by Lauren Brown
Where R U?!
It wasn’t like Liz to go so long without texting her back. Their BlackBerries were practically attached to their hands.
“Come here, Bella. Yes, that’s a good girl,” Kim cooed to a fluffy, little Havanese. “Yes, if you get in my bag, I promise to take good care of you.”
Roxy shook her head while Kim smuggled the dog into her book bag and threw treats at the sad-looking dogs she was leaving behind. The janitor had let Kim dip her feet into his bucket of water to get them cleaned up. Now her shoes sloshed and left small puddles with every step—but that was much better than a trail of poop.
Roxy stood, steadied herself, and took slow steps toward homeroom. She prayed she had at least one morning class with Liz. There was no way she could wait until lunch to fill her friend in on all the drama that had gone down this morning!
DOGGY CONFESSIONAL
BELLA
My, my! I do like that Kim Pierce. She knows how a purebred deserves to be treated.
I don't know why all of those mangy kids were laughing at her. Don't they know good manners and etiquette? They certainly are not from a genteel breed, such as the Pomeranian!
I've seen some downright untrainable pooches at the dog park, but they make these girls look tame. Before Kim scooped me off my delicate paws, this nippy group of girls started yap, yap, yapping at me for sitting on one of their “designer” purses! And then the leader of their ferocious pack said I was much more civilized than someone else they know...who doesn't have the excuse of being a dog. A girl named Roxy. She must have done something totally fierce. The pack went wild talking about it!
Chapter Three
Where in the world is she? Roxy panicked as she paced anxiously by the entrance to the cafeteria. She desperately scanned the crowd looking for Liz and the rest of their friends so they could grab food and claim their picnic table for the year. Ever since Poop Gate (as it was known throughout school) had erupted that morning, Liz had stayed MIA and not returned a single one of Roxy’s text messages. Dogs were popping up everywhere—from classrooms to lockers to even bathroom stalls—later in the day. Teachers didn’t bother teaching. Roxy had finally given in to her aching feet and traded her chic, stylish boots for her gym sneakers. Liz would be disgusted, but Roxy feared a sprained ankle would have been in her future. Gym shoes for the day were a much cuter option than crutches for a month.
Principal West and a blockade of teachers, janitors, and a few muscular jocks stood at the cafeteria doors in a desperate attempt to keep the dogs out.
“Kids! We’ll take care of the dogs—you worry about getting your lunch!” Principal West scolded the students that stopped to pet the dogs. “Move along or detention! The choice is yours!”
Roxy had no choice but to make her way to the lunch counter—alone. Liz and Roxy should have arrived together. Roxy had visualized this moment all summer long. They would link arms and claim their picnic table for the year.
I hope Liz wasn’t kidnapped by one of the striking dog walkers! Roxy thought as she picked up a salad, an apple, and a celebratory “first day of school” cookie. Maybe they’re holding her as ransom for better wages.
But when Roxy stepped outside, she immediately realized Liz was out of harm’s way. Roxy couldn’t believe it. Liz was already holding court at a picnic table under the big tree. She was laughing hysterically and flipping through magazines with the rest of the girls.
“Liz! I’ve been looking all over for you.” Roxy rushed over and tried to squeeze into the spot next to Liz on the bench. “Can you believe these dog walkers? Did you get my text about rescuing little Roxie?”
Liz was petite with wavy blond hair that cascaded perfectly to the middle of her back. Her lips were so red that she didn’t need lip gloss—just a dab of something clear to make them shine. Liz was always poised and in control of every situation. Her years of competing in beauty pageants made it hard sometimes to tell if she was being real or practicing one of her acts. Her bedroom was covered from wall to wall with sashes, crowns, and trophies that she had been winning since she was a little girl.
Most of Liz’s weekends were consumed with traveling across the country to compete for those coveted crowns. Liz spent a lot of time during the week prepping: she had regular spray tans, got fitted for wigs in every color and hairstyle, and took all sorts of classes—from ballet to improv—to give her a “talent” in the competitions.
