by Sally Warner
She was making up the lie on the spot!
“Huh,” Lulu said, making a face and shaking her head at the same time. “It’s probably just some so-called secret about how she wants to boss me around—like she did all last year. No, thank you.”
This was unexpected, Alfie thought, biting her lower lip. It was an obstacle to her plan. And she was running out of time!
“Hanni can be kinda bossy,” Arletty reminded Alfie. “You gotta admit.”
“But she never means it in a bad way,” Alfie told both Arletty and Lulu. “She gave me my kitty, Princess, after all,” she pointed out. “And people can change. Right?”
“My dad says people can change, but they usually don’t want to,” Lulu informed them all.
“But they can,” Alfie repeated, picking out the good part of Lulu’s sentence.
“But they usually don’t want to,” Lulu said again. “And I don’t want to get heat stroke and wreck my outfit when I faint on the boiling-hot playground,” she added. Lulu Marino wore outfits, Alfie reminded herself. Other kids just wore clothes.
Of course, Lulu didn’t seem to have as much fun as the other kids, but—
“So we’re not going over to the fence?” Arletty asked, sounding disappointed.
“I guess not,” Alfie said. “Anyway, recess is almost over.”
“Well, ‘recess’ is a two-syllable word,” Arletty announced, jumping to her feet. “So I’m gonna go play, you guys. Just sitting and eating isn’t any fun. Not once you’re full, anyways.”
Alfie agreed with Arletty about playing during recess. Wasn’t that the whole point?
Her legs needed to run!
But Alfie wanted to stay on Lulu’s sweet side. She had to, because even though things were not looking good right now, she, Alfie Jakes, had not given up.
My plan is gonna rule, she vowed silently to no one in particular. You’ll see!
6
The Assignment
“Listen up and settle down,” Mr. Havens told his class half an hour before school was to let out that afternoon. “Today is Tuesday, All-Stars. And Back to School Night is on Friday. That’s just three more days. Back to School Night is for parents and guardians only,” he reminded them.
As if kids would want to come traipsing back to school at night after making it through the first week! Alfie stopped herself just in time from shaking her head in amazement at the very idea.
Her mom and dad would get a sitter for her and EllRay the way they did last year. Bree, probably.
She and her brother might even get to order pizza and watch a movie!
Not a scary one, though.
“I’ll be putting up some of your work around the room,” Mr. Havens was saying. “Including those drawing and writing papers I had you do this afternoon.”
This is how I look today! And this is how I sign my name! Alfie remembered, wondering if she’d made her hair cute enough in the drawing.
She hadn’t known it was going to be on display.
“I’ll be telling our guests about the rules and regulations,” Mr. Havens continued. “So that everyone is on the same page, so to speak. And I’ll tell them that this semester is going to be all about teamwork. In class, on the playground. Teamwork. And I asked myself, what better way would there be to demonstrate teamwork than with examples of group projects arranged all around the classroom? Like an art show?”
Alfie wondered if Mr. Havens really talked to himself that way. Her conversations with herself were more like, “Chocolate.”
And, “Where did I hide that dollar Auntie sent me?”
And, “Is EllRay still hogging the bathroom?”
And, “I wish I had silver shoes like that girl I saw at Target.”
And, “Do I smell tacos?”
And, “How come there have to be mosquitos?”
And—“Chocolate!”
Mr. Havens’s twenty-five students stared at him, their expressions a blend of alarm and confusion. How were they supposed to provide examples of teamwork on Friday night when they had just been ordered to stay home?
“The assignment I have in mind will serve two purposes,” Mr. Havens went on, looking pleased with himself. “First, the artwork you do this week will show the value of teamwork. It will be a beginning, at least. And second, when your finished pieces are arranged together, they will provide really cool decorations for the classroom on the big night. Because I am supposed to decorate, I’m told,” he added under his breath.
What kind of artwork was he talking about?
“You’ll be divided into groups of four or five,” Mr. Havens said. “I’ve already chosen the teams, and there will be no switching. This project is kind of an experiment,” he confessed, laughing. “So that makes it fun for me, too. Now, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday, each group will work on this assignment together, as a team,” he explained. “But don’t worry. There will be a parent helper here to assist you each day.”
The moment Mr. Havens said “don’t worry,” Alfie started worrying.
“Wednesday will be building day,” Mr. Havens went on, “and Thursday will be decorating day. We will have an art exhibit in class on Friday afternoon to show off the finished projects,” he added. “Maybe we’ll invite the kindergartners—and our principal! I’m calling the assignment the Cardboard Challenge, and you’re going to love it.”
Love it? Alfie doubted that.
Maybe she’d love it, and maybe she wouldn’t.
After all, she and Hanni had tried building a kitty climbing tower for Princess out of cardboard boxes and duct tape just a couple of weeks ago, and things had not gone well. Nothing stuck right, and she and Hanni argued the whole time they worked on it.
Fail!
“Mrs. Havens and I have been saving cardboard boxes all summer long,” Mr. Havens continued. “Different sizes, flat sheets of cardboard, tubes, tiny boxes, and so on,” he said. “Just all kinds of cardboard. And you’ll be using paint and markers on your projects, too. Or you can decorate your cardboard with collage or glitter. Whatever you want, but as a team.”
