll find them and bring them to your classroom. Go out and enjoy the rest of recess.”
“Okay,” we said, and headed outside.
When recess was over, Mr. Harrison wanted us to keep book talking. Each month we share what we’re reading with the whole class. We don’t have to write a report or anything; we just have to stand up and talk. And it doesn’t matter if it’s a book or a magazine or even the comics. I think Mr. Harrison is just checking to make sure we’re reading something on our own.
So far the horsey girls’ table had gone and so had the loud sports boys’ table. Right now it was the smart boys’ table’s turn. That happens to be my table, even though I’m not a boy and am only regular-smart, not supersmart like the rest of them. I went first and told all about The Dinosaur Mystery and the Boxcar Children. Next went Christopher, who book talked Tall Tales from Outer Space, by Reed McCoy. Then Trevor told about Fabulous Arachnids, by L. H. Mumford. Last went Logan, who book talked Tracking the Tyrannosaurus rex, by Joe Thomas. I wrote down the title and author for that one because I know Tess would love me to read it to her.
Just after Logan finished, Ms. Pearl knocked on our classroom door and stuck her head in. “Sorry to interrupt. Can I have a word?” she asked Mr. Harrison.
He walked over to the door, and they put their heads together and started whispering.
“Excuse me a minute, class.” Mr. Harrison stepped out into the hall with Ms. Pearl.
We all just sat there quietly. Nobody even talked or anything. Except for the Rosemarys, who were whispering together.
Finally Mr. Harrison and Ms. Pearl came back into the room.
“It seems that some important books have gone missing from the library,” said Mr. Harrison. “The books were on jungle cats and were set aside for one of your classmates. Does anyone have any ideas about what might have happened to them?”
Both Mr. Harrison and Ms. Pearl stared around the classroom.
“Well,” Ms. Pearl said finally. “If anyone decides they do have something to share about the missing books, please come talk to either me or Mr. Harrison.”
After Ms. Pearl left, everyone was quiet for a minute. Then people started looking at each other and saying things like “I don’t know what she’s talking about, do you?” I knew, though. I looked at Erin, and she looked back at me.
“Rosemary T.,” said Mr. Harrison.
Rosemary T. made a little gasping noise and jumped in her chair. “What?”
“Would you like to book talk next?”
After school Erin and I waited by the fence to be picked up for dance class.
“What in the world do you think happened to the books?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” said Erin. “Ms. Pearl and Mr. Harrison made it sound like it was something bad.”
“I know. They made it seem like they were stolen or something.”
“Maybe they were valuable,” said Erin.
“Or maybe someone really needed them for their report,” I said. “And they didn’t want to wait until I’d returned them.”
“Which is very dumb,” said Erin. “You would have returned them on Monday, and that would have given them all week before our reports are due.”
“And also,” I said, “if they had asked, I would have shared.”
Rosemary T.’s mom and Erin’s mom both pulled up at the same time, so we had to say good-bye and get in different cars.
Miss Akiyama let each of us try being the Snow Princess during class. And FYI, it was a little bit of a tricky part. At the beginning you had to dance carrying a silver bucket full of pretend snowflakes. While you twirled all around, trying not to get dizzy, you had to throw the snowflakes on the tree-people to make them be able to move. Once the bucket was empty, you had to set it down, out of the way, and everyone danced together.
When class ended, everyone dashed out the door except for Hannah. She was the last person to try being the Snow Princess and was stuck picking up all the snowflakes. I felt bad for her and so I stayed behind to help.
“You were a very, extremely good Snow Princess,” I said. “In fact
, I think you were the best of all of us.”
Hannah stopped picking up snowflakes and looked at me very surprised. “I thought you thought you were the best.”
“I missed half the trees with my snowflakes,” I said, “and they never got to join the dance.”
“Rosemary T. said you did that on purpose,” said Hannah.
“No way,” I said. “And then I set the bucket down in the wrong place, and Rosemary W. tripped on it.”
“That was on purpose, though, right?” asked Hannah.
This time I stopped picking up snowflakes and looked at her very surprised. “Why would I do that?”
