by Laura Dower
“Not exactly,” Madison said.
“Oh, I get it,” Drew said. “You’re just not going with me.”
“I’m sorry,” Madison said in a rush. “It’s just that I already promised someone else—”
Madison felt her face grow hot at the lie. What was wrong with her? Why did she keep saying things that weren’t true?
Drew looked away for a minute, and when he glanced back his eyes looked sad, like the way Phinnie’s did when he wanted to go out.
“I’m really, really, REALLY sorry,” Madison said.
“I understand,” Drew said.
Madison sighed. She felt as though he really did understand, which made her feel even worse. She opened her mouth to apologize again, but the bell rang, drowning out both of their voices momentarily.
“I’d better get to class,” Drew said. He turned and jogged away.
I should run after him, Madison thought. I should tell him that I made a mistake, and that I WILL go to the dance with him.
But Madison’s feet didn’t move an inch. She couldn’t move—she was too confused. Had Drew been lurking near her locker to see what she would do when she got his note? When he saw Madison giggling at the rhyme, had Drew decided to ask her to the dance? Aimee gave Drew a twenty-percent chance of being her admirer. So it was probably true.
Egg must have been helping him all along.
“Are you planning to join us sometime today, Ms. Finn?” Mr. Gibbons asked from the doorway.
Madison didn’t reply. She walked inside silently, sat at a desk, and took out her notebook, staring at the blank page for a long time.
If Drew was Orange Crush, it meant Hart wasn’t.
All the horoscopes in the world couldn’t change that one.
By the time Madison sat down at her computer that night with Phin curled comfortably at her feet, some of the Drew guilt was fading. Now all Madison wanted to do was to write to Bigwheels and tell her everything that had happened. Bigwheels was one person who would understand why Madison had done what she did to Drew. She knew how Madison felt about Hart.
But an e-mail to Bigwheels would have to wait. Madison had a ton of mail to read through first.
She scrolled through the messages, looking for another one from her secret admirer.
FROM
SUBJECT
JeffFinn
Dinner pal
Far Hills
Animal Clinic Flower power
Balletgrl
Where were U?
Eggaway
Wetwinz
The Dance
Madison sighed. Of course there aren’t any messages from your admirer, she told herself. Your admirer is Drew. And why would he send you a message after you totally torpedoed him today?
The first message was from Dad, asking if she wanted to have dinner at Stephanie’s the following night—to make up for the getting sick episode a week earlier at Tamales. Madison sent back a quick note saying that she’d love to see them. Then she clicked on the next message.
She expected it to be from Dr. Wing about Phin, but instead it was from Dan.
From: Far Hills Animal Clinic
To: MadFinn
Subject: Flower Power
Date: Tues 11 Feb 3:02 PM
Hey, there? How’s the pup? I hope Phin is okay and that he is running around on his fixed-up foot. Are you getting excited about the Heart to Heart dance? I’ve already sold more than 20 carnations. R U selling any? I think it’s a cool fundraiser, even if Ivy Daly is in charge of it. :-P
By the way, are either of yr parents going to chaperone the dance? My mom is going to be there.
I can’t decide if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
Dan
Madison shot back a quick reply.
From: MadFinn
To: Far Hills Animal Clinic
Subject: Re: Flower Power
Date: Tues 11 Feb 5:13 PM
Hi, Dan!
Phin is fine. He is curled up by my feet, sleeping away. His foot doesn’t seem to bother him one bit.
Wow! I can’t believe you’ve already sold 20 flowers! Who are you selling them to—the puppies and kittens at the clinic? I bet that llama would love some flowers as a nice snack! LOL.
I haven’t asked my mom to be a chaperone, but maybe I will. I know they’re still looking for volunteers. And if yr. mom is anything like my mom, I’m sure she won’t make a big deal about it.
See ya,
Maddie
Madison opened Aimee’s e-mail next.
From: Balletgrl
To: MadFinn
Subject: Where were U?
