Fabulous Five 009 - The Boyfriend Dilemma by Betsy Haynes Read Free Book Online Page B

air.
    Christie held on tightly to her popcorn as Jon led her down
the aisle, zigzagging through the crowd. Finally they reached the row that Beth
and Melanie had saved for The Fabulous Five and their dates. Jana and Randy
moved in so Jon and Christie could have the seats nearest the aisle.
    Elizabeth Harvey, who had been elected secretary of the
seventh-grade class when Christie had run for president, saw her and stopped in
the aisle to talk.
    "Hi, Christie. Hi, everybody." She waved to the
others. "Is it true that you might not be on the Super Quiz team,
Christie?"
    Christie took a deep breath and said, "I don't know yet.
There's been a mixup, but I think everything will be all right."
    "I wouldn't believe everything you hear," Jon
added. "There's just been a mistake. Everyone knows Christie didn't
do anything wrong."
    "I hope so," said Elizabeth. "But you and I
are prejudiced because I like Christie and you're her boyfriend. Sometimes the
right thing doesn't always happen, you know."
    "You're not making our day," Jon grumbled.
    "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sure everything will turn out okay.
Have a good time, you two," Elizabeth said with a knowing smile.
    Christie cringed. Why did Elizabeth have to make those
remarks about Jon's being Christie's boyfriend? Couldn't anyone realize
that just because she and Jon were at the movie together didn't mean they were
going steady or that they were going to have a big love scene later. Was Jon
embarrassed at what Elizabeth had said? Christie couldn't tell.
    "I've got to go to the ladies' room," said Beth. "Does
anyone want to go with me?"
    "I'll go with you," said Christie.
    "Me, too," said Katie.
    There was a long line in the ladies' room, and they had to
wait their turn. Christie dug in her purse for a tissue.
    "Hi, Katie, Christie, and Beth." Kaci Davis was
brushing her blond hair and had seen them in the mirror. Kaci was a pretty
ninth-grader who was on the Teen Court with Katie.
    "Got a big date with Jon, Christie?" Kaci asked.
    "No, not really," Christie answered, trying to
sound as casual as possible. "We're here together, but we're just friends."
    Kaci's hand stopped in midstroke, and she looked at Christie's
reflection. "Right! Just like Katie's only friends with Tony Calcaterra."
Kaci nudged Colby Graham, an eighth-grader standing next to her, and they both
laughed.
    Christie could feel her face turning red. Not again, she
thought.
    Today had been full of the same things happening over and
over. First, she had had to explain about the mixup at the tryouts. Now she had
to tell everyone that Jon and she were just friends. She held back an
exasperated sigh and gave Kaci a forced smile. When would everyone finally get
it?
    To make things worse, the movie wasn't as great as Christie
had thought it would be. Maybe it was because she had ducked down to keep from
being seen every time someone she knew came by their row. It didn't work,
though. If kids didn't see her at first, they saw one of the other Fabulous
Five and stopped. Then they saw her, and inevitably there would be a comment
about Jon and her going together.
    She did find a quarter and a dime on the floor, however,
which was the good part. The bad part was that she bumped her head against the
seat in front of her and a glob of gum stuck to her forehead. She was very glad when the credits came on the screen and the movie was over.
    Jon didn't take her hand the way he usually did as they made
their way out of the theater. She decided it was probably for the best even
though it made her a little sad. Why couldn't people understand that boys and
girls could like each other and not always have to have romantic relationships?
This just might be the most miserable day in my whole life, Christie thought.
First, I'm accused of cheating at the tryouts, and now people won't let Jon and
me have a normal friendship.
    Jon didn't say anything as the two of them stood at the curb
away from everyone else waiting for his dad to pick them up. Was