really beautiful.”
Mr. Ramsey turned to face his daughter. “Charlotte, you are a bright, beautiful girl! And I mean on the inside, too.” Charlotte opened her mouth, but her dad put up a hand to stop her. “I know, I know, parents say this stuff all the time, but just listen one more time, okay? Humor an old guy.”
She closed her mouth again and gave her dad a chance to finish. “Someone can be the most beautiful person on the planet,” he went on, “but if they’re unkind or selfish, it doesn’t matter how beautiful they are on the outside. Eventually no one will want to be around her.”
Immediately, images of Anna and Joline popped into her head. The Queens of Mean were two of the prettiest girls at Abigail Adams, but their personalities kind of reduced the dazzle of their looks. Charlotte imagined for a minute the Queens of Mean turned inside out…without their designer clothes and perfect makeup, but polite, friendly, and cheerful. Wow, what a crazy, mixed-up world that would be!
Mr. Ramsey reminisced. “I remember the first timeI planned on asking your mother out. I was a nervous wreck. I kept thinking about how I was going to ask her and whether she would say no. Trust me, kiddo. When a guy wants to ask a girl to a dance, it’s not the easiest thing in the world. Especially when the girl is as beautiful as my incredibly lovely daughter.”
Charlotte laughed and took a handful of popcorn. “I think you’re a little blinded by love, Dad.”
Mr. Ramsey crunched up his forehead. “Could be! But don’t worry. I have a funny feeling that Nick Montoya just needs little more time to work up his nerve.”
Charlotte gagged on the popcorn. Her dad gave her a few whacks on the back. When she finally got the popcorn down, she gazed at him with alarmed eyes. “Dad, how did you know—I mean, what makes you think I’m talking about Nick?”
Mr. Ramsey grinned and threw up his hands innocently. “I’m kidding! I’m kidding! I only said Nick, you know, as an example. Could be anyone. What do I know? I’m just your clueless dad.”
Charlotte’s face burned as she stared at the TV. Was her crush that obvious?
Finally her dad reached over and squeezed her shoulders. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have teased you about it. It’s just that I’m so sure everything will turn out okay. So let’s get back the Serengeti, huh? Looks like that water buffalo is about to run down a zebra with a mean look in his eye.”
When she went up to the Tower later that evening, Charlotte’s worries returned in full force. Sure, her dadthought she was beautiful and everything, but that was the thing: He was her dad . What if Nick didn’t think she was pretty? What if he thought of her as just a friend…a friend he had things in common with? What if he thought Chelsea was cool? Nick always asked to see Chelsea’s latest photos, and now they were working on that Sentinel project together….
Maybe if I write to Sophie, I can stop obsessing over this , she thought, shaking her head as if that would make all the unpleasant thoughts fly out her ears. Sophie lived in Paris, one of the many places Charlotte and her dad had lived, and was one of her best friends. Charlotte still really missed her French friend, especially right now.
To: Sophie
From: Charlotte
Subject: Nick & Marty
Dear Sophie,
I just have to tell all my thoughts to someone or I’m never going to get to sleep tonight. Ma chere , do you like my cool new stationery? Those little dogs doing backflips look just like Marty! I’m sending a photo so you can compare. But the real Marty hasn’t done a backflip all day. I just don’t know what’s wrong with him. He is not himself. The vet said he’s not sick, but I’m really worried. The little dudejust lies around like a sad rag doll. And that’s not the only thing going wrong. I think Nick has been avoiding me lately. There’s a Valentine’s Day Dance this Friday, and I don’t know if he’s going to
Mr. Ramsey turned to face his daughter. “Charlotte, you are a bright, beautiful girl! And I mean on the inside, too.” Charlotte opened her mouth, but her dad put up a hand to stop her. “I know, I know, parents say this stuff all the time, but just listen one more time, okay? Humor an old guy.”
She closed her mouth again and gave her dad a chance to finish. “Someone can be the most beautiful person on the planet,” he went on, “but if they’re unkind or selfish, it doesn’t matter how beautiful they are on the outside. Eventually no one will want to be around her.”
Immediately, images of Anna and Joline popped into her head. The Queens of Mean were two of the prettiest girls at Abigail Adams, but their personalities kind of reduced the dazzle of their looks. Charlotte imagined for a minute the Queens of Mean turned inside out…without their designer clothes and perfect makeup, but polite, friendly, and cheerful. Wow, what a crazy, mixed-up world that would be!
Mr. Ramsey reminisced. “I remember the first timeI planned on asking your mother out. I was a nervous wreck. I kept thinking about how I was going to ask her and whether she would say no. Trust me, kiddo. When a guy wants to ask a girl to a dance, it’s not the easiest thing in the world. Especially when the girl is as beautiful as my incredibly lovely daughter.”
Charlotte laughed and took a handful of popcorn. “I think you’re a little blinded by love, Dad.”
Mr. Ramsey crunched up his forehead. “Could be! But don’t worry. I have a funny feeling that Nick Montoya just needs little more time to work up his nerve.”
Charlotte gagged on the popcorn. Her dad gave her a few whacks on the back. When she finally got the popcorn down, she gazed at him with alarmed eyes. “Dad, how did you know—I mean, what makes you think I’m talking about Nick?”
Mr. Ramsey grinned and threw up his hands innocently. “I’m kidding! I’m kidding! I only said Nick, you know, as an example. Could be anyone. What do I know? I’m just your clueless dad.”
Charlotte’s face burned as she stared at the TV. Was her crush that obvious?
Finally her dad reached over and squeezed her shoulders. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have teased you about it. It’s just that I’m so sure everything will turn out okay. So let’s get back the Serengeti, huh? Looks like that water buffalo is about to run down a zebra with a mean look in his eye.”
When she went up to the Tower later that evening, Charlotte’s worries returned in full force. Sure, her dadthought she was beautiful and everything, but that was the thing: He was her dad . What if Nick didn’t think she was pretty? What if he thought of her as just a friend…a friend he had things in common with? What if he thought Chelsea was cool? Nick always asked to see Chelsea’s latest photos, and now they were working on that Sentinel project together….
Maybe if I write to Sophie, I can stop obsessing over this , she thought, shaking her head as if that would make all the unpleasant thoughts fly out her ears. Sophie lived in Paris, one of the many places Charlotte and her dad had lived, and was one of her best friends. Charlotte still really missed her French friend, especially right now.
To: Sophie
From: Charlotte
Subject: Nick & Marty
Dear Sophie,
I just have to tell all my thoughts to someone or I’m never going to get to sleep tonight. Ma chere , do you like my cool new stationery? Those little dogs doing backflips look just like Marty! I’m sending a photo so you can compare. But the real Marty hasn’t done a backflip all day. I just don’t know what’s wrong with him. He is not himself. The vet said he’s not sick, but I’m really worried. The little dudejust lies around like a sad rag doll. And that’s not the only thing going wrong. I think Nick has been avoiding me lately. There’s a Valentine’s Day Dance this Friday, and I don’t know if he’s going to
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