Disconnect

by Lois Peterson

  I was, I realized. It had taken a few weeks—and hanging out with Cleo—to feel like I actually belonged here.

  “A-minus is a good grade,” said Dad. “Technology aside, it sounds like you both did a great job.”

  “To recognize your hard work on this, perhaps we could help with the fare to Calgary for spring break,” said Mom.

  Dad nodded.

  “Dee and I have plans,” said Cleo. “With a couple of other kids from school.”

  Who knew that hanging out with Drew Galling could be a blast? Especially with Harrison making up the fourth. It turned out he was more than just a nice face.

  “Dee?” asked Dad. “Daria is Dee now?”

  “Cleo thinks it suits me.”

  “I guess I’ll get used to it.” He left the room muttering, “Whatever is next? Piercings?”

  He came back right away with my phone. “I think you’ve earned this back. I’m sure you’ve learned from all your recent research. Don’t you think?” he asked Mom.

  I reached for the phone. Four weeks had sounded like such a long time.

  Cleo grabbed it first. “It’s nicer than mine.”

  “You don’t have a phone!” I said.

  “Do too! I finally convinced Mom and Dad that they can’t live in the dark ages forever.” She passed me my phone and rooted in her bag. “See?” The phone she held out was an old one, as big as a brick. It probably dated back to pioneer times. “Recycled,” she said. “As you might expect.” She grinned at me. “Now we can connect anytime, unless Stryker has her way.”

  Dad smiled slyly at me. “Oh. I’m sure clever girls like you can work something out.”

  Did he know I had cheated? If so, there was no sign from Mom that he had told her.

  While Cleo pressed buttons on her phone, I picked up mine from the table. It fitted my hand, as if it belonged there. I couldn’t help it. I turned it on.

  Nineteen calls. Texts galore. My fingers itched to scroll through them.

  Then I looked at Mom and Dad. They were frowning as they watched Cleo punch the keys of her phone, shake it, hold it up to her ear, glare at it.

  I put my phone on the counter.

  First call I would make would be to Cynthia. Maybe she would let me speak to Caden and Emerson to see if Caden’s hair was growing back and find out how Emmy did with her science project.

  I could connect with Josie and Selena later.

  I headed to the fridge for the tiramisu Cleo and I had made earlier. While we had mixed and poured, I had told her about the Cool Code of Conduct. She’d asked, “And how has that worked out for you lately?” All I could do was laugh.

  She was still fiddling with her phone as I put dessert on the table and passed out forks. “Put that down,” I told Cleo. “I’ll help you figure it out later. But first, let’s eat.”

  Lois Peterson wrote short stories and articles for adults for twenty years before turning to writing for kids. She was born in England and has lived in Iraq, France and the United States. She works at a plublic library and lives in Surrey, British Columbia, where she writes, reads and teaches creative writing to adults, teens and children. Lois is the author of several books for children and youth, including Beyond Repair in the Orca Currents series.

  Titles in the Series

  orca currents

  *

  121 Express

  Monique Polak

  Agent Angus

  K.L. Denman

  Bear Market

  Michele Martin Bossley

  Benched

  Cristy Watson

  Beyond Repair

  Lois Peterson

  The Big Dip

  Melanie Jackson

  Bio-pirate

  Michele Martin Bossley

  Blob

  Frieda Wishinsky

  Branded

  Eric Walters

  Camp Wild

  Pam Withers

  Chat Room

  Kristin Butcher

  Cheat

  Kristin Butcher

  Cracked

  Michele Martin Bossley

  Crossbow

  Dayle Campbell Gaetz

  Daredevil Club

  Pam Withers

  Disconnect

  Lois Peterson

  Dog Walker

  Karen Spafford-Fitz

  Explore

  Christy Goerzen

  Farmed Out

  Christy Goerzen

  Fast Slide

  Melanie Jackson

  Finding Elmo

  Monique Polak

  Flower Power

  Ann Walsh

  Fraud Squad

  Michele Martin Bossley

  High Wire

  Melanie Jackson

  Hold the Pickles

  Vicki Grant

  Horse Power

  Ann Walsh

  Hypnotized

  Don Trembath

  In a Flash

  Eric Walters

  Junkyard Dog

  Monique Polak

  Laggan Lard Butts

  Eric Walters

  Living Rough

  Cristy Watson

  Manga Touch

  Jacqueline Pearce

  Marked

  Norah McClintock

  Maxed Out

  Daphne Greer

  Mirror Image

  K.L. Denman

  Nine Doors

  Vicki Grant

  Oracle

  Alex Van Tol

  Out of Season

  Kari Jones

  Perfect Revenge

  K.L. Denman

  Pigboy

  Vicki Grant

  Power Chord

  Ted Staunton

  Pyro

  Monique Polak

  Queen of the Toilet Bowl

  Frieda Wishinsky

  Rebel’s Tag

  K.L. Denman

  Reckless

  Lesley Choyce

  See No Evil

  Diane Young

  Sewer Rats

  Sigmund Brouwer

  The Shade

  K.L. Denman

  Skate Freak

  Lesley Choyce

  Slick

  Sara Cassidy

  The Snowball Effect

  Deb Loughead

  Special Edward

  Eric Walters

  Splat!

  Eric Walters

  Spoiled Rotten

  Dayle Campbell Gaetz

  Storm Tide

  Kari Jones

  Struck

  Deb Loughead

  Stuff We All Get

  K.L. Denman

  Sudden Impact

  Lesley Choyce

  Swiped

  Michele Martin Bossley

  Watch Me

  Norah McClintock

  Windfall

  Sara Cassidy

  Wired

  Sigmund Brouwer