“Mason! Jason!” I yelled. They turned and waved when they spotted us.
“Multipaloo-Limbo is TWIN-bo,” the announcer said. “You have to hold hands with your twin partner the whole time. If either of you touches the rope or the ground, you are eliminated.”
“Mason and Jason working together?” I said. “This is going to be interesting.”
The music started, and the line started moving. At first, the rope was so high, most of the kids practically could walk under it. Mason and Jason held hands and went under easily.
“Go, Mason and Jason!” we all yelled.
Then the rope lowered, and some kids were disqualified.
“Mason and Jason are still in it,” Ox said. “So are the zombies, although I’m thinking the long princess dress is going to be a stumbling block.”
Ox was right. The princess zombie went down in the next round. We all cheered for them as they left the field.
“They’re getting to the head of the line,” Nick said.
“Go, Mason! Go, Jason!” we shouted. I was watching so intently, I didn’t notice some people come up next to me at first.
It was the triplets, Sydney, and Cashmere.
“How are Mason and Jason doing?” Cashmere asked.
“They’re still in.” I pointed. “You can see Mason’s red hat. They’re almost up.”
We all waited until the boys got almost to the rope, then we exploded.
“Go, Mason! Go, Jason!”
“GO, LITTLE DUDES!” one of the triplets yelled.
“Go, Geckos!” Sydney called out. She did some complicated kick-jump cheer move, probably to show off for the triplets. But they were busy watching the limbo game.
And we were all watching as Mason and Jason made it under the rope!
“Yes!” we were all screaming. I held up my hand, and Ox high-fived it.
We watched as the line got smaller and smaller each round. Kids were dropping like flies. But not Mason and Jason! They held hands and bent backward, under the rope again.
Now we were all jumping up and down.
“Little dudes are ROCKING this,” a triplet said.
I looked over at them.
“It’s nice of you to cheer them on,” I said.
“They’re cool little dudes,” Oliver (Dexter?) said.
“We’re all Geckos,” Sydney said. “We’re all on the same team. GO, GECKOS!”
It was now down to about five teams. And Mason and Jason were still in it! Then the line was moving, but Mason and Jason suddenly stopped.
“It looks like there’s a problem,” Ox said, squinting.
“Mason is rubbing his hat,” Nick said. “I can see with my zoom lens. Maybe he’s afraid his hat is giving him extra height?”
“Why can’t he just take off his hat?” a triplet asked.
Oh. OH!!! I knew why!
“I’ll be right back!” I said. I raced across the limbo field. I ran up to one of the people with “Multipalooza Staff” on her shirt and explained the situation. She let me run out to the boys.
“Mason!” I said. “I’ll take it! I’ll take the hat!”
“Emma,” he said. “You know what’s in it, right?”
“Yes,” I said. “I’ll take good care of Mascot. We’re cheering you on!”
I carried the hat carefully across the field. I peeked inside to make sure Mascot was okay. Yep, the lizard was safe and sound in the hat cage that Jason had made for him.
“Well, Mascot,” I said. “Go, Geckos, right?”
Mascot winked an eye and stuck out his tongue at me.
I shuddered.
“Emma!” Payton was calling out to me. “Look!”
I walked faster and rejoined my sister and our friends. Other teams were falling or touching the rope.
“Mason was worried about Mascot in his hat,” I said, holding the hat carefully.
“The gecko?” one of the triplets said. “That thing is cool.”
“Want to hold him?” I offered. Excellent. He took the hat out of my hands.
“Hey, little gecko dude,” he said gently into the hat. “I’m Oliver. Aren’t you a good boy.”
Well. That was helpful.
I turned around to see that Mason and Jason were reaching the front of the line, and there was only one team ahead of them. Only one other team. Oh wow! It was down to just them and Mason and Jason!
We all watched as the other team bent over backward and limbo’d toward the rope and then—splat! They fell!
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh,” Sydney said. “If Mason and Jason make it, they’ll win! I’m so nervous!”
She reached out and grabbed my hand. Wow. Sydney held on to my hand for support and camaraderie. We really all were a team. Then she looked over.
