Fabulous Five 025 - The Fabulous Five Minus One

by Betsy Haynes

  THE FABULOUS FIVE #25

  THE FABULOUS FIVE MINUS ONE

  BETSY HAYNES

  A BANTAM SKYLARK BOOK®

  NEW YORK • TORONTO • LONDON • SYDNEY • AUCKLAND

  RL 5, 009-012

  THE FABULOUS FIVE MINUS ONE

  A Bantam Skylark Book / June 1991

  Skylark Books is a registered trademark of Bantam Books, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and elsewhere.

  All rights reserved.

  Copyright © 1991 by Betsy Haynes and James Haynes.

  Cover art copyright © 1991 by Andrew Bacha.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  For information address: Bantam Books.

  ISBN 0-553-15867-8

  Published simultaneously in the United States and Canada

  Bantam Books are published by Bantam Boob, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. Its trademark, consisting of the words "Bantam Books" and the portrayal of a rooster, is Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Marca Registrada. Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10103.

  PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

  CWO 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  To Ellen Compton

  for her advice and assistance

  CHAPTER 1

  Christie Winchell crossed her eyes as Mr. Snider explained simultaneous equations for what had to be the zillionth time. She knew that algebra wasn't an easy subject for lots of kids, but this was ridiculous. She slowly drew scallops along the edge of her notebook and tuned out the teachers voice.

  It wasn't just algebra that was so boring. All of her classes at Wakeman Junior High were dull, dull, dull. They were either too easy or didn't have anything to do with the real world. Even history, which was an honors class and supposed to be challenging, was a drag. Mrs. Jamal had them reading about Europe in the 1800s, which was interesting enough. But couldn't she tie it in somehow to all the changes that were taking place in Europe today? There must be a conspiracy to make school as boring as possible.

  Christie sighed. What was even more frustrating, her classes had become so dull, she was starting to hate studying. Every evening after supper she marched to her room, opened her books, and then sat and stared at the pages. Before she knew it, the words would blur, and suddenly her mind was somewhere else. On top of that, her parents expected her to make all A's. It wasn't so much that they said she had to, but she knew her mother, who was the principal of Mark Twain Elementary, would be very unhappy if she didn't. Christie sighed again and started darkening in the scallops with her pencil.

  Mr. Snider's voice cut into her thoughts. "How about you, Christie? Would you like to try?"

  Everyone turned to look at her, and a feeling of panic rushed over her. What was he talking about?

  "Would you like to try to solve the problem, Christie?" he asked, gesturing to an algebra formula on the board.

  Christie slid out of her seat and hurriedly evaluated the problem as she approached the board. By the time she reached the front of the room, she knew the answer. With a few clicks of the chalk she wrote it down.

  "Very good," Mr. Snider said, beaming at her. "Now class, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

  "Not for Christie!" Richie Corrierro called out loudly. "The rest of us aren't as smart as she is." Laughter rippled through the room. Christie shot dagger looks at him.

  Mr. Snider frowned. "It wouldn't be hard for some of you other kids, either, if you studied more." Richie sank low into his seat and put his hands on his head as if he were protecting himself from being hit on the head.

  Just then the bell rang, ending the period. As Christie gathered her books to leave, Laura McCall, who sat two seats behind her, brushed by Christie and hissed, "Show-off!" She flipped the end of her long braid at Christie and went out the door.

  Christie glared after her. It's not showing off to do what the instructor asks, she thought angrily. Laura McCall was just plain mean. She and her friends, who called themselves The Fantastic Foursome, had given The Fabulous Five trouble since the very first day of school. Christie should have expected Laura to make a remark like that.

  She was still steaming when she carried her tray to The Fabulous Five's table in the cafeteria.

  "Boy, Christie, you look mad," said Katie Shannon as Christie took a seat next to her.

  "That darn Laura called me a show-off."

  "She should talk," said Beth Barry. "If anyone's a show-off, it's Laura."

  "Why'd she call you that?" asked Jana Morgan.

  "Because Mr. Snider asked me to do an algebra problem on the board that no one else could do. What's the big deal about knowing how to do a math problem, anyway?"

  "For you, not much," replied Melanie Edwards, brushing back her reddish-brown hair and looking at Christie with her big blue eyes.

  "You sound just like Richie Corrierro," said Christie, frowning.

  "You shouldn't feel bad because you're smart," Jana said. "I'd give anything to have your brains."

  "Not if you got teased about it all the time."

  "Laura and Richie are just jealous," said Katie. "Don't pay attention to them. We're your friends, and we know you're not perfect." She giggled. Christie laughed with the others.

  "That reminds me, I heard they're going to be choosing the students for PEAK pretty soon," said Jana. "I know you're a cinch to be in it."

  "I forget—what does PEAK stand for again?" asked Melanie.

  "Pupils Excelling in Ability and Knowledge," answered Katie. "Any kid who scores high enough on an IQ test or in at least the ninety-fifth percentile on the standardized achievement test is considered gifted and talented and can be in PEAK."

  "If you're chosen in seventh grade, you're in it for the rest of junior high, if you want to be," Jana added. "Our Christie's a G and T and will be asked to join, for sure."