“Because you want the solo part?” Hannah said, but she didn’t sound so sure.
“How could I get the solo after making all those mistakes?” I asked.
Hannah stopped and thought about that a little.
“I am definitely not Snow Princess material,” I said. “But you definitely are.”
“Thanks,” Hannah said quietly. She started picking up snowflakes again.
“Too bad this wasn’t real snow,” I said.
“Yeah,” said Hannah. “Too bad it wasn’t coming down outside, and we got to have a day off school.”
“Speaking of school,” I said. “Wasn’t it weird when Ms. Pearl came into class?”
“Yeah,” said Hannah.
“Those books she was looking for are ones I need for my report.” I put the very last snowflake in the bucket. “I’ve been waiting for them all week, and now they’re gone.”
“But it doesn’t really matter, right?” she asked. “Now that you’re doing a different animal.”
“I’m not doing a different animal,” I said.
“But Rose . . . ,” Hannah started.
“The next class is waiting, girls,” said Miss Akiyama.
So we scurried out of the room and headed for our carpools.
9
Boy-Friends and Girl-Friends
After dinner my mom told me I HAD to bring Charlie back his basketball. And that is HAD to, with a capital H-A-D. And I was HORRIFIED and unHAPPY and wanted to throw a HISSY fit right then and there.
“I’ll do it,” said Tess.
“Phew! and thank you,” I said.
“You can’t just send Tess over,” said my mom.
“Why not?” It seemed like a great idea to me. This way Charlie could get his basketball back, which was clearly important to my mom, and I wouldn’t have to go to his house, which was clearly important to me.
“Because he’s your friend,” my mom said.
“He’s not my friend!” I said. “He’s a boy!”
“Can’t you be friends with boys?” asked my dad.
“No!” But then I started to think about it a little bit. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“What about those boys who came over the other day?” asked my mom.
“Zachary and Logan? Those are just boys I’m working on a project with.”
“What about me?” asked my dad.
“You’re just my dad,” I said.
“Just your dad? Aren’t we friends too?”
“Well, I guess we’re friends too.”
“So why isn’t Charlie your friend?” My mom’s eyebrow was going up-up-up. “You’ve known him your whole life.”
“Well . . .” I thought very hard about all this for a minute. “I guess maybe he used to be my friend but not anymore. He and Rosemary T. told the whole class what my animal was. Then he spied on me! He is in cahoots with her of all the people in the world!”
“Sometimes friends mess up,” said my dad.
“And the best thing to do is talk about it and figure it out,” said my mom.
“Figure it out and forgive and forget,” said my dad.
“I have some bad news for you,” I said. “It turns out I am not at all good at talking things out with people. I tried to do that with Rosemary T. when Aunt Flora was here. I had a very serious what’s what with her, but we didn’t figure anything out.”
“I bet you’ll have better luck with Charlie,” said my mom.
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” I said.
“I’m sure,” said my dad.
I did a big, huge sigh. “Okay, fine.” I went to get Charlie’s basketball.
“Can I come?” asked Tess.
“Yes,” I said.
“No,” said my mom at the same time. “I think it’s better if Cinderella and Charlie have some privacy.”
“We do not need privacy at all,” I said. “I Need Tess with me with a capital N.”
“All right,” said my mom.
“Figure, forgive, and forget!” called my dad as Tess and I headed to the door.
I was very, extremely nervous on the walk over to Charlie’s. I was not looking forward to this whole figuring-out business at all. My feet were dragging, and I could barely pick them up. Luckily Tess wasn’t worried. She marched right over and rang the Princes’ doorbell.
Charlie’s big brother, Will, answered. “Charlie! Your girlfriend’s here!” he yelled.
My cheeks got red-hot as can be. I was about to set the record straight right then and there, but Will jogged away from the door.
“I am not his girlfriend at all!” I whispered to Tess.
“You’re a girl,” she said. “And you’re his friend. Well, you used to be.”
“I don’t think that’s what Will meant,” I said. “I think he’s a teaser just like Charlie!”
