by Hope McLean
“Of course,” Willow said quickly, but Jasmine shot her an accusatory look.
“We should all discuss it,” Jasmine broke in. “After all, we found it together.”
“But Principal Frederickson can keep it safe for us,” Willow said. “It’s the best thing to do.”
“I agree,” Erin said. “But maybe Principal Frederickson could let us know if any interesting stuff happens. Like if she finds out what the clues mean. What do you think, Lili?”
“Sounds good to me,” Lili said.
The girls looked at Jasmine.
“That’s fine,” she said with a sigh. “If Principal Frederickson agrees.”
“Of course,” the principal said. “That’s only fair. I imagine you must all be very curious to know what the jewels mean. But it’s too dangerous for you to hold the diamond. I promise to keep it safe for you. Now, I’m afraid I’ve kept you long enough.”
“Thank you,” Willow said, standing up. Jasmine took one last, longing look at the diamond before the Jewels left the principal’s office.
“I still can’t believe it,” Erin said when they were out in the hallway. “Principal Frederickson knew about the jewels all along!”
Jasmine let out a dramatic sigh. “I guess our days of jewel hunting are over!”
“Well, I, for one, am glad she knows,” Willow said. “After all, the Rivals have had Arthur Atkinson helping them this whole time.”
“We did okay without our principal helping us,” Jasmine pointed out. “We got the diamond, after all.”
Erin stopped short. “I just thought of something! What if Principal Frederickson is, like, an evil spy or something? Or a double agent? Maybe she’s going to give the diamond right to Arthur Atkinson!”
“She wouldn’t do that,” Willow insisted.
“I don’t know,” Lili said. “She did call Arthur Atkinson after we told her about the Rivals stealing the ruby.”
“Exactly,” Willow said. “And he betrayed her by going on the news. So they couldn’t be working together.”
Everyone was quiet for a minute.
“Well, it’s out of our hands now,” Willow said. “We need to concentrate on quiz bowl, anyway. We’ve got a big match coming up.”
“Right,” Jasmine agreed. “We’ve got practice tomorrow. We really need to prepare.”
* * *
The Jewels met for practice after school on Friday in Ms. Keatley’s room. The history teacher was also their official quiz bowl advisor.
“Okay, we’re going to do some drills today,” Ms. Keatley announced at the start of practice. Her blond hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, as usual.
“Erin,” she said. “Name the first ten US presidents, please.”
Erin wrinkled up her nose, thinking. “George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Martin van Buren, William Henry Harrison, and … John Tyler!” she said triumphantly.
“Correct!” said Ms. Keatley. “Okay, Lili. How about five books written by Charles Dickens?”
“Um, A Christmas Carol, definitely,” she said thoughtfully, counting on her fingers. “And David Copperfield, and Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, and Great Expectations.”
“Very good,” said the teacher. “Except the full title is The Adventures of Oliver Twist. Small details like that can make the difference between winning and losing points.”
“Got it,” Lili said earnestly. “I hate losing points for an incomplete answer! It’s so painful, isn’t it?”
“Definitely,” agreed Jasmine. “But we haven’t had a lot of wrong answers lately. We’re doing pretty great.”
“But we still need to practice,” Willow pointed out. “I’m ready, Ms. Keatley. Give me your toughest equations.” They spent the next hour answering rapid-fire questions posed by Ms. Keatley. Each team member had an area she was best in. Erin took the history questions, Willow handled the math, Jasmine answered the science questions, and Lili managed the arts and literature sections.
“Nice work today, girls,” Ms. Keatley said, standing up to stretch when they were done. “The meet tomorrow is here at Martha Washington. Be sure to arrive by ten.”
Willow looked at the sports watch on her wrist. “Anyone want to go to the Java Hut before we get picked up?”
“Mmm, their caramel cocoa is the best,” Erin said. “Count me in.”
Just around the corner from Martha Washington School, the Java Hut was small enough to be cozy but large enough to hold the middle-school students and office workers who went there for coffee and baked treats every day. The girls got steaming cups of cocoa at the counter and found a table by the sunny front window.