  "Aren't you excited, Christie?" asked Beth.

  "Maybe I won't make it. Even if you have high scores, your homeroom teacher still has to recommend you."

  Jana stopped just as she started to take a bite of her sandwich. "You've got to be kidding. You think Mr. Neal wouldn't recommend you for PEAK?"

  Melanie stopped in the middle of a bite of her sandwich. "Who's that?" she asked, pointing at a boy who had gotten up from a table and was carrying his tray to the return.

  He wasn't anyone Christie knew. He was medium height, with dark, sparkling eyes, and his black hair was cut very short.

  As he passed The Fabulous Five's table, he flashed a cocky grin in Christie's direction. It startled her, and a little flutter of excitement ran through her. Embarrassed, she quickly looked away. When Christie looked back, he had passed.

  "His name's Chase Collins," said Jana. "He just moved here from San Diego, California, and he's in my history class. I heard that he's a champion swimmer. He's a hunk, isn't he?"

  Christie stared after Chase. He had broad shoulders and a deep tan and definitely looked as if he could be a champion swimmer. The memory of his smile sent little chills up and down her spine. She wondered if he would be in any of her classes.

  "How's everything, Christie?" asked her father that evening at the dinner table. "Catch me up on things." He had just returned from a trip to London, England, where his company had recently purchased a smaller company. He had been going there every week for some time.

  "Fine."


  "Oh, I wanted to mention, I got the results of your IQ test today, Christie," said her mother. "You scored one hundred fifty-two on it."

  "Wow!" Mr. Winchell said, raising his eyebrows. "I'm impressed."

  "Have they started making the selections for the PEAK program yet?" her mother asked.

  "I think so."

  "Well, I'm sure they'll ask you to join," her mother said confidently. "With your grades and standardized test score and the results of that intelligence test, I can't imagine anyone who belongs in a gifted and talented program more than you do."

  Christie poked at her food. "Do I have to join PEAK, Mom?"

  Her mother looked at her in astonishment. "Of course you should. Why wouldn't you want to? It's exactly what you need to prepare you for college."

  "I'll get teased."

  "Don't worry about that, baby," said her father. "Anyone who teases you is probably just jealous."

  "That's right," agreed her mother, dismissing Christie's concern. "You can't let an opportunity like this go by simply because some people don't understand that you're different."

  "But I don't like being different."

  "We're all different in some ways, honey," responded her mother. "You're different in a special way."

  Before Christie could say anything more, Mrs. Winchell changed the subject. "How are things in London, Vince?"

  "Okay, but it's great to have home cooking again. The British don't put enough spice in their food for me."

  "Will you have to keep going there much longer?" asked his wife.

  "Probably. There's still an awful lot to do to get the new office running correctly. What they need is someone who can take over and spend the next few years making sure everything goes smoothly. That's my recommendation, anyway."

  Mrs. Winchell stopped her fork halfway to her mouth. "Who would they get to do it? You keep telling me there's no one in London who knows enough about the business."

  He shrugged. "I don't know. I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but I'm the obvious one. However, that decision's up to someone else."

  Christie's mother straightened her back and looked at her husband closely. "You mean there's a chance they might ask you to go to London permanently?" she asked.

  "It's a possibility, I guess. I was planning to talk to you about it this evening. It's something we need to discuss, in case the subject does come up at work."

  "I should say we need to discuss it," said Mrs. Winchell, putting her fork down and glancing at Christie. "What about my job? What about Christie's schooling?"

  "Hey, not to worry. If they do decide to fill the job, it will be months before they make their choice. You know how that goes."

  Christie saw the worried look on her mother's face, and suddenly her food tasted awful. What would she and her mother do if her father went to England? Would they go, too, or stay here? Christie couldn't imagine leaving the home she had lived in all her life, but she couldn't imagine her father's not living with them, either. And if they went, she would have to leave her friends in The Fabulous Five. Even a year would seem like forever. Christie stared at the food on her plate. The idea was mind-boggling.

  Later that evening, as Christie sat at her desk, struggling to keep her mind on her homework, she could hear her parents talking in the living room. Their voices sounded strained and unhappy. She got up and tiptoed down the hall to the doorway leading into the living room.

  "I was hoping to be promoted myself," her mother was saying. "Mr. Bell may be retiring from Wakeman Junior High in a year or two, and I think I have a good chance of replacing him as principal. I'm not sure what taking a couple of years off to go to England would do to my career."

  "Look, Val." Her father sounded frustrated. "We don't even know if there's going to be a job offer. You're worrying about things that might never happen."

  "I've got to worry about them even if you don't want to," her mother responded with an edge in her voice. "There's a lot more to this whole thing than just your changing from one job to another, Vince. What about Christie? She's doing beautifully in school. What are the schools like where she'd have to go? Do they have classes for gifted children? How long would it take for her to adapt? This decision could have an enormous impact on her life."

  Christie wrapped her arms tightly around herself. She hated to hear her parents arguing. They hardly ever raised their voices at each other. And she especially didn't like what they were arguing about.