Date: Tues 11 Feb 3:57 PM
Hi! I looked all over for U after school, but you were nowhere to be found! N-e-way, I have some info for our profiles, and FYA, Hart was totally hanging out by yr locker after fifth period. He looked like he wanted to talk to U. I still say he is our PRIME SUSPECT!!
Let me know if you have any more info.
SYS.
Aimee
Madison read Aimee’s e-mail three times before she believed it. Hart was hanging by her locker before fifth? Maybe he was her secret admirer, after all?
She grinned as she opened the next e-mail, which was from Egg.
From: Eggaway
To: MadFinn
Subject: no subject
Date: Tues 11 Feb 3:29 PM
I can’t blieve you totally hurt Drew’s feeling’s like that: dont you know how hard it was for him to ask you to the dance? dont you get it? Drew is a relly good guy, Maddie. I don’t know what your problem is. You can’t just do that to people.
Egg
PS: So ur going to the dance with someone else? IYD. I don’t believe it. And Drew doesnt, either.
Madison swallowed hard. Great. Now Egg was mad at her. And the worst part was—he was right. Madison hit REPLY right away.
From: MadFinn
To: Eggaway
Subject: Re: no subject
Date: Tues 11 Feb 4:58 PM
I’m so sorry, Egg. I know I hurt Drew’s feelings and I feel really badly about it. I’ll send an e-mail to Drew so that he knows how sorry I am. You’re right, he really is a good guy. Please don’t be mad.
Madison
Maybe this e-mail will cheer me up, Madison thought as she clicked on the final e-mail, a note from Fiona.
From: Wetwinz
To: MadFinn
Subject: The Dance
Date: Tues 11 Feb 3:17 PM
Maddie,
Egg just told me that Drew asked you to the dance and you said no??? Egg is pretty mad about it, so don’t be surprised if he sends you an e-mail, too. I know that you must have had a good reason for doing what you did, but you should know that you really hurt Drew’s feelings. Egg told me Drew’s been planning to ask you for a whole week.
RU really going with someone else?
I don’t know what to think, because I think you would have told me if someone had asked U to the dance. But I also know that it isn’t like you to tell a lie, so I’m waiting to hear.
WBL,
Fiona
Madison bit her lip.
Did everyone in the entire universe know about what had happened with Drew? It seemed that way. Was there anything that she could say in an e-mail that would make things better?
“Honey bear?” Mom asked from the doorway just as Madison clicked SEND. “I was thinking I might go get a movie for us to watch tonight. Want to come help me pick it out?”
“Sure,” Madison said.
But she didn’t move.
“Everything okay?” Mom asked.
Madison shrugged. “I don’t know,” she said. “There’s this school dance coming up …” Madison started. “Would you mind chaperoning it? It’s on Friday.”
“Love to,” Mom said.
Madison pulled a sheet out of her backpack that Ivy had handed out in homer
oom, and Mom signed it on the back. “Sounds like fun.”
Madison nodded. “I guess,” she said.
“You don’t sound very enthusiastic,” Mom said.
Madison shook her head. “It’s just—I don’t know what to do. I don’t have a date.”
Mom’s eyebrows went up. “No boys asked you? I’m surprised.”
“Well …” Madison hedged. She wasn’t sure that she wanted to tell her mom everything. But then Madison thought about the e-mails. Everyone else in the whole world knew what had happened, so why shouldn’t Mom?
“Actually, Mom, Drew asked me.”
Mom smiled. “But … you said no,” she said gently.
Madison nodded. “How did you know?”
Mom didn’t say anything for a minute. “Mother’s intuition.”
“I’m impressed, Mom,” she said.
“Why didn’t you say yes, Maddie?” she asked finally. “You were looking for a date. Why not Drew?”
“I don’t know!” Madison wailed, even though that wasn’t exactly the truth. “I just … I just don’t feel ready for a real date right now, you know? Well, not with him, anyhow.”