“Spring is finally here,” Lili said with a smile as she looked out the window. “Everything is starting to turn green.”
“I can’t wait for softball season,” Willow said.
“I don’t know … all this sunshine,” Jasmine noted, frowning. “It’s so … cheerful!”
Lili laughed. “Jasmine, I swear I am going to make you a T-shirt with rainbows all over it,” she threatened. “And glitter paint!”
That made Jasmine laugh, too. She closed her eyes and stuck out her tongue. “Ack! Too much cuteness!”
Willow’s expression turned serious. “Well, look who it is,” she said with a nod toward the door.
The girls turned to see Ryan Atkinson and Isabel Baudin walk into the coffee shop. Ryan was captain of the Rivals, and Isabel, who’d moved to the DC area from France, was a member of the team.
“Hey, guys!” Willow said brightly, waving at them.
But Ryan and Isabel looked straight ahead, pretending that they didn’t hear her. They walked up to the counter and ordered their drinks.
The girls leaned in to the table and started to talk in loud whispers.
“Weird,” Erin said. “Isabel didn’t even insult me.”
“And Ryan didn’t flash me that ‘I’m better than you’ smile,” Willow pointed out.
“They sure are acting strange,” Jasmine agreed. “We haven’t seen them much since the New York trip. Only at a couple of quiz bowl meets. And they were acting like their usual obnoxious selves. So what gives today?”
Lili looked thoughtful. “And what are they doing here?” she wondered. “It’s pretty far from Atkinson Prep.”
“Maybe they came for the awesome cocoa,” Erin suggested.
Jasmine frowned. “Or maybe they’re here to scope out the school so they can steal back the diamond.”
“Then they’re out of luck,” Lili said. “Principal Frederickson said she would keep it safe, and I believe her.”
Ryan and Isabel got their drinks, then looked around at the tables. The only empty one was right next to the Jewels. The two Rivals whispered to each other for a moment and then headed for the front door.
“Good luck at the match tomorrow!” Erin called out.
Ryan stopped and turned around. “Thanks. You, too,” he said gruffly. Isabel managed a glare in their direction, but that was about it. Then they left the shop.
“This is fantastic!” Willow said loudly, now that they no longer had to whisper. “Do you know what this means?”
“That Isabel has laryngitis?” Erin joked. “I mean, I’ve never seen her so quiet.”
“Ha-ha,” Willow said flatly. “No. It means that we have the psychological advantage tomorrow, for the first time ever.”
Jasmine grinned. “Ooh, I like the sound of that.”
Lili pointedly looked at Jasmine and Willow. “We’ll only have an advantage if we stay strong as a team. You know what I mean. No more fighting! Or I’ll have to sprinkle you with happy magical unicorn glitter before the match, and that takes weeks to get out of your hair.”
Jasmine made a face at Lili. “I’ll wear a hat.”
“Seriously!” Lili said. “You guys have to promise me. No more arguing.”
Jasmine and Willow looked at each other. Then they
both smiled.
“Promise,” Willow said.
“Me, too,” agreed Jasmine.
Lili put her arms around both of them. “Yay!”
Erin rolled her eyes. “All right, enough. You guys are sweeter than my caramel cocoa. I’m having a sugar overload.”
“I have a good feeling about this match tomorrow,” Willow said. “Finally beating the Rivals? Now that would be really sweet!”
The next morning dawned bright and sunny. The air was crisp but the spring sun worked hard to bring the temperature up into the sixties by the time Erin’s mother brought the Jewels to Martha Washington School. They gathered in the auditorium as quiz bowl members from neighboring schools trickled in. Each girl wore a red T-shirt with the words “Jewels Rule!” on the front.
“I still feel like it makes us look like we’re bragging,” Willow said, gazing down at her shirt.
“What’s wrong with bragging?” Erin asked, with a twinkle in her eye.
“I’m just glad we finally agreed on something,” Jasmine said. “I think they came out great, Lili.”
