Ghost of a Chance by Lauren Barnholdt Read Free Book Online Page A

grateful. Couldyou imagine being in seventh grade and living in a ladybug house? How humiliating.
    I’m at the back of the pack now, and I quicken my step just a little bit so that I don’t fall too far behind. Now that I’m not walking as fast, I’m starting to get cold, and I take my hat out of my pocket and pull it down over my ears.
    â€œCute hat,” a girl’s voice says behind me.
    â€œThank you,” I say automatically. I turn around to see who it is behind me, especially since I thought I was the last one in line.
    It’s an older girl, maybe around eighteen or nineteen, with curly brown hair and full lips. Her cheeks are flushed, but in an adorable way, not in a wow-it’s-cold-out-and-I-look-a-mess kind of way.
    â€œAre you a volunteer?” I ask. A lot of times when we have field trips, they bring along some high school or college volunteers to make sure none of us get into trouble.
    She frowns. “I’m Madison’s sister.”
    â€œOh.” I try to hide my surprise and just keep walking. “Well, if you’re looking for your sister, she’s right up there.”
    No way I want to get into a conversation with Madison’s sister. I mean, someone had to teach Madison everything she knows. Madison probably somehow charmed Mr. Jacobi into letting her sister chaperone us, even though it’s a total conflict of interest.
    â€œSo, where are we going, anyway?” Madison’s sister asks,obviously not getting the picture that she should be hanging out with Madison and not me.
    And, wow. Talk about not being prepared for your job.
    â€œThe elementary school,” I say, even though it’s pretty obvious, since the whole group is turning into the long, winding driveway. The long, winding driveway that has a huge stone sign in front of it that says STONERIDGE ELEMENTARY .
    â€œFor what?”
    â€œTo tutor kids in math!” I say, exasperated. “Did you not pay attention when you were asked to chaperone?” I realize it’s probably not the best idea to antagonize Madison’s sister, especially if she’s going to be in some kind of position of authority, but I can’t help it.
    Plus if she gives a really bad report about me to Mr. Jacobi, maybe he’ll kick me out of the program, and then I’ll have no choice but to not do this anymore. I glance at Madison’s sister out of the corner of my eye, wondering if she’s the type to tattle. She doesn’t seem like she is. She seems like she’s totally unconcerned with everything that’s going on. She’s not even wearing a coat, and it’s, like, forty degrees out.
    â€œWhat do you mean, chaperoning?” she asks. “No one said anything about being a chaperone!” She looks kind of panicked.
    â€œRelax,” I say, rolling my eyes. “You don’t have to freakout. I’m sure it’s not going to be that much work.” God. These spoiled rich kids are so entitled.
    â€œOh.” She relaxes. “So it’s not like rolling a fireball up a hill for eternity or something?”
    I shake my head. “What are you talking about, rolling a fireball up a hill?”
    â€œYou know.” She lowers her voice. “ H-E double hockey sticks?” She has this really scared look on her face. What is up with this girl? Madison’s sister obviously has a screw loose.
    â€œYeah, well, I’m sure you’ll be fine.” I start to quicken my pace a little bit. Time to get away from this lunatic.
    â€œHey!” she calls as I start to walk away from her. “What’s your name?”
    I think about giving her a fake one, but then I realize she’s probably going to find out my name soon enough anyway. I sigh. “Kendall,” I say.
    She nods. “Kendall. Pretty name.” I look at her for any signs that she’s being fake or sarcastic, but she’s not. “I’m