Sprinkles and Secrets by Lisa Schroeder Read Free Book Online

“No! You guys need to tell me I can’t do it!”
    Mom laughs. “Sophie, why would we do that? Don’t you want to do it?”
    â€œThat’s not the point. The point is that I—”
    And then I stop. Because suddenly, I’m not sure what the point of arguing with them is exactly.
    â€œLook, honey,” Dad says, “if you want to do the commercial, do the commercial. It’s not like you’re doing it to spite your best friend. You’re doing it because it’s a good opportunity. And no one would want to deny their best friend a good opportunity. If it was the other way around, I’m sure you’d encourage her to go for it. Right?”
    I stand up. “I don’t know. I guess I thought you guys would see it the way I see it.”
    Mom stands up and gives me a quick hug. “Sweetheart, I see where you’re coming from. But this is the kind of thing that could lead to bigger things—things that could help make your dream come true. At the very least, go to the audition and see what it’s like.”
    â€œI agree,” Dad says. “If nothing else, it’s good practice for the next time.”
    â€œSophie,” Hayden says, “maybe they’d let you hold a cupcake in one hand and a brownie in the other.”
    If only it were that easy.
    â€œDo you want any dessert?” Mom asks.
    â€œI do!” Hayden says.
    â€œNo, thanks,” I tell her. “Dessert is the last thing I want right now.”
    I go to my room.
    Dream #4 –
I dream of the ability
to do the right thing,
even when it’s hard.
    The next day, I do my best to avoid Isabel. I hang out in the library before school and go straight to science first period without going to the locker first.
    Dennis catches me in the hallway outside of the classroom. “They’re called feet,” he tells me. “Not talons. At least on regular birds. You were wrong.”
    â€œWhatever,” I mumble.
    â€œHey, I apologized to Isabel like I promised. I really am sorry. I didn’t mean to upset her. Or you. So, we’re good now, right?”
    I look over at him. He seems to mean it.
    â€œAnyway,” he continues, pushing his glasses up with his finger, “I thought you might want to know birds do have feet. Not that I wanted to prove you wrong or anything. I was just, you know, curious.”
    â€œIt’s fine. I’m probably wrong about a lot of things.”
    And as soon as the words are out, I stop in my tracks.
    â€œWhat?” he asks. “What is it?”
    I shake my head. “Nothing.” I look at Dennis. “Okay, have you ever thought you were absolutely, positively right about something? But then everyoneelse tells you maybe you aren’t right after all, and you start to second-guess yourself, even though you
know
you’re right?”
    He gives me a blank stare. “No. Not really. Hey, do you think birds have ears?”
    I laugh. I can’t help it. It’s so ridiculous, and I can’t believe I’m spilling my guts, in a roundabout sort of way, to Dennis Holt.
    â€œI have no idea,” I tell him.
    â€œMaybe we can research it,” he says. “We’re still doing homework at my house later, right?”
    Oh no. With all of the stuff going on about the audition, I totally forgot. Well, at least if I see Isabel after school, I have a reason to rush off. “Yeah. I rode my bike. You don’t live very far from here, right?”
    â€œYou remember! My birthday party in first grade was pretty awesome, huh?”
    I shake my head. “You had a Power Rangers cake, Dennis. That was not awesome. At least, not to all the girls you invited.”
    He laughs. “Power Rangers, activate!”
    The warning bell rings, so we start walking toward our classroom.
    â€œI’ll meet you at the bike rack after school,” he says.
    â€œOkay. And hey,