“Ick,” she said. “I thought I was standing next to a triplet.”
“Oh, let’s cheer together, Sydney,” I said. “We’re all on the same team. GO, GECKOS!”
“Go, Geckos!” Sydney yelled. Then she did some elaborate cheer jump that practically knocked me over. We might be on the same team, but she was still Sydney.
“Okay,” Nick said. “They’re up.”
“Eeee!” Payton squealed, her hands covering her eyes. “I can’t look! Tell me what happens!”
“GO, MASON AND JASON!” I yelled. I looked at the triplets and grinned. “Go, little dudes!”
“GO, LITTLE DUDES!” we all yelled together.
“They’re bending backward,” Nick reported for Payton. “Farther, farther, and . . .”
THEY DID IT! Mason and Jason limbo’d under the rope!!! They won! They won!
WOO!! We were all cheering and jumping up and down! Everyone was high-fiving one another! Even the triplets! I jumped up, and Ox caught me in a hug!
Woo-hoo!
Mason and Jason accepted a trophy from the announcer. They turned to us and started waving. I could read Mason’s lips: “Emma! I WON SOMETHING!”
Go, little dudes.
Twenty-three
IN OUR BEDROOM, FOUR HOURS LATER
I looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was piled on my head in a soft updo. Little curls fell along my face. I loved my hair! I also loved my dress. The jewel-toned sapphire blue looked nice against the slight tan I’d gotten today at Multipalooza. My tights also covered up the bruises I’d gotten from the last round of Tug-of-War.
Which, by the way, we had lost. We’d competed with the triplets and one of the Rock Guys but . . . the other team consisted of five massive teenage boys and their equally massive younger sister.
I smiled at myself in the mirror. What was important was that we’d had fun. And also, according to Mrs. Burkle, I’d done an incredible VOGS cast. Squee!
Suddenly, I was seeing double! No, not really. Emma was standing behind me in the mirror. She had also put her hair in an updo. She looked amazing in her silvery dress. Her tights covered up the scrape she’d gotten when I’d landed on her in the Three-Legged Race.
“Emma,” I breathed. “We’re going to our very first dance.”
Squee!
Double squee!
Twenty-four
AT THE AUTUMN DANCE!
Wow.
Our school gym had been turned into an autumn wonderland. Hundreds of leaves—red, orange, yellow, and green—decorated the walls. Red and gold streamers crisscrossed the ceiling, and shimmery gold spirals hung down from them. In the center was a giant disco ball. Tess and Quinn had been working really hard today.
In one corner of the gym stood a three-dimensional tree with red apples hanging from its branches. And in another corner was a giant, glittery stack of hay, surrounded by real pumpkins and gourds.
But what made all of it so beautiful were the lights. Streaks of gold light danced across the ceiling and walls and . . . dance floor.
Which was empty.
Whew.
Nick and Payton walked in together first, with Ox and me close behind. Groups of people stood around the perimeter
of the room, talking or laughing or just standing there.
It was just a middle school dance. Why was I feeling so shaky?
“Emma! Payton!” Quinn emerged from one of the groups. “What do you think?” She waved her arms around the room.
“I think it looks wonderful,” I said.
“And so do you,” my sister added.
Quinn wore a blue dress with a gold belt and gold ballet shoes.
“You sparkle under the lights,” I told her.
“Did you guys see the refreshments table?” Quinn pointed toward a crowded corner. “There’s doughnuts and caramel apples and cookies and soda pop and apple cider.”
“Oh yeah,” Nick said. “I’m there.”
”I’m coming with you,” Ox said. “Uh, do you girls want anything?”
“A doughnut,” Payton said.
“A cookie,” I said.
“And cider,” we both finished. “Please.”
“I’m good,” Quinn said, and we watched the boys walk quickly away. “Boys love their food! Good thing the parents donated a ton of refreshments.”
We stood there, admiring one another’s dresses and hair. Tess came over and joined us.
“Hey,” she said.
“Hi!”
“You look great!” We gushed over her floral dress and her updo.