Lili beamed. “Thanks! Doing the lettering was easy once I made the stencil.”
Erin’s mother smiled. “Well, I think you all look fabulous. I’m going to sit in the ‘Mom’ section now. Break a leg, you guys.”
Erin cringed. “I hate when you say that. It makes me nervous to walk up onstage.”
Mrs. Fischer just smiled and gave her daughter a kiss. Then she walked off to get a seat in the center of the auditorium.
Ms. Keatley hurried up to them, holding a clipboard.
“Looks like you’re up first, guys,” she said. “Against the team from West Chatsworth. If you beat them, you’ll have the chance to compete against the winner of the second match.”
“Great!” Willow said. “We’re feeling good today, Ms. Keatley. We won’t let you down.”
Ms. Keatley smiled. “You never do. You always do your best, and I’m proud of you whether you win or lose.”
The sound of microphone feedback filled the auditorium, and the chattering quiz bowl contestants and guests quieted down. The moderator, a dark-haired woman in a gray suit, spoke into the mike. “Will the teams from Martha Washington and West Chatsworth please take the stage?”
The girls climbed onstage and took their places. A lectern with a microphone and buzzer was set up for every player on each team. As Willow adjusted her mike, she noticed Principal Frederickson sitting in the front row. The principal smiled at Willow and gave her a thumbs-up.
Willow nudged Jasmine, who always stood at the lectern next to hers. “Did you see that?” she asked.
Jasmine nodded. “It’s nice that she’s here, I guess. I just hope she doesn’t make me nervous!”
“Contestants, please make sure your buzzers are working,” the moderator instructed, and then she went on to explain the rules of the match, which the girls all knew by heart. The moderator would ask a series of toss-up questions worth ten points each. If the team got the question right, they could try to answer three bonus questions for extra points. If they got the question wrong, ten points were deducted from their score.
The moderator read the first question. “In 2011, Steven Spielberg directed this film based on the comic book series created by Belgian artist Georges Remi.”
Lili buzzed in. “Tin — I mean, The Adventures of Tintin,” she corrected herself quickly, remembering Ms. Keatley’s advice.
“Correct,” the moderator said, and Lili grinned at Ms. Keatley from the stage.
The training paid off for all of the girls, and the Jewels beat the team from West Chatsworth handily. When they got off the stage, Principal Frederickson approached them.
“Wonderful job, girls,” she said. “You’re a credit to Martha Washington School.”
“Thanks,” Willow said.
“Any news about the jewels?” Erin broke in eagerly.
A look of amusement flashed across Principal Frederickson’s face.
“Seriously, Erin?” the principal asked. “You and your teammates just won a quiz bowl match and that is all you can think about?”
“Yep.” Erin grinned. “Pretty much.”
Principal Frederickson glanced at the people still in the auditorium. “Let’s talk about this in the hallway.”
The girls followed her out of the auditorium and into the empty corridor.
Principal Frederickson sighed. “There is something,” she admitted reluctantly. “But I’m really not sure how much more you girls need to know. This is a very unusual situation, one I never imagined any of my students would get mixed up in.”
The girls looked at one another. Principal Frederickson knew something! But how could they get her to share it?
“Oh, tell us, tell us!” Erin begged.
“Please?” Lili asked with her sweetest smile.
“We already know about the jewels,” Willow reminded her.
Jasmine nodded. “So what’s the harm in filling us in?”
“The cat’s already out of the bag, isn’t it?” Principal Frederickson asked with a rueful grin. “All right. I do have some news. It’s about the emerald. Years ago, I figured out that the emerald Martha was talking about was purchased by a wealthy shipping family. Then I lost track of it. But I’ve seen it in the news recently.”
“The news? Was it stolen?” Willow asked.
Principal Frederickson shook her head. “No. It’s just getting a lot of publicity. Do you know who Derrica Girard is?”
“Ooh, she’s that super-rich famous woman from TV,” Lili said.
