Open Wide by Nancy Krulik Read Free Book Online Page A

that’s beautiful,” George told him, pretending to take Kevin’s picture with an imaginary camera. “Smile for the camera!”
    Suzanne stuck her tongue out at the boys. George and Kevin stuck their tongues out at Suzanne.
    “Hey, you guys, throw the ball over here!” Jeremy Fox shouted to George and Kevin. He held out his arms and got ready to catch the football.
    Kevin threw the ball, and in an instant the boys had switched their focus from Suzanne back to football.
    Katie was glad. She hated it when kids fought or made fun of each other. If it were up to Katie, everyone would always get along.
    “Can you show me how to walk like a model?” Zoe Canter asked Suzanne.
    “Me too?” Emma Stavros asked. “That looks like fun.”
    Suzanne sighed heavily. “Modeling is not nearly as easy as it looks. It just looks that way when I do it because I’m so good.”
    “Please, Suzanne?” Zoe pleaded.
    “Oh, all right,” Suzanne agreed. “Now, just watch me and do exactly what I do.” With each step, Suzanne stuck her right leg far out in front of her. Then she turned to face her friends. “Now you guys try it.”
    The girls did as they were told, Suzanne watching their every move.
    “Emma S., stand up straight,” Suzanne said. “Zoe and Katie, you’re taking baby steps. Take giant steps . . . Emma S., a model can’t look at her feet,” she insisted. “She has to look at the . . . oof !”
    Suzanne had taken a step backward and smacked right into George, who was running forward to catch the football. They crashed, and George fell with Suzanne right on top of him.

    “Hey, Suzanne, watch where you’re going!” Kevin shouted.
    “George should have been watching where he was going,” Suzanne insisted, getting up. “He crashed right into me.”
    “He was trying to catch a football,” Jeremy told her. “You were the one walking backward.”
    Suzanne flipped her long brown curls behind her. “Come on, George, get up,” she said. “Stop being so dramatic.”
    But George stayed there on the ground, holding his ankle. He gulped as if he was holding back tears.
    “It hurts,” he said through clenched teeth. “It really hurts.”
    “Oh, man!” Jeremy shouted. “I think you broke his ankle, Suzanne.”
    “I’ll get the nurse!” Katie exclaimed. She zoomed into the school building as fast as she could.
    A few moments later, Katie returned to the playground with Nurse Haynes. By now a whole circle of kids had gathered around George. The fourth-grade teachers, Mr. Guthrie and Ms. Sweet, were making the kids give George some room.
    Suzanne was standing off all by herself, watching. She looked upset.
    “Let me through, guys,” Nurse Haynes said as she pushed herself through the crowd of fourth-graders. “Okay, George, let’s take a look.” She bent down and gently examined his ankle.
    “It’s swelling up,” Nurse Haynes noted. “I don’t think it’s broken, George, but you’ll need an X-ray. Come on. We’ll get you to my car.”
    Mr. Guthrie put his arms underneath George and scooped him up, taking care not to hurt his injured ankle.
    “Don’t worry. X-rays don’t hurt a bit,” Nurse Haynes assured George. “I’ll call your parents and have them meet us at the hospital.”
    “Th-th-the hospital?” George looked really scared. “I’ve never been to a hospital,” he said quietly. Then he glared angrily in Suzanne’s direction. “All you do is cause trouble, Suzanne!” he shouted. “I wish you didn’t go to this school!”
    Katie gasped. That was a terrible thing to wish. Katie knew better than anyone that wishes could be dangerous. Especially if they came true.

Chapter 3
    Katie had learned that lesson the hard way. It all started one horrible day back in third grade. Katie had lost the football game for her team. Then she’d splashed mud all over her favorite jeans. But the worst part of the day came when Katie let out a loud burp—right in front of the whole class!
    That night,