by April Marcom
My phone buzzed in my pocket, so I took it out and saw I’d gotten a text from a blocked number. The frantic cheerleader voices bouncing around my room bled together as I read:
This is UNDERGROUND Text me tomorrow’s secret, and don’t get all righteous. She doesn’t deserve it.
“Did you see what Nicole put on the Smokin’ Six website?” I asked Poppy.
Everyone else was way too involved in plotting to bring down Nicole to be paying us any attention.
“Yeah.”
I tilted the screen to show Poppy the text. “An anonymous writer’s trying to turn the tables on Nicole. I don’t even know who it is.” I started typing in a reply:
I don’t want anything 2 do w/ SWH Underground or Clash of the Cheerleaders, & I’d appreciate it if u’d say so n ur next article.
Poppy grinned. “I think that was smart.”
“Hadley!” Brittany said.
“Huh?”
“I’ve been talking to you for like—two minutes straight—and you haven’t heard anything I said?”
“Sorry. Whoever wrote that Silver Wing Underground crap just texted me wanting tomorrow’s secret.”
Half the room gasped.
I looked at Poppy. “We must have missed something crazy important.” That made her laugh, so I lifted an eyebrow.
“Brittany was just saying how perfect it would be if we knew who was writing it so you guys could work together,” Poppy informed me.
“Man, you’re like the greatest multi-tasker ever.”
“Okay,” Brittany drew the attention back to her. “We tell Underground everything she did to Bryan what’s-his-name for tomorrow, remind him how her nose magically became perfect over the summer after seeing that plastic surgeon for Wednesday, then tell him to write how Nicole was the one who dared you to ask out Ty Black for Thursday, and drop the atomic bomb on her Friday—” Brittany threw a hand over her mouth and gasped.
“What? What’s wrong?” Lavender asked.
“OMG. Should I have not said that in front of Ty’s sister?”
“You’re fine,” Poppy said. “Hadley already told me.”
Brittany let out a huge breath. “Oh, thank goodness.”
“I already texted the Underground guy back, anyway,” I said. “I told him I don’t want anything to do with it. I’m pretty sure it’s either Steve Larsen or Diego Harding, anyway, and I don’t want to work with either of those desperate, slanderous newspaper guys.”
“Why do you think it’s them?”
“Because I ran into Steve this weekend, and he called Diego over to take pics of me and Ty. They’re the only ones who heard what I said about Nicole, so it’s gotta be one of them.”
“Okay, let me see your phone.” Brittany started walking toward my window.
“No way.” I held my phone against my chest. Payback for Nicole would be on my own terms, in my own time, not through some faceless creep calling himself UNDERGROUND.
I looked down when my phone buzzed. It was another text from Blaine.
Heard a million dif things 2day. All I no is I miss u, baby.
It was sweet, and even more tempting with all the pain of today and being single now.
“Hadley, I’m not gonna tie you into this if you really don’t want me to,” Brittany said, holding her hand out to me. “I’m just gonna text him my number and tell him to hit me up if he wants those secrets. We’ll let you save the really juicy stuff for some great big reveal.”
I reopened my phone to Underground’s text and handed Brittany my phone hesitantly. I decided it would be okay to let go of those minor secrets. None of what Brittany said should be any real surprise to anyone, except that she’d dared me to ask out Ty.
“Done.” Brittany handed my phone back to me and went to dig through the pile of black and gold and pink purses and backpacks piled beside my desk. “EEE!” she squealed when she stood up with her phone and it dinged, indicating she’d just gotten a text.
Zaniah took her own phone from her pocket and started scrolling around. Lavender began a beautiful French braid in Stephanie’s hair. I slipped quietly into thought as Brittany typed frantically on her phone.
