Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies by Erin Dionne Read Free Book Online

defiant tone creeping into her voice. “And they’re on an island, ” she finished. I clenched my teeth to stifle a smile.
    “Ah-haa,” Mrs. O’Brien replied. “Ms. Harris, do you have anything to add about the conch shell? Or the sea?” She wore her Expectant Expression.
    Language Arts was one of my favorite subjects, and Mrs. O’Brien knew I knew the answer. But don’t drag me into this! I tried to plead with her using my eyes. She would wait me out, I knew it.
    “Power,” I said, the word coming out as a croak. I cleared my throat. “The conch shell gives the power to speak to whomever has it.”
    “Whoever,” she corrected.
    I swore I could feel Lively’s irritation on the back of my neck.
    Satisfied with my answer and more concerned with note-passing on the other side of the classroom, Mrs. O moved on.
    Lively waited a few minutes, then hissed Sandra’s name again.
    “What?” Sandra breathed. So much for not talking. I sneaked a peek at her: eyes locked on Mrs. O’Brien, hissing out of one corner of her mouth, poised like she was taking notes—Sandra looked like a class-chatting pro, not like my honors-student straitlaced best friend.
    “You play soccer?” Lively was speaking at nearly full volume, seeming to not care if she was heard again.
    Why is Lively asking stupid questions? Everyone knew that Sandra played soccer. She got awards at assembly every year.
    Sandra nodded. “Mmmm.”
    “I just signed up for Kick Off tryouts,” Lively said. Mrs. O’Brien shot a stern look in our direction.
    Sandra sat straighter. That was her traveling squad. I twisted to the side so I could see better.
    “Ms. Harris, face forward,” O’Brien barked. Sandra dropped her head and my face heated up. I received a sharp poke in my back.
    “Don’t moooove,” Lively hissed.
    “Knock it off,” I muttered.
    “Oooh, make me,” Lively taunted. I looked to Sandra, buried in The Lord of the Flies so deeply it looked as though the spine had been surgically attached to her nose.
    “Cut it out, Lively,” Sandra hissed from between the pages.
    Lively resumed her conversation as though Sandra hadn’t spoken. “So I’m trying out and I want some extra help. I thought you could talk to me about it at lunch.”
    At lunch ? Sandra and Millie ate with me every day except Thursdays, when they had class council meetings. That’s when I got extra help in algebra from Dr. Mastis. Some weeks I didn’t need as much tutoring as others, but I’d rather eat with him and discuss x than sit by myself in the caf. It’s a decent system. Katy goes to the high school early to work on chem labs, so she’s never around.
    Sandra rolled her eyes. “I don’t think so,” she said. I smiled at Sandra. Take that, Lively!
    “Oh,” Lively said, like she was hurt. She waited a second, then spoke again. “That’s too bad. Robbie Flan said you are the person to ask.”
    The Lord of the Flies was still propped in front of Sandra’s nose. “Robbie said that?” came her muffled whisper.
    “Uh-huh. He sits with me a lot. Says a lot of things about you, actually.” Lively’s voice oozed sticky charm. Don’t fall for it! I shouted in my head. She’s lying!
    Sandra’s voice warmed. “Really? Like what?”
    “Oh . . . stuff,” Lively responded. “Sit with me today and we can talk about it. After you tell me about tryouts.” It was like listening to a snake charmer. She was hypnotizing my best friend.
    Sandra fell for it. “Okay.”
    My stomach shriveled, then rolled around the hollow place it left in my gut. I tried to glare at Sandra out of the corner of my eye, but it’s hard to glare sideways. Sandra knew I couldn’t stand Lively, and she heard all the garbage Lively said to me. I couldn’t help but think, once Robbie’s name comes up, Sandra gets amnesia. A bitter taste filled my mouth. My desire to tell her about the HuskyPeach withered.
    For the rest of the class period, I couldn’t concentrate. Lively and Sandra