The More the Merrier by Stephanie Barden Read Free Book Online

us.
    â€œSorry!” He shut the door and waved, and we drove off.

Chapter 8
A Long Story
    â€œI talked to my mom and dad last night, and they changed their flight so they can be home for the spelling bee,” I told Erin. “They might be a little late, though, so I can’t get out too early.” We were hiding under her umbrella, waiting for the start-of-school bell. If it had been raining just a little bit harder, they would have opened the doors early and let us in. This was just a little bit of rain, though, that we call dribbly-spit, so we were stuck outside.
    â€œDid you study last night?” Erin had loaned me her big book of spelling words so I could keep practicing.
    â€œYep,” I said. “I had my aunt quiz me for almost a half hour, and I started reading my mom and dad’s big, huge dictionary too. I’m up to academic .”
    â€œGreat,” said Erin. “You have just got to win that spelling bee!”
    The bell finally rang, and we were first in line.
    Charlie got in line behind us. “I forgot to ask you yesterday; how’s the purple?”
    I pushed the sleeves of my raincoat and sweatshirt up. “I’m almost back to normal.”
    â€œYou could never be normal.” Jack got in line behind Charlie.
    â€œShe means a normal color,” said Charlie. “You should have seen her on Saturday after the Purple Potion disaster.”
    â€œWhat potion disaster?” Rosemary T. and Rosemary W. got in line behind Charlie and Jack and of course butted into our conversation.
    I pulled my sleeves down and faced forward.
    â€œThe potion disaster she had with her aunt,” said Charlie. “Tell her, Cinderella.”
    â€œI happen to be ignoring Rosemary T. and giving her the silent treatment at the moment,” I said.
    â€œWhy?” asked Rosemary T.
    I kept facing forward.
    â€œWhy are you?” asked Charlie.
    â€œIt’s a long story,” I said, “so I don’t even know where to begin.”
    â€œTell me!” demanded Rosemary T.
    â€œShe can’t tell you,” said Jack, “because she’s giving you the silent treatment.”
    I gave him a thumbs-up.
    â€œDoes this have something to do with your aunt?” asked Rosemary T.
    â€œWhat does Flora have to do with anything?” asked Charlie.
    â€œAll this weird stuff started when her aunt came,” said Rosemary T.
    â€œIt started way before that,” said Erin.
    I gave Erin a thumbs-up. It was a vexylent thing that she wasn’t giving Rosemary T. the silent treatment 100 percent of the time, because sometimes it was almost impossible to do.

    â€œThe Rosemarys are getting on my nerves,” said Erin.
    We looked over to where they were eating at the other third-grade lunch table. Even though we were sitting as far away from them as we could, we could still see they were whispering and staring at us.
    â€œI guess it’s getting a little awkward,” I said. “Maybe giving Rosemary T. the silent treatment isn’t helping her get back to normal.”
    Erin dipped a Tater Tot in ketchup and handed it to me. I made a cheese cracker sandwich and handed it to her.
    â€œThank you,” we both said at the same time.
    â€œDoes anyone want to trade a pretzel for something?” asked Kristy.
    â€œHow about an apple slice?” said Olivia.
    â€œHow about a cheese and cracker?” I said.
    She handed us both a pretzel, and we handed her back an apple slice and a cracker sandwich.

    â€œTo ignore someone and give them the silent treatment is one of the worst things ever!” Rosemary T. said very loudly. “It’s babyish and childish.”
    I looked over and saw she had a crowd of girls all around her. Hannah and Abby got up from the table and walked over.

    â€œRosemary T. sent us over to ask you why you’re giving her the silent treatment.”
    I sat there and felt very, extremely awkward and