“Glitter,” Alfie heard Lulu say from the table behind hers. Lulu loved shiny things.
“I’ll be in charge of the paper cutter and the hot glue gun back in the craft closet,” Mr. Havens informed them. “But you’ll do the rest—with our parent helper. And you can build something,” he continued, “such as a vehicle or a building. Or you can build nothing. Just construct a three-dimensional design.”
“What’s that mean?” Scooter said, raising his hand after he asked the question.
“‘Three-dimensional’ means length, width, and depth, Scooter,” Mr. Havens explained. “Like a sculpture. In other words, it’s not flat, like a drawing on a piece of paper. Paper is two-dimensional, just length and width. But a sculpture is something you can stub your toe on. Think of it that way, if it helps.”
Alfie’s head was starting to spin, because—what if the two-dimensional piece of paper got all crumpled up? Wouldn’t that make it three-dimensional?
Could something be two different things at the same time?
And she didn’t want to stub her toe—on anything.
“I’ll announce the teams now, before the buzzer sounds,” Mr. Havens was saying, glancing up at the clock. “So your teams can start talking about the projects tomorrow. And then you’ll get together after lunch to start work on your structures. You will have two days to complete them.”
And then he started reading off lists of names.
Alfie’s team was last. “Alfie Jakes,” Mr. Havens read aloud as kids started getting ready for the buzzer to sound. “Lulu Marino. Scooter Davis. And Hanni Sobel.”
Alfie could hardly believe her luck. A miracle had happened! Mr. Havens had accidentally done her the biggest favor in the world. He had put H
anni and Lulu and her on the same team.
Her first week, second grade wish was coming true!
Sure, Scooter was part of the team too, but who cared? He would be outnumbered three-to-one by the girls.
And if he got in the way, she could always sneak in a bag of caramel popcorn to distract him, Alfie told herself, smiling.
That should keep him busy.
7
Two Homeworks
Alfie peeked around the corner of her brother’s bedroom door after dinner that night. EllRay was hunched over his desk. “What are you doing?” Alfie asked.
“What do you think I’m doing?” EllRay said. “It’s a school night. Homework.”
“What kind of homework?” Alfie asked, easing into his room.
“Multiplying fractions,” EllRay said.
“What’s a fraction?” Alfie asked. “I forget.”
“It’s, like, part of something,” EllRay told her. “Part of a number, in this case.”
Alfie thought for a second. “But how can a number be part of another number?” she asked. “It would just be a different number, wouldn’t it?”
She was starting to worry—four years in advance.
Sixth grade sounded hard!
“And how come you have to multiply them?” she went on. “Adding them up a whole bunch of times would be easier, right?”
“Yeah, but we added fractions last year,” EllRay said.
He didn’t seem bothered at being interrupted. In fact, he looked almost grateful, Alfie noticed.
“Well, I have two homeworks,” she told him, sitting down cross-legged on the shaggy rug next to his desk.
“I told you Mr. Havens would be hard,” EllRay said, smiling. “Whatcha got?”
“First, I have arithmetic, like you,” Alfie said. “Only we have these drawings of coins. We’re supposed to add them up. But I’d rather have dollars,” she said after thinking about it for a second.
“Me too,” EllRay said, laughing. “What’s your number two homework?”
“It’s not exactly homework,” Alfie told him. “It’s more like I’m trying to come up with an idea for this teamwork project Mr. Havens says we gotta do. It’s for Back to School Night on Friday. But I really need your help.”
“What kind of project is it?” he asked, sounding half-interested.
“It’s called the Cardboard Challenge,” Alfie told him. “See, over the summer, Mr. Havens and Mrs. Havens saved up lots of junk for us to use. And we’re supposed to make something out of the junk, then decorate it. There are three other kids on my team,” she told her brother. “And we gotta work together—with Mr. Havens and our parent helper. But two of the kids are perfect team members for me,” she reported, smiling.
Hanni and Lulu. Her wish come true!
Scooter was another story, but she could handle him.
“And you’re the leader?” EllRay asked, frowning as he tried to sort out all this information.
“Nuh-uh,” she said, shaking her head. “We don’t have a leader. But I’m trying to figure out what we should make. That way, I can, like, hint it to everyone tomorrow.”
“Hint it to everyone,” EllRay echoed, looking blank.
“Because if I come up with something good enough,” Alfie told him, “they’ll all want to do it, and nobody will fight.”
“Nobody will fight,” EllRay repeated, though he sounded doubtful.
“Okay. So Mr. Havens said our project could be something real, like a house,” Alfie told her brother. “Or it could just be a beautiful made-up design. So, what should we do?”
“What materials do you have to work with?” EllRay asked after taking a peek at the robot clock on his bedroom wall. “What kind of cardboard stuff, I mean?”
“We haven’t gotten anything yet,” his sister told him. “So I don’t know. We’ll get it tomorrow.”
“Then how can you plan your project tonight?” EllRay asked. “Geez.”