Liz’s deep-blue eyes were her trademark. She had won “Prettiest Eyes” at five pageants in a row. When she smiled, her eyes twinkled like stars. But when she was angry, they turned into gray, stormy little slits. Roxy had never seen them look as small and frightening as they did right now.
“I don’t know what you did because my housekeeper Rosie found little Roxie shivering in a corner,” Liz said coolly. “Not that it’s any of your business, but Rosie has the afternoon off so she had no choice but to bring Roxie here. She’s in my bag.”
Roxy heard scuffling in Liz’s hot-pink dog carrier, which most people would mistake for an oversize purse. Roxy swallowed hard. Am I having an out-of-body experience? she wondered.
“None of my business?” Roxy asked. She was shocked and confused. “What’s going on?”
The lunch table went silent. The other girls put their heads down and pretended to check their cell phones.
“You’re a liar. That’s what’s going on,” Liz seethed. “And you’d better get up from this table because we have no room for traitors here.”
“Traitor? Liar?” Roxy stammered. This was a nightmare. It had to be. Her alarm would ring any minute so she could wake up and start her first day of school for real. “What are you…?”
“You lied about being my best friend,” Liz cut her off and stood up. Liz was a tiny girl, but she suddenly appeared larger than life. “Because my best friend would never betray me the way you did this summer.”
Everyone at nearby tables stopped eating. They all stared at Liz and Roxy. The queen bees were already at each other’s throats on the first day of school? It didn’t get juicier than this. And Liz loved an audience, so Roxy knew this was about to get even uglier.
“Betray you?” Roxy asked quietly. “What are you talking about?
“Did you or did you not kiss Matt Billings this summer?” Liz pounded her fist on the table for dramatic effect. “When I was at pageant camp? Ring any bell?”
Roxy gulped. Roxy and Liz both worshipped the ground that Matt Billings walked on—every girl in school had a major crush on him. His brown hair was thick and just a little too long. When it fell into his eyes, he whipped it to the side with a swift flip of his head, better revealing big brown eyes rimmed with long, thick lashes.
Matt also had an irresistible smile, and the best part about it was the set of dimples that popped up every time he laughed. (Roxy also had noticed that lately his trademark T-shirts looked a little snug. The result of long hours at baseball camp, she assumed.)
Over the summer, Matt had played baseball every afternoon in the park. Roxy and Liz had spent hours sunbathing near his field just to catch a glimpse of his cute butt in those tight pants. They pinky-swore over the Fashion Bible that they wouldn’t let a boy come between them.
So when Liz got the guts to ask Matt to hang out, Roxy tried her hardest to act happy for her friend. But then Liz had to leave town for three weeks for pageant camp, delaying her date with Matt. It wasn’t Roxy’s fault that she kept bumping into Matt at the park.
Everything had started so innocently. After the third time they ran into each other, Matt had suggested that they grab some frozen yogurt at the mall. Talking to him had been so easy and fun. He was such a goofball that Roxy soon started to forget she had a crush on him.
He teased her mercilessly about the too-tight shoes that Liz made her wear, or he hid her cell phone and sometimes waited hours to reveal that he’d had it all along.
Roxy couldn’t wait for Liz to get back from camp so the three of them could hang out. How great that she got along so well with Liz’s boyfriend! Right? Wrong.
On the night before Liz was due back in town, Matt unexpectedly stopped by Roxy’s house.
“Hey, Loser,” Roxy said with a smile when she saw him standing on her porch. His muscles glistened with sweat—something she and Liz would have spent hours daydreaming about—but now Roxy barely noticed. “I was just going to the bakery to pick up a welcome-home cupcake for Liz. You wanna come?”
“Um, sure,” Matt said nervously. “I guess I should get Liz something too.”
Roxy shrugged, and the two of them headed to the bakery. Roxy thought he was a little quieter than normal, but she didn’t think anything of it—until they reached the counter. The bakery was deserted and no one was there to take their order. Roxy pressed her nose to the glass case to check out the cupcake options while they waited.