“Thanks,” she said, smiling. “But I really meant ‘hay,’ as in, I’ve got hay down my back. Some guys were having a hay fight.” She jumped up and down and, yep, pieces of hay fell out.
I admired the autumn leaves, some of which were peeling from the wall and fluttering to the ground. Like real autumn. I smiled.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” a voice blasted through the room. “Welcome to the Autumn Dance, sponsored by the Parents Association and Student Council! I’m MC Adam, and I’ll be your deejay tonight!”
Everyone cheered.
“The dancing is starting!” some girl yelled, and just then music started playing. Within seconds, a bunch of people were out in the middle of the floor, jumping and dancing around.
“It’s all girls,” Quinn laughed. She was right. The boys were either stuffing their faces with food or standing far away from the dance floor.
“Here you go.” Ox and Nick came back with little plates and cups. I bit into a cookie and thought, Mmm. Girls love their food too.
“Oh no!” Quinn said. “The papier-mâé tree is leaning to one side. I’ve got to go save the tree!” She raced off.
“Is it all right if I hang out with you guys?” Tess asked shyly. “I mean, you have dates, so I don’t want to be in the way.”
“What?” Payton said. “Of course!” Soon a couple of Tess’s friends came over, then a few of Nick’s and some boys from the football team. Everyone was eating and talking.
And—I exhaled in relief—no one was dancing. Maybe . . . just maybe you didn’t have to actually dance at a dance! A fast dance wrapped up.
“Let’s give a special shout-out to our chaperones,” MC Adam said.
Everyone clapped politely.
“One of our chaperones has a special request,” MC Adam continued. “This song goes out to Counselor Case from Coach Babbitt.”
Everyone went “Oooh! How romantic!” and made smoochy noises. Coach Babbitt took Counselor Case and led her to the dance floor.
I recognized the song immediately.
“Hey, that’s the song from Grease!” I blurted out.
“Yes, it’s Counselor Case’s favorite movie,” Jazmine James said behind me. “She even taught me the dance that goes with it. It’s really hard, but I got it right away.”
“Same here,” I said.
Jazmine and I eyed each other. I might regret this, but I knew the one thing I could not do was back down from a challenge. Especially a challenge from Jazmine James.
“It’s on,” we both said at the same time, as if we were identical twins. Jazmine marched out onto the dance floor, her tangerine dress shimmering. She slipped off her silver heels. I followed suit.
And we both started to hand jive.
Pat, pat.
Clap, clap.
Goofy hand movements.
And thumbs-up over the shoulders.
People who were jumping around the dance floor turned to watch us. Soon, a spot was cleared out as they circled around us. Clap, clap! Pat, pat! Jazmine went faster! I went faster than Jazmine! She narrowed her eyes and went even faster! Jazmine and I were having a dance-off!
“Go, Emma!” I heard Payton yell.
“Go, Jazmine!” Hector countered.
Who was winning? It was hard to say! I was keeping up with Jazmine! She was keeping up with me. And then—
Counselor Case came over and joined us!
“Go, Louise!” Coach Babbitt yelled.
Clap, clap! Pat, pat! Counselor Case was hand jiving right along with me and Jazmine. Her eyes squinted at us, and she went faster. And faster . . . and holy moley, she was doing it so fast!
Jazmine and I glanced at each other. Then we tried to keep up but . . . there was no way. I clapped when I was supposed to pat. Jazmine patted when she was supposed to clap.
Counselor Case owned both of us.
The dance ended and we all stopped and stood there panting with exhaustion.
“Yeah! Counselor Case!” everyone was yelling.
“You won that dance-off.” I held out my hand to Counselor Case. She shook it.
“I admit defeat.” Jazmine shook Counselor Case’s hand. “Most impressive.”
Jazmine and I slunk off the dance floor. I glanced at her. She was glancing at me. Then we both started cracking up.
“We just got owned by Counselor Case,” Jazmine said, shaking her head.
I was still cracking up when I returned to where my friends and sister were standing.
“You were great out there,” Ox told me, handing me a cup of soda.