I considered all the critical secrets I could share that really would be like an atomic bomb going off in Nicole’s life. For starters, there was how she wet her bed until she was ten years old, which made her terrified of having a sleepover with anyone but me—her eternal secret keeper—until she was almost thirteen. There was the fact that she cheated on her math and science finals at the end of last school year. She struggled with them all year and was scared to death of failing them, but didn’t care enough to study hard for her finals. There was also the way she stuffed her bra for most of seventh grade. She was a late bloomer, and totally self-conscious about it.
Then, of course, there was the fact that she’d bought her position as cheer captain of Silver Wing High. She’d bought her enormous popularity and all the perks that came with being captain. It was probably her biggest secret. I hated that it could also get Ms. Nordik in trouble, especially since it sounded like she’d stuck up for me today. I suppose I didn’t have to expose all Nicole’s secrets. Even if she’d fully exposed me with so much untruth.
“Aaaand send,” Brittany said, making one last tap on her cell phone, then giving us all smug looks.
Zaniah’s hand shot up suddenly, like we were sitting in class and she’d just come up with the answer to an impossible question. “I’ve got it.”
29
“What?” Lavender and I asked at the same time.
“We should get Principal Horawitz to let us make some big announcement at the pep rally Friday morning and expose her then,” Zaniah said.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I mean we tell everybody all her dark secrets at the pep rally.”
“Whoa,” Stephanie said, pulling slightly against Lavender when her head turned.
“Hey!” Lavender protested.
“Don’t you think that could get us in serious trouble?” Stephanie said.
“Well, that depends on how we approach it,” Zaniah said. “We could tell Principal Horawitz we want to do a presentation on bullying, because we’ve witnessed and experienced a lot of it lately, which is true. We talk about how bad it sucks, and maybe how Hadley’s been a victim lately of a lot of bullying based on something that’s not even true.”
“Yeah,” Brittany said. “Then we let it all loose on Nicole. No-one will probably even be surprised after what Underground’s going to print.”
“We’re still gonna get in trouble,” Stephanie said.
“Maybe, but at least we’ll be honest going into it,” Zaniah said. “We’ll cover the topic we promised first. Then we can claim innocence when Principal Horawitz questions us about the ending. We’ll just act like we had no idea it would be such a big deal. It’s not like he can suspend us for doing what he approved us doing.”
“That’s true.”
“Do you really have enough dirt on Nicole to pull this off?” Lavender turned around and asked me.
“Absolutely,” I answered a little darkly. After everything she’d done and put me through, I—was—SOOO in.
“Are you sure about this, Hadley?” Poppy asked, leaning forward slightly so I would look at her. “Last time you did something impulsive like this it didn’t work out so well.”
She was right, but this wasn’t like breaking up with Ty. It was the only way to really truly get my life back. “If Nicole were in my shoes, she’d do the same thing to me.” Or to any of the other girls, no doubt.
“If only we knew somebody totally tech-savvy,” Zaniah said. “Someone who could set up a slideshow to help cover the topic, at least in the beginning.”
“Principal Horawitz will probably want to see what we’re going to be talking about,” Lavender said.
“I can do it.” Poppy raised her hand timidly. “Although I’m not sure how I’d come to your pep rally.”
“Y
ou know how to do all that computery stuff?” Stephanie asked.
“Yeah, I’ve been able to create slideshows for years. And I should have everything I need to hookup my laptop to that big projection system your school just put in the main gym. But again, I’m in middle school and you’re in high school, so that’s a problem.”
“Do you think your mom would let you miss just enough school to come give a presentation with us?” I asked her.
“Yeah, what are you—in eighth grade?” Zaniah asked.
“Mm-hm,” Poppy answered.
“So you’re gonna be in high school next year. Use that to your advantage. Maybe your mom would totally go for it if you reminded her you’d be helping out high school friends and getting to know what it’ll be like better.”
“She might; I could ask. But I think she’d kill me if she stayed for the presentation.”
“Do you think she’ll stay for the presentation?”
“I don’t know. I’m sure if I tell her she can wait in the car she’ll take advantage of the opportunity to sit and read one of her romance novels, so it might work out. It still seems really mean, though.”