  Christie slipped back to her room, but it was useless for her to try to study after that.

  CHAPTER 2

  The next morning when she got to school, Christie saw Melanie laughing and talking to Shane Arrington near the bike rack. They looked like they were having a good time. Melanie had always been boy crazy, but she had been a one-boy girl since she and Shane had started dating.

  Jana, Katie, and Beth were standing at The Fabulous Five's spot at the fence. Jana, who had dark brown shoulder-length hair, was the group's unofficial leader. She always seemed to be able to hold things together when a problem arose.

  Beth was the actress of the group. She had spiked hair, wore flamboyant clothes, and had starred in several shows at Wakeman Junior High.

  Small, red-haired Katie wanted to be a lawyer or a judge someday. She was already practicing as a member of Wakeman's Teen Court.

  "Hi, Christie," called Jana when she saw her coming. Beth and Katie smiled and waved.

  "You look as if you didn't go to bed last night," said Katie.

  "Thanks," said Christie. "I needed that."

  "Oops! I'm sorry. I was just teasing."

  "I know," Christie answered. "I just feel like Theresa Trashcan. It's not your fault."

  "Is there anything we can do?" asked Beth.

  "Yes," said Jana. "You know we will."

  Christie smiled at her friends. She did know they would help any way they could. That's what friends were for, especially fabulous friends like the ones she had. Before she could say anything, Melanie came running up.

  "Hey, Christie, guess what! Shane told me that that new guy, Chase Collins, is interested in you."

  "Chase Collins! Wow!" gushed Beth.

  "Shh!" hissed Christie, glancing around quickly to see who might be listening. Laura McCall and her friends were talking several feet away but apparently hadn't heard Melanie. Chase was near the school entrance with Jana's boyfriend, Randy Kirwan, and Tony Calcaterra, who was Katie's boyfriend. Chase was grinning and talking as if he and the other two boys had been friends for ages. Could he really be interested in me? Christie wondered. The idea made her feel tingly.

  "How does Shane know?" she asked, trying not to sound too interested.

  "Shane and Chase were talking after swim practice yesterday, and Chase asked Shane who you were."

  "That doesn't mean he likes me, Melanie," said Christie. "He's new, and he hardly knows anyone. He probably asked about a lot of people."

  "Come on, Chris," said Beth. "Boys don't ask who girls are unless they're interested in them. Maybe this is the beginning of a big new romance."

  Christie could feel the heat rising in her face, and she knew she was turning red in spite of herself.

  "Christie's blushing!" said Melanie, covering her mouth to hide a giggle.

  "I am not!" Christie protested. The grins on her friends' faces told her she wasn't fooling any of them. She was saved by the bell's ringing for school to begin.

  As she made her way to homeroom, Christie was glad that she hadn't had time to tell her friends about the possibility of her family's moving to England. The idea was tough to deal with, and she wasn't ready to talk about it yet. And besides, that's all it was . . . a possibility.

  After Mr. Neal had taken roll and made the usual morning announcements, he called Christie, Curtis Trowbridge, and Whitney Larkin to his desk.

  "Mrs. Brenner would like to see each of you today, during your study periods. She has already gotten you excused from study hall. You're all c
andidates for the PEAK program."

  Christie looked at Curtis and Whitney. Curtis had gone to Mark Twain Elementary with Christie. He wore black horn-rimmed glasses and was the nerd of the world, but he certainly was smart. When her Fabulous Five friends had put Christie's name in for seventh-grade class president without asking Christie first, she and Jon Smith had talked Curtis into running instead as a mystery candidate. Then Christie had backed Curtis so he would win.

  Whitney had skipped sixth grade at Copper Beach Elementary and was a year younger than everyone else in the class. She was nice but very shy, and she and Curtis were dating. Christie wondered who else were the seventh-grade candidates for PEAK.

  "Hi, Mrs. Brenner. You wanted to see me?" Christie asked, sticking her head into the guidance counselor's office later that day.

  "Hello, Christie. Yes, I did. Come in."

  When Christie was seated, Mrs. Brenner pulled a chair up next to her and opened a folder. "I want to go over the information in your file with you before I give it to the PEAK selection committee. You need to understand what it's all about. That way you can decide for yourself whether or not you want to join PEAK, if you're selected. The choice is yours.

  "This is your standardized achievement test," she said, picking up the top paper. "You scored in the ninety-ninth percentile on that. Very nice. Your intelligence test score was high, too, as I'm sure your parents have told you."

  Christie squirmed in her seat. It always bothered her to be complimented on her grades.

  "Let's see," continued Mrs. Brenner. "Here's Mr. Neal's teacher's checklist. As you can see, he gave you a four, which is the highest score, on just about every item under the learning, motivation, creativity, and leadership categories.

  "And here's the report your parents filled out for us. I'm not surprised to see that they had only good things to say about you. They think pretty highly of their daughter, don't they?" she said, smiling.

  Christie saw her mother's handwriting on the form. Every space on the four pages had been written in, and there was even writing on the backs of some pages. She definitely wanted Christie to be in the PEAK program and, being a principal, knew all the right things to say.