“Geez, yourself,” Alfie told him. “My homework’s not any weirder than multiplying little parts of nothing, EllRay. Anyway, this is like secret homework,” she tried to explain. “It’s not on a worksheet or anything. But I know you can help me with it. You’ve been on lots of teams before, right?” she asked. “You’ve made tons of cardboard stuff, too. And you know Mr. Havens. And I want our team to win.”
“It doesn’t sound like this is supposed to be a contest,” EllRay said.
“But there’s gonna be an art show on Friday afternoon, before Back to School Night,” Alfie said. “Of course it’s a contest. Hanni’s mom thinks everything is a contest, Hanni says.”
“I don’t think that’s right,” EllRay argued, shaking his head.
Alfie could feel her face getting hot. “So you won’t even help me?” she asked.
“Don’t get all mad,” EllRay said, holding up his hand.
“But I wanted to get a head start,” Alfie cried. “Don’t you want me to do good in second grade?”
“I want you to do well,” her brother said. “That’s what Mom and Dad would say, anyway. But you can’t plan a project like this until you see the stuff you have to work with.”
“But by then, then nobody will listen to me,” Alfie said. “You were my last hope, EllRay!”
“Well, sorry to disappoint you,” EllRay told her.
“And you’re in the sixth grade,” Alfie said, her voice scornful. “Thanks a lot.”
“You’re welcome a lot,” EllRay said, turning back to his work. He was already drifting back to the land of fractions.
Alfie jumped to her feet, furious. Her big brother wasn’t even going to look at her when she stormed out of his room? “See if I help you some day,” she said.
“Good-bye, Alfie,” EllRay told her, clearly taking pains to keep his voice calm. “Shut the door, please. And don’t let it hit your booty on the way out.”
“Shut the door yourself, if you love it so much,” Alfie said, happy to be having the last word. “And quit saying ‘your booty,’ or I’m gonna tell. Sixth grader,” she added, stomping her foot. “Big brother. Hah!”
8
Who’s the Boss?
Wednesday lunch was going to be spent in the cafeteria, not outside, most of Mr. Havens’s second grade kids agreed. It was the last day of August, and it was weird-hot outside.
That’s how her unhelpful big brother would put it, Alfie remembered, wrestling her lunch out of her backpack. “Southern California has hot days,” EllRay had explained to her more than once. “Then there are hot-hot days, when you can still kinda do stuff. But there are some weird-hot days every year, like one hundred five degrees or more, when you can’t do anything except stay inside until it gets dark, almost.”
EllRay wasn’t right about everything, Alfie told herself as she and the rest of the kids made their way down the hall toward the air-conditioned cafeteria. But he was right about this.
Oak Glen Primary School’s cafeteria and auditorium were in a sprawling, single-story building on the other side of the main school building, just past the office. A breezeway connected the two structures, but there wasn’t much breeze today. Even the playground looked gooey and soft in this heat, Alfie thought, shuddering. She patted her pocket to make sure her milk money was still there. She was thirsty.
“Wait up,” she called out to Hanni, who was striding along the breezeway as if she was in an invisible race—or on her way to a very important business meeting.
“Hurry up, slowpoke,” Hanni said over her shoulder. But she was smiling with some of last summer’s old friendliness. Alfie sighed with relief.
Now, all she had to do was get smiling-Hanni together with Lulu, who was wearing a really cute dress with hearts on it today. Then her first week, second grade plan might still come true. And lunch was the perfect time for it to happen!
“Where do you wanna sit?” she asked Hanni after they had grabbed their square, waxy cartons of milk from an ice-filled bin and paid for them.
The aroma of spicy taco meat mixed in the air with dish soap and disinfectant. It was a familiar smell to Alfie. It reminded her of her first grade cafeteria days. Things were so easy back then, she thought—when there hadn’t been a plan she needed to make come true.
The cafeteria was extra-crowded today, of course, because both the kids who were buying lunch and the kids who had brought their lunches from home were jammed into the big room together. But Alfie and Hanni squeezed in next to Lulu and Phoebe. Phoebe was on a different team from theirs, Alfie remembered.
“You guys,” Lulu said to Hanni and Alfie. “We’re working on our cardboard project right after lunch. And that boy Scooter Davis is probably gonna try to boss us around.”
“There are two boys on my team,” Phoebe reported, as if she had dared herself to take part in the conversation. “At least you only have one boy.”
“But he thinks he’s so great,” Hanni said as she peeled apart her sandwich to inspect what was inside.
“Do you really think Scooter is that bad?” Alfie asked, frowning as she thought about it. True, Scooter had been kind of a rowdy guy at recess when they were in first grade. But he was older now. And she liked him better after Monday’s icebreaker, Alfie realized, when she had learned he liked caramel popcorn—and was called Stephen when he was in trouble.
Poor guy, she thought, remembering EllRay when he got in trouble. She could almost hear some grownup shouting at Scooter. “Who ate all the caramel popcorn? Was it you, Stephen?”
“I just asked you a question, Alfie,” Hanni was saying with way too much patience. She made a funny face at Lulu.
“Oh, sorry,” Alfie said, surprised by the smile. “What’s the question?”