And then Charlie appeared.
“Hi, Tarlie!” said Tess. “We brought back your basketball!”
“Thanks,” he kind of mumbled.
I handed it to him and waited for him to say something like “Sorry for spying on you.” When he didn’t say anything, I started to leave, but Tess just stood there.
“Come on, Tess,” I said.
“But the f’s,” she said.
I gave her a little bit of a mean look, but then I took a big, deep breath. “Are you for some reason mad at me, Charlie? You’ve been acting a little weird lately.”
“Like how?” he asked.
“Like spying with Rosemary T.”
“It was her idea,” he said.
“You didn’t have to go along with it. And you and Rosemary T. ended up telling the whole class my animal. Now I can’t shock and amaze anymore.”
“You’re still going to shock and amaze with Zachary,” said Charlie.
“And Erin and Logan too,” I said.
“Yeah, but mainly with Zachary.”
“Uh-uh,” I said. “We all have equal parts.”
“Equal parts of what?”
I opened my mouth up to tell him, and then I remembered that he might be in cahoots with Rosemary T. “I can’t tell you.”
“I promise I won’t tell again,” he said.
I thought about that for a minute but then shook my head. “I can’t. It’s not just my secret this time. It wouldn’t be fair to Erin and Logan and Zachary.”
“And Zachary,” Charlie said in a weird, squeaky voice.
I looked at Charlie very, extremely confused. “Okay. Well. See you later.”
I turned around and started walking home, and Tess ran to catch up with me. “See?” I whispered. “I’m just not good at these things.”
We got partway there when Charlie yelled, “Wait a sec!”
We stopped, and he dribbled his ball up to us. “You know dinosaurs are extinct, right?”
“Yep.” This seemed like a very strange thing to say and not at all what I expected.
“And you know our report is on endangered animals, right?”
“Yep,” I said again.
“Then why are you doing a report on dinosaurs?”
“Dinosaurs?” I asked.
“Yeah,” said Charlie. “Rosemary T. and I saw one on your table.”
“That was my Charlotte Brontosaurus,” said Tess.
“Well, Rosemary T. thinks you might have switched animals so you can still
shock and amaze everyone,” said Charlie.
“Well, we didn’t,” I said.
“So you’re still doing ocelots?”
I didn’t say anything.
“I’m doing Komodo dragons,” he said.
“Yes, I’m still doing ocelots,” I said. “But don’t tell Rosemary T., okay?”
“I promise,” said Charlie. “I will never tell Rosemary T. another thing in my whole entire life. You can trust me from now on.”
He looked very, extremely serious at me, and I looked very, extremely serious right back.
“I’m sorry I helped tell your animal,” he said. “And I’m sorry I spied on you.”
“I accept your apology,” I said.
“Great!” He dribbled his basketball in a circle around us and then bounced it back to his house.
“Bye, Tarlie!” yelled Tess.
“See ya, Tess!” he called. “See ya, Tinder!”
I did a big, huge sigh and rolled my eyes. Maybe the next time I had a serious talk with him I’d ask him to quit calling me that name.
10
Strange and Suspicious
“Rosemary T. thinks we’re doing our report on dinosaurs,” I said.
“How do you know?” asked Zachary.
“Charlie told me,” I said. “He is all done with being in cahoots with her.”
Erin nodded. I had already told her the whole story before school. “And that is why,” she all of a sudden said in a very loud whisper, “brontosaurus is no longer here today.”
We stared at her all confused for a minute, but then Rosemary T. walked right by the worktable and pretended to throw something away.
As soon as she walked back past us, Erin whispered more quietly, “We might as well let her keep thinking that we’re doing dinosaurs.”
“Yeah,” said Zachary. “Then she’ll be even more shocked when she sees what we’re really doing.”
“I bet she’s telling everyone else too,” said Logan. “This is brilliant! Thanks to Rosemary T., the whole class will be amazed!”
“Let’s finish up, everyone,” said Mr. Harrison. “Five more minutes until lunch. And I want all your book walls put away before we go.”
The Super Secret Mystery Page 4