“Well, I faced my fear of dancing in public, I guess,” I said. “At least the hand jive. Don’t expect any other fast dancing.”
“May I have your attention, Geckos! Hey! HEY!”
The music quieted down, and everyone turned to look at the stage where Sydney was yelling into the microphone.
“As you all know, I’m Sydney Fish!” Sydney’s voice filled the room. “Copresident of the dance committee!”
I started clapping. Payton raised an eyebrow at me and started clapping too. Hey, she had done a good job.
“I have an awesome surprise, arranged by me,” Sydney said. “Thanks to me, we are going to have a special performance by the hottest new band in town. Fresh off their tour at Multipalooza, it’s . . .”
This I had to see! I motioned my friends to move closer to the stage before everyone else did.
“THE SUPERTWINS!”
Sydney climbed down the steps and stood in front of us.
Asher, Dexter, and Oliver strode onto the stage. Asher and Oliver were carrying their guitars. They all looked psyched—even Asher. Their performance must have gone well today.
“We are the SuperTwins,” either Dexter or Oliver said into the microphone. “And we want to play a song for our new school.”
“And I want to introduce our newest member of the band.” Asher leaned in. “Our lead singer, Cashmere.”
“Wait, what?” Sydney blurted out.
Yup, Cashmere strode onto the stage. Cashmere, in a black rocker-chick T-shirt, ripped jeans, and black boots.
“What is she doing up there?” Sydney swiveled her head around to see if anyone knew.
“Singing, I guess.” Payton shrugged.
That’s right—Cashmere was a great singer, as we had learned on the double-decker bus in New York City.
“She’s not only our new lead singer, she’s also my date,” Asher said shyly. Cashmere came over and gave him a hug.
“HEY!” Sydney yelled out. “He’s my date! You can’t steal my date!”
“Oh, stuff it, you can have the other two,” Cashmere said into the
microphone. “Here’s a slow dance for all you people who can’t fast dance.”
Like me!
Nick took Payton’s hand and led her to the dance floor.
“Emma, would you like to dance?” Ox asked.
I nodded. As I held out my hand, someone tugged on my dress.
“Emma! Emma! Dance with me?” It was Jason. Mason was right behind him.
“No, me!” Mason said.
“Sorry, guys, I’m already asked for,” I said.
“I’d love to dance with you,” Tess said. “May I?”
“I’m first!” Jason said, and dragged her out there.
“Hey, Mason, there’s someone who needs a dance partner.” I pointed toward the stage. Sydney was looking out sadly at the dance floor, since her two dates were playing.
“She’s pretty,” Mason said. He ran up to her, and I watched to make sure she was kind to him. She shrugged and went out to the dance floor. Sometimes, Sydney could be okay. Not often.
Ox took my hand and led me to the dance floor. We passed Jazmine and Hector slow dancing. Quinn and Ahmad from VOGS. Counselor Case and Coach Babbitt. Principal Patel and . . . Mrs. Burkle? We moved away from them.
I put my arms around Ox’s neck. Our first slow dance! This was so romantic! This was so . . .
“Did you know that a hybrid of our names is a patented health care diagnostic device?” I blurted out.
Cashmere’s voice sang softly as couples swayed around. Ox looked down at me.
“Oxemma,” he said. “I know.”
“You do?” I asked, moving my left foot, then my right foot in my best slow-dance move.
“Yeah,” he said, and blushed. “I mashed our names on Wikipedia and found it.”
I felt my face turn pink too.
We slow danced some more.
“Oof.” Someone backed into me.
“Hey, Emma!” It was Mason. “Watch my smooth skills.” He tried to twirl Sydney around. She had to duck under their hands awkwardly.
“Just don’t dip me, shrimp,” Sydney said, and they danced away.
“Cute hybrid,” remarked Ox. “A shrimp and a fish. A crustaceanfish.”
I got it. Because Sydney’s last name was Fish. And I smiled. Because Ox got me. And he liked me anyway.
“You look really pretty,” Ox said shyly.
“So do you,” I said back shyly. “Handsome, I mean.”
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