“So, you’ve seen the Smokin’ Six website, right?” Stephanie asked her. “You know Nicole is like the meanest person—ON planet earth.”
“Yeah, but—I don’t want to be like her.”
I could tell the whole thing was making her really uncomfortable. “You don’t have to do it, Poppy,” I said. “I’m sure we can figure something else out.”
“No, I think it’d be really cool to be part of a high school pep rally and go into this with you guys, and I’d love to do it for you, Hadley… Maybe I could just feign innocence.”
Some of the other girls started laughing. “Yeah, we’re totally onboard with that,” Brittany said, smiling. “If anybody asks, we’ll just say you were there to help us with the PowerPoint presentation and that’s it, which, by the way, is absolutely true. And then we just make sure we don’t include anything about Nicole in the PowerPoint. No problem.”
“You don’t have like—a criminal record or anything, do you?” I chuckled, bumping my shoulder into hers. “I mean, your mom and the school won’t look at your past and think you’re the Dethroning of Nicole mastermind.”
“Well, there was that one bank robbery in my old town. My whole family had to pick up and move here because of it.”
Everyone laughed.
“Hadley was right,” Zaniah said. “You are the coolest. You can hang with us anytime.”
“Thanks.” Poppy smiled. I loved seeing her so happy.
And she did totally fit in with us. Maybe she could even come to our cheerleader sleepovers sometimes. And I sincerely hoped she could help me make things right with Ty.
“Sooo, what do we do ‘til then?” Lavender asked. “Nicole’s still picking up everyone but Hadley tomorrow morning. Don’t you think it’ll be kind of weird?”
“Wellll,” Brittany looked less sure of herself for a fleeting moment. “I talked to my mom. She said she could pick us all up tomorrow morning and take us to school—if we’re letting Nicole in on the fact that we’re totally on Hadley’s side.”
“I think that sounds like a plan,” Stephanie said. “Either it’s one for all and all for one, or we’re still bowing down to Nicole.”
“Yeah, I say we text Nicole right now and let her know we found another ride,” Zaniah said. “I’m texting her that I’m not going to stand by and let her treat Hadley like this anymore, too.’
“Okay.” I could tell Lavender was still really nervous. “I’m in if you guys are in.”
“Thanks,” I said. “You really are the best friends in the whole world.” I reached out an arm to hug Poppy against me momentarily. “That includes you.”
“Thanks,” she said. “You guys are really cool, too.”
With everyone wrapped up texting, I took the opportunity to talk to Poppy. It was kind of personal, though, so I jumped on the texting train.
U no Ty best. What can I do?
She pulled her phone out of her pocket, and didn’t even look over at me before she started texting. It took her a minute, so I hoped she was putting together some elaborate, fool-proof plan. She looked over at me as my phone buzzed.
Not sure cuz idk how he’s feeling. I’d say something big @ pep rally Friday, he can’t ignore something n front of the whole school, but he might appreciate something small more, idk,
Poppy texted back.
“Oh my gosh!” Lavender gasped. “She said I’m off the team.”
“Me, too,” Zaniah said.
Stephanie laughed. “Me, too. I wouldn’t worry too much, though.”
“How can you be so sure?” Lavender asked.
“Are you in or are you out? As long as we stand strong together we’ll be fine.”
“Well, I’m kicked off too, apparently,” Brittany said, looking skeptical.
“Hey, if Ms. Nordik was pushing so hard today for Hadley not to be off the team, I doubt she’s gonna let it fly for all five of us to get cut from the team.” Stephanie turned around so she could put an arm halfway around Lavender. “Don’t worry. We’ve got your back; you’ve got ours. It’s gonna be fine.”
“Thanks, everybody,” I said, filling with joy at having such great best friends.
30
“Well, I’m starving.” Zaniah dropped her phone back into her purse like she hadn’t just been given the worst news ever. “I say we go downstairs and make some big, spectacular supper to celebrate having Hadley back and to surprise her mom.”
