Fabulous Five 032 - Class Trip Calamity by Betsy Haynes Read Free Book Online Page A

she didn't say anything.
    "I'm sure we can think of something else," said
Melanie. "Something that will just get Laura and Melissa."
    "Sure," Jana said without conviction. Getting
revenge would only lead to more trouble between The Fantastic Foursome and The
Fabulous Five, and she had had enough of that for one year.
     
    Later that evening Jana was fixing her lunch for the trip
and thinking about her predicament with Laura when the phone rang. It was
Randy.
    "I thought you'd be at Bumpers tonight, since the rest
of The Fab Five were there," he told her. "Everybody's pretty excited
about tomorrow, and the place was a madhouse."
    "I'm glad you missed me," Jana replied with a
catch in her throat. "But I had a lot of things to do tonight." And a
lot of things to think about, she added silently. "Besides, I want to be
wide awake when the bus leaves at six o'clock in the morning."
    "Yeah. Me, too. It's going to be tough," said
Randy. "Hey, by the way, what's this I hear about a liquor bottle falling
out of your locker this morning? It isn't true, is it?"
    It was all Jana could do to keep from telling him the truth
about how Laura had gotten the combination to her locker and planted the bottle
inside to get her in trouble, but she didn't. Since she couldn't actually prove
it was Laura who did it, it would sound like gossip, and Randy hated gossip.
    "I'm afraid it is true," she answered. "I
must have left my locker unlocked last night and somebody played a nasty joke."
    "That's awful," said Randy. "Do you know who
did it?"
    "I have an idea, but I can't prove anything." Jana
hesitated. "Randy," she went on slowly, "there's something I'd
really like to ask you."
    "Sure. Is something wrong?" he asked.
    "Not exactly, but . . . well, maybe," Jana
fumbled.
    "Maybe you'd better tell me what it is." Jana
could hear concern in his voice.
    Jana sighed. "It's just that it seems every time I look
around lately, you're talking to Laura McCall. You know we don't get along very
well, and I guess it just bothers me, that's all."
    "It shouldn't. You know you're the only one I like."
When Jana didn't answer, Randy added, "Is that all that's bothering you,
or is there more?"
    Jana bit her lower lip. She couldn't fool him, so she'd
better get the rest of it off her chest. "No, I keep wondering if you're
going to be partying with Laura and Shawnie and all the other kids tomorrow."
    "Hey, you know I wouldn't do that," Randy said. "Just
because some of those kids are my friends doesn't mean I'll go along with
everything they do. I thought you knew me better than that."
    "I do," Jana insisted. "It's just that Laura's
been hanging around you so much this past week, and I know she's planning to
drink on the bus. I kept wandering if she was trying to get you to join in."
    "Aw, come on. Don't be silly," said Randy. He was
trying to sound as if he was teasing, but Jana could tell that he was serious.
    What do you mean, don't be silly? she wanted to shout.
Still, a memory was beginning to nag at her. She had gotten jealous of Randy's
attention to Laura once before. She had even run out of Bumpers and straight
into the path of a car because she was angry at him. Randy had been a hero. He
had pushed her aside and been hit by the car himself and was in a coma for days
and days. It was only later that she had found out the truth. Laura had a crush
on Shane, and she had been asking Randy to put in a good word for her. Jana bit
her lip. She had been wrong about Laura that time. Maybe she was wrong this
time, too.
    "Hey, are you still there?" asked Randy.
    "Yes," she said in a small voice.
    "I'm sorry if things looked funny," he said. "Honest.
It's just that Laura has needed some friendly advice lately, and for some
reason she asked me."
    "What kind of advice?" Jana asked stiffly, her old
suspicions coming back again.
    "Sorry," said Randy. "She asked me not to
talk about it to anyone."
    "Oh," Jana mumbled. A few minutes later they said
good-night and hung up. Jana