“Okay.” Mom folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the doorframe. “You know, I think you’ll have fun no matter what—whether you’re just with your friends, or with Drew.”
“Not after today,” Madison said.
“Well, I think Drew is probably more embarrassed than anything. And who knows? He may ask you out again.”
“Mom, you don’t understand. I really hurt his feelings,” Madison admitted.
“Everybody gets their feelings hurt, sometimes,” Mom said gently. “Even you. Even Drew.”
“I guess,” Madison said. “Can we not talk about this anymore?”
“Okay,” Mom said, pausing. “Why don’t you come down when you’re ready? I’ll be in the kitchen.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Madison was barefoot, so she had to pull on her shoes and socks before they went to the video store. She kept wondering if rejecting Drew had been a big mistake.
But a little voice in her head whispered, Don’t forget! Hart is the Prime Suspect.
There was still a chance that he might ask her to the dance, right?
If that happened, there was no way Madison would pass up going with him. Not even if it meant hurting a few more feelings along the way.
Chapter 9
“HEY, MADDIE, PASS ME THE red paint?” Aimee asked as she dipped her paintbrush into a jelly jar, staining the clear water inside a brilliant blue.
Madison reached for the large tub of “Some Kind of Scarlet” paint and slid it over to her best friend. She and Aimee were on their knees in the art studio, earning extra credit by painting a giant poster for the dance that read YOU GOTTA HAVE HEART … 2 HEART!
Aimee dotted little hearts and stars around the border while Madison filled in the letters. Several other kids on the other side of the studio worked on a different banner. Madison was surprised that so few people were trying for the extra credit. But it was fun. Their teacher had only just posted the assignment in class this morning. Madison guessed that maybe most kids had other plans.
“Is Fiona coming up here to paint?” Madison asked Aimee, trying to sound casual as she filled in an H with red.
“Yeah,” Aimee said, frowning at the lopsided heart she had just painted. “I saw her talking to Egg at his locker, though, so she could be a while.”
Madison nodded. After receiving Fiona’s crabby e-mail, Madison had spoken in person with her the night before. Madison tried to explain why she had turned Drew down. Fiona told her that she understood why Madison had said no, but that she shouldn’t have lied to Drew about having another date. But still, her BFF promised to talk to Egg.
“I hope she convinces Egg that I’m not a horrible ogre,” Madison said with a sigh.
Aimee smiled at Madison. “You’re not a bad person,” she reassured her.
She was staying sympathetic through the whole ordeal. “Besides, Egg never stays mad about things for long.”
“Thanks for being such a good friend,” Madison said.
“Yeah, well …” Aimee’s face broke into a wide grin, and her brown eyes danced. “Do you want to know a secret?” she asked.
“What is it?” Madison asked eagerly.
“Ben Buckley asked me to the dance right after fourth period,” Aimee said.
Madison’s eyes popped. “No way!” she shrieked.
When a few kids turned around and stared, Madison pretended to be fascinated with the letter E she was painting. She bent over it and hid her face with her hair. “So—what did you say?” Madison asked.
“I said I’d think about it,” Aimee said.
Madison’s eyebrows flew up. “Think about it? Really?” she asked.
“At least for a few hours,” Aimee shrugged. “After all, Ben is cute. And he asked me so nicely that I didn’t know how to say no.”
Madison laughed. “Now YOU can double-date with Fiona and Egg,” she said.
Aimee laughed. “That’s what I was thinking,” she said.
Madison laughed a little, too, but inside she felt a pang. What was she talking about? Now all of her best friends had dates? Aimee had Ben, Fiona and Egg had each other, and Madison had—nobody?
She frowned as she dipped her brush into the red paint. Fiona arrived a few moments later.
“Hey, look at this!” Fiona wailed. She hurried into the art studio waving a hot-pink flyer.
“More flyers?” Madison asked. “Is Ivy on a mission to use up all of the hot-pink paper in the United States, or something?”