“East Coast Class, that show about wealthy housewives,” Erin said, and Willow looked at her, surprised. Erin shrugged. “Mary Ellen watches it all the time. I can’t help it if my big sister has terrible taste in television.”
“Well, Derrica’s been wearing the emerald everywhere, and I’m sure it’s the same one,” Principal Frederickson said. “I’ve been trying to get in touch with her, but it’s difficult now that she’s on TV.”
Erin’s eyes grew wide. “So that means the Rivals don’t have the emerald!”
“And if you can get to Derrica first, you can ask to see it!” Jasmine sounded excited. “Maybe there is another clue on it.”
“If you can get in touch with her, what will you tell her?” Willow asked.
“I’ll tell her that her emerald is an important part of history, and I’ll ask her if she will let me examine it,” Principal Frederickson said. “After all, we don’t need the emerald to solve Martha’s mystery. Just the clue etched on the back.”
The girls were quiet as they considered this.
“That’s awesome news,” Erin said. “I hope she lets you look at it.”
Though the Jewels were excited Principal Frederickson had a lead on the emerald, it was hard not to be a part of it. Willow broke the silence that had settled on the group.
“Hey, we’d better get back inside,” she said. “I want to see the Rivals’ match. Thanks for letting us know about the emerald, Principal Frederickson.”
“You’re welcome,” she replied. “I should return to my seat, too, so I can watch your next turn. Good luck.”
They headed back inside the auditorium, where the Rivals were taking the stage with the competing team, the Maryville Marvels. After a few questions, it was clear that the Rivals were off their game. In the end they won, but only after a nail-biting tiebreaker question.
“We’ll take a short break,” the moderator announced. “Then I need to see the Jewels and the Rivals back onstage.”
Willow held out her arm to the other girls. “I think it’s time for a cheer. Math!”
Jasmine slapped her hand on top of Willow’s. “Science!”
Erin added her hand. “History!”
“Arts and Literature!” Lili cried with a giggle, slapping her hand on top of Erin’s. “Mine is so long!”
Then the four girls raised their arms high in the air. “Goooo, Jewels!”
The
ir hearts were racing with excitement as they took the stage. Willow glanced over at the Rivals. Ryan was purposely ignoring her gaze, just like he had in the coffee shop. Normally, he’d be giving her a smug smile. Isabel looked sullen. Aaron Santiago, the third Rival, actually seemed nervous. Only Veronica Manasas, the fourth member of the team, looked as confident as ever. Her brown eyes were fixed on the moderator, and her hand was on top of the buzzer, ready to go.
“Your first question. Which of these numbers is not a prime number? Seven, thirty-seven, fifty-seven, or ninety-seven?”
There was a one-second pause, and then Willow and Ryan both hit their buzzers nearly at the same time.
“That goes to Martha Washington,” the moderator said, and Willow grinned.
“Fifty-seven,” she replied.
“Correct,” said the moderator. “And now for your bonus questions.”
The first question set the tone of the match. Ryan, Isabel, and Aaron just couldn’t make it to the buzzer in time. Veronica, the team’s science expert, started buzzing in on almost every question.
“By purpose, how is the following sentence classified?” the moderator began. “‘I am going to the store.’”
Lili pressed on her buzzer, but Veronica beat her to it.
“It’s a statement,” Veronica answered.
“Correct,” said the moderator, and the Rivals got three bonus questions.
When they got to the last toss-up question, the moderator announced, “Right now, the score is tied. The winner of this last toss-up will win the match.”
Willow glanced over at the Rivals. Except for Veronica, they all seemed to be sweating. She looked at her teammates, who looked more confident and determined than she’d ever seen them.
“We can do this,” she mouthed.
“And now the last question,” the moderator began. “What is the name of the upper arm bone in a human?”
Veronica was right on the buzzer, but Jasmine was a split second faster.
“The humerus!” she practically yelled, as a lock of her curly hair fell across her eyes.
“Correct,” the moderator said. “This match goes to the Martha Washington Jewels!”
The girls couldn’t help it — they burst into excited shrieks and cheers. Willow was the first to remember the proper protocol.