“Should we get Liz chocolate or vanilla frosting?” Roxy asked, and Matt answered by leaning over and kissing her.
It happened so fast that Roxy didn’t know what to do except panic. The guy her best friend had claimed for herself had just kissed her on the lips…in public.
“This never happened, Matt!” Roxy squealed. “Liz is my best friend!”
“Roxy, come on…you can’t tell me you didn’t feel something this summer,” Matt insisted.
“You’re my friend, and so is Liz!” Roxy pleaded. “Please, don’t tell her. You have to swear!” Roxy begged Matt to keep the kiss a secret, and after much convincing, he reluctantly swore on his baseball glove that he would never tell Liz—or anyone else.
So, who in the world told on us? Roxy wondered.
“So, is it true?” Liz demanded. “It’s a simple yes-or-no question.”
“Liz, you’re my best friend…” Roxy stammered. She had no idea how to fix this. “It was no big deal!”
“I knew it,” Liz said while pausing to scan the crowd that had now gathered. Matt stood off to the side with his arms crossed. He kept looking like he was going to say something and then like he’d thought better of it.
“You couldn’t find a boyfriend of your own, so you had to steal mine the second I left town? Pathetic.”
I can’t cry…please don’t let me cry in front of everyone—especially Matt!
Jessica Stevens stood by Liz’s side with a smug look plastered on her face. She shot Roxy daggers with her eyes. All summer long, Liz had threatened to ban Jessica from the group because she was too needy and called Liz every five minutes. Now she’s in my spot! Roxy wished one of the dogs would lick that smug look right off Jessica’s face.
“What can I do to fix this?” Roxy pleaded. She knew she sounded desperate—and even scared. Liz was like a wolf: she smelled fear and attacked when her opponent was down. But Roxy couldn’t help herself. “Can’t we just put this behind us?”
Liz looked at Roxy like she had just suggested they run naked through the school yard.
“We’re finished,” Liz sneered. “You’re finished.”
Roxy felt paralyzed. She stood in front of the picnic table unable to move a muscle. Everyone was staring at her. Roxy could tell they felt sorry for her—and relieved they weren’t in her place. Where was she going to eat lunch? No one would ever want to be friends with the girl who stole Liz Craft’s guy. Roxy’s reign as queen bee was over before it had even started. She turned to walk away.
“Oh, Roxy?” Liz cooed. “Just one more—um, wait…are you wearing gym shoes in broad daylight?”
“The boots were too tight…” Roxy tried to get the words out, but she didn’t even know why she bothered. Liz and all the girls at the table burst out laughing.
“It doesn’t matter that you kissed Matt because I would never be seen in public with you in those shoes outside of the gym!” Liz fumed. “I mean, violating the Fashion Bible on the first day of school? Really, Roxy!”
Come on, tears…stay in. Don’t make this even more humiliating for me! Roxy prayed, but it was too late. A single tear slid down her cheek. Who is this awful girl, and what did she do with my best friend Liz?
“I didn’t violate it. I have the boots in my bag…” Roxy stammered.
“You better have the Fashion Bible in there too,” Liz responded. “It doesn’t belong to you anymore! Good luck getting dressed without my help. I’m sure a skort would look lovely with those smelly sneakers!”
Roxy heard the shrieks of laughter as she ran off. She desperately searched for a spot far, far away from Liz. Roxy still didn’t want to cry, but before she knew it, a gush of tears plopped onto her ugly gym shoes like big, fat raindrops.
DOGGY CONFESSIONAL
LITTLE ROXIE
So, I don't get it. I mean, Matt clearly likes Roxy-he's allowed, right? I overheard Liz ask him when they could finally hang out so she could tell him all about pageant camp. Poor Matt must not be the brightest bulb because he asked if Roxy could come too.
When Liz started interrogating him about why he wanted Roxy there, I knew he was in trouble. As expected, Liz freaked out when he revealed that he had been hanging out with Roxy while Liz was gone. No wonder he spilled the beans about their kiss!