“That sounds great. What do you think, Poppy?” I patted her knee.
“Sure,” she said. “I make supper with my mom all the time, so I can help come up with something.”
“Wow, you cook?” Brittany said. “So, like, what’s your specialty?”
We all started heading for the door.
“Hmm, it takes a lot of work, but lasagna’s probably my specialty.”
“Seriously?” Stephanie asked. “Lasagna’s my favorite. If Hadley’s got all the stuff, you’ve gotta make it.”
“Yeah, we’ll all help,” I said, shutting the door behind us.
“You know,” Lavender fell in step on Poppy’s other side, “Hadley said you don’t live very far from the high school. Our house is only half a mile past it. My mom could drop you off on our way home.”
“Okay, if you don’t think it’d be too much trouble,” Poppy said.
“Oh, yeah! Guess what, guys?” Zaniah stopped dead in the middle of the staircase to stare back at us.
“What?”
“What is it?”
“My mom said I can take my driver’s test this weekend. You know I’ve been sixteen for like nine weeks, so it’s totally overdue. If I pass, next week I could be driving us to school in the mornings.”
“Really?” Brittany asked.
“Yeah, as long as my mom lets me drive the CX-9. That’s still up in the air.”
“That’d be so super sweet,” Stephanie said. “We’ll be cruising in your CX-9, and Nicole will still be rolling around with her mom in their van.”
“Mm-hm, she’ll totally regret the day she messed with us,” Brittany said, drawing fresh laughter.
Once we got inside the kitchen, Poppy started listing off the things we needed to make lasagna. I moved around the kitchen, taking out everything. Then we had a blast making lasagna and a giant bowl of salad together.
It was fun sitting at the kitchen table with my mom and all my girls. There was so much laughter. No-one was in any hurry to leave the table when we finished eating.
We let my mom in on Nicole’s threats to all the girls. She was really proud of everyone for sticking up for themselves. Of course, we didn’t mention the big Friday ambush.
A knock at the front door made us all jump—then laugh at each other. “That’s probably my mom,” Lavender said when I stood up. She jumped out of her chair and ran for the door.
“Wow, it
’s already eight-forty?” my mom said when she looked at her phone. “This has been really fun, girls, but maybe I should get you all home.”
“Hey, Mom,” Lavender said when she opened the door. “Can we give Poppy a ride to her house on our way home?”
“Sure. Where does she live?” Miss Harkington stepped inside, looking exhausted. She always had dark circles around her eyes from working two jobs just to get by.
“I can take her, Laura,” my mom said. “I was just about to drive the other girls home, anyway.”
“But she lives a lot closer to us,” Lavender said. “Where do you live again, Poppy?”
“Just west of Silver Wing High. It’s close enough Ty walks to school most of the time.”
“That is right on our way,” Miss Harkington said. “We can take you.”
“Will you take some lasagna for the road?” my mom asked her. “The girls made it themselves, and it’s really good.”
Miss Harkington sighed happily. “Yes, please. I haven’t eaten anything since lunch.”
Our moms went in the kitchen to make a plate, so Stephanie got out her phone. “Let’s check out the Smokin’ Six website really quick.”
“Do we have to?” Lavender groaned.
“Better than being blindsided.”
Everyone got up and huddled behind Stephanie, because the rest of us had left our phones upstairs.
Lavender bit her thumbnail nervously. Brittany’s lips were tight. I reached out to hug both of them, knowing exactly how they felt. “I love you guys,” I said.
“Aw, we love you, too,” Brittany said, both of them hugging me back.
“Sorry, this page can’t be found?” Stephanie read off the top of her screen.
Zaniah threw her arms up in exasperation.
“What does that mean?” Lavender asked.
“She took down the website,” Poppy said. “She must have deleted it temporarily or permanently.”
“Well, that was—drastic,” I said, standing up. “At least she didn’t slam you guys.”