“It’s the rules for the dance,” Fiona explained.
“You won’t believe it—there are about a thousand of them.”
Aimee took the flyer from Fiona’s hand and read. “Oh, yeah. Dean warned me about this,” she said. “The year he was in eighth grade, the dance got really out of hand. It was Mr. Bernard’s first year as principal, and you know how he can be. He went way overboard making up rules.”
“Do we really have to do all of this?” Madison said, looking at the list. The Heart to Heart dance was looking like less fun by the minute.
“Most of the rules are no biggie,” Fiona said. “They’re handing the list to all students tomorrow morning, in homeroom.”
Madison, Aimee, and Fiona crouched on the art studio floor and read the rules together. There were ten in all, and at the bottom of the page was a space for the student to sign, indicating that they agreed to abide by everything.
1. Dance open only to Far Hills Junior High students.
“Like, who else would want to come?” Aimee asked. “Students from Far Hills University?”
2. To attend the dance, students must have a school dance ticket listing phone number where parents can be reached.
“Oh, we have to buy our tickets,” Fiona said. “Don’t forget!”
“Right,” Madison agreed.
3. Students may not leave the dance area to go elsewhere, including school classrooms.
“Why would we want to go to one of the classrooms?” Madison asked. “In case we want to brush up on some algebra on a Friday night?” Aimee giggled. “No—to go make out!” Madison turned pink. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t figured that one out.
4. Parents must pick up students promptly at 9:30 P.M., or students will lose their privileges to attend the next dance.
“That’s not fair,” Madison said. “If the parents are late, they should take away the parents’ privileges!”
“Keep dreaming,” Fiona told her.
5. Screaming, yelling, running, and game playing are NOT permitted.
“At least they allow dancing,” Aimee said.
6. A respectable dance position is expected of all dancing couples.
The friends were silent for a moment, then burst out laughing.
“I can’t believe they wrote that!” Madison cried.
Ai
mee whooped. “You’d better warn Egg!” she said to Fiona.
7. Students are not permitted to remove their shoes during the dance.
“The gym smells bad enough as it is,” Madison added in an official-sounding voice.
“We will not be held responsible for students contracting foot fungus from the disgusting gym floor,” Fiona put in.
8. Students are expected to keep the hallways and dance areas free and clear of all wrappers and cups. Keep snacks in the snack zone.
“The snack zone?” Madison asked. “What’s that?”
“It sounds like a made-for-TV movie,” Aimee suggested.
“When good snacks go bad,” Fiona added. The girls laughed.
9. Students must be in attendance for the full school day on the day of the dance.
“I overheard Ivy say that she was going to blow off her last class to go home and get dressed,” Madison said.
“Let’s hope she does it,” Aimee said. “Then maybe she’ll get busted.”
As if I could ever get that lucky, Madison thought. Having Ivy out of the whole dance equation would make life much mellower.
10. Proper clothing is required. Dances are a dress-up event. Denim jeans, baggy pants, tight pants, halter tops, and thick-soled or platform shoes are not permitted. Clothing should be free of all rips, tears, and frayed material.
“What do they have against thick-soled shoes?” Madison asked.
“Whatever,” Fiona said. “I’m wearing ballet flats, so I don’t really care.”
“Why would anyone wear torn clothing to a dance?” Aimee asked.
“No clue,” Fiona said. “Although Egg is going to be mad that he can’t go in his jeans. Personally, I don’t know what he’s griping about. I love to get dressed up.”
“Me, too,” Madison agreed.
“I just hope they play some good dance music,”
Fiona said. “The DJ at my old school was always so lame. Half of the songs he played were country and western.”
“That definitely won’t be happening this time,” Aimee assured her. “The DJ they hired plays mostly hip-hop and pop, with a little rock thrown in.”
“We’ll see if I can manage to drag Egg onto the dance floor,” Fiona said.