Chapter Four
Roxy was crying so hard she could barely see where she was going. She wanted to run past the school gates and keep going until she was far away from Liz, Matt, the dogs, and school.
I’ll just start over, dye my hair, change my name. Is there a witness-protection program for girls shunned by their popular best friends? Roxy wondered as she desperately tried to find somewhere quiet to hide for the rest of lunch.
She just wanted to find a safe spot to dry her tears and collect her thoughts. She finally collapsed under a shady tree far from the masses and pulled out a mirror to fix the blotchy makeup mess that was now all over her face. A few stray dogs came up to Roxy looking for affection, but she was in no mood.
“You dogs have ruined my day already—get out of here!” Roxy hissed. “Go on, move it!”
The dogs whimpered and tried to lick Roxy’s face one last time before wandering off. Roxy felt bad, but she didn’t have it in her to be nice to anyone right now—not even those confused and helpless dogs.
“You know, they just wanted you to pet their heads. Dogs are like people. They need reassurance.”
Roxy was startled that anyone was talking to her. She thought she’d picked a spot far enough away from human contact. But Kim Pierce stood a few feet from her—with the same dogs Roxy had shooed away now happily eating treats out of Kim’s hands.
Great…I found my way to Dog Central Station. Roxy let out a long, deep sigh.
“Um, that’s nice,” she mumbled. She didn’t mean to be rude, but she would much rather be alone than making small talk with Kim about dogs.
“I’m really not in the mood for any kind of company right now.”
Kim sighed, pulled a small ball out of her bag, and tossed it around with the pack of dogs that surrounded her.
Roxy buried her head in her hands. How had she managed to go in one day from seventh-grade queen to such a lonely outcast that Kim Pierce was the only person paying her an ounce of attention? Roxy felt the weight of someone else’s eyes on her. She looked up. Georgia Sweeney was sitting a few feet away. She lowered her gaze when she realized that Roxy had noticed her staring. Georgia just snickered to herself while knitting fast and furiously.
She knits? Like my ninety-year-old grandmother? Roxy wanted to scream. She prayed her BlackBerry would connect to the school’s Wi-Fi even though she was so far from the main building. She needed to start researching boarding schools—anything to get far away from Kim, Georgia, all these dogs, and, most of all, Liz Craft. Roxy was sure her parents would understand.
I’m not going to survive a year eating lunch solo while watching Kim’s Best in
Show and being judged by Little Miss Knitter.
Someone tapped Roxy on her shoulder, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. Roxy hoped it was Liz. Maybe she’d realized that the scene by the picnic tables was slightly over the top and wanted to apologize. But instead, an annoying dog walker was trying to hand Roxy a flyer that explained the outlandish and ridiculous demands of their strike. Roxy started pounding the buttons on her BlackBerry. She needed to find a way to get out of town because she couldn’t take much more.
“Attention, students of Monroe Middle School! This is Principal West.”
A hush fell over the lawn as everyone strained to hear what Principal West had to say. The last time he’d interrupted lunch had been the previous spring. The school had closed down for an afternoon then so MTV could film a reality show in the halls.
“Due to the dog-walkers’ strike, we are declaring tomorrow ‘Bring Your Dog to School Day.’”
He paused while students started stomping their feet and cheering. The noise got so loud that all the dogs on campus started howling and barking in response.
“You must get a permission form from the front office. It must be signed by your parents and turned in when you and your pet arrive at school tomorrow!”
Roxy groaned. Kim clapped her hands and squealed in delight. Georgia just kept knitting. Didn’t Principal West realize that technically today was Bring Your Dog to School Day? Roxy wished she could find a way to get Principal West to pin the blame for all this doggy mayhem on Liz. It was no use, though. Even if Roxy could come up with a way, Liz’s specialty was sucking up to adults. Liz should have had hundreds of detentions over the years, but she just batted her eyelashes and gave a “Who, me?” look that got her out of trouble every time.