before and pointed to the telephone on the attendance
desk. "You can use that one over there," she said. "And please
keep your conversation short."
Melanie thanked her and dialed her own number, cupping her
hand around the mouthpiece when her mother answered.
"Mom," she said just above a whisper so that Miss
Simone wouldn't be able to hear. "This is Melanie."
"Yes, dear. Is something wrong?"
Melanie could hear alarm in her mother's voice so she
quickly assured her that everything was okay. "I just need to stay after
school this afternoon to work on something. I'll explain later. It's really
important, and I wanted to ask you if it's okay."
"Melanie. You know that I need you to help me with
Jeffy while we have a passenger in the van," her mother said sharply. "We've
been through this all before. Of course you can't stay after school today."
Melanie took a deep breath. She had been prepared for her
mother to say that. "But Mom. You don't need me to take care of Jeffy. He
always sits with Brian, and Brian makes sure he has his seat belt fastened and
entertains him for the entire trip. I'm just in the way." Melanie winced
when she realized what she had just said. Saying that she was just in the way
was taking things a bit too far.
"You are not just in the way , young lady,"
her mother replied. "And I don't want you to get started making excuses
for not riding in the teen taxi. It's a very bad habit to get into when you
know that I'm depending on you for help. I want you to be on the curb when the
van pulls up today. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Mom," Melanie mumbled, and hung up the
phone. There was no use arguing any longer. Her mother would never give in.
When the bell rang dismissing classes for the day, Melanie
hurried to the yearbook room. She knew her mother would be angry if she was
late showing up for the teen taxi, but she had to explain to Garrett that she
wouldn't be able to help him today.
Garrett was already there, and as usual, he was fumbling
with his camera, his tripod, and all his books.
Coming up beside him, she took a deep breath and started
talking before she could lose her nerve. "I'm awfully sorry, Garrett, but
I won't be able to be your assistant today. I'm not reneging on my promise. It's
just that my mom says that I have to ride along and take care of my little
brother while she's driving the teen taxi."
"What?" asked Garrett, screwing up his face in
disbelief. "You have to ride along?"
Melanie nodded. "It's true. Jeffy can be a little
monster sometimes."
"Is Jeffy the reason you're riding in the van, or Brian?"
Garrett challenged. Then he hiked the camera strap up on his shoulder, turned,
and walked away, leaving Melanie staring after him.
"But Garrett . . ." she whispered. She wanted to
run after him and explain some more, but her chin was quivering so hard that
she wasn't sure if she could talk. He did think that she was reneging on
her promise. But worse than that, he actually believed that she liked Brian
Olsen.
CHAPTER 13
Melanie was furious as she stomped out of the building and
made her way across the school ground toward the teen taxi. Why hadn't her
mother let her stay to help Garrett? Then she wouldn't be in this predicament.
In fact, everything was her mother's fault, her mother's and the teen taxi's.
Some career. It was ruining Melanie's life. There was no way that she could
stop her mother from driving the taxi, but she could get Brian Olsen to leave
her alone.
As she approached the van, she was surprised to see Brian
already inside with Jeffy on his lap. She had half-expected to see him
demonstrating karate kicks on the sidewalk.
"Hi, Melanie," called out Jeffy. "Big Brian
is showing me the callouses on his hands. He has to have them to protect his
hands when he breaks bricks," Jeffy said, obviously proud of his knowledge.
Melanie nodded to Jeffy, but she barely looked at Brian as
she sat down. There was one thing she could do, she decided. She would throw
everything at him
desk. "You can use that one over there," she said. "And please
keep your conversation short."
Melanie thanked her and dialed her own number, cupping her
hand around the mouthpiece when her mother answered.
"Mom," she said just above a whisper so that Miss
Simone wouldn't be able to hear. "This is Melanie."
"Yes, dear. Is something wrong?"
Melanie could hear alarm in her mother's voice so she
quickly assured her that everything was okay. "I just need to stay after
school this afternoon to work on something. I'll explain later. It's really
important, and I wanted to ask you if it's okay."
"Melanie. You know that I need you to help me with
Jeffy while we have a passenger in the van," her mother said sharply. "We've
been through this all before. Of course you can't stay after school today."
Melanie took a deep breath. She had been prepared for her
mother to say that. "But Mom. You don't need me to take care of Jeffy. He
always sits with Brian, and Brian makes sure he has his seat belt fastened and
entertains him for the entire trip. I'm just in the way." Melanie winced
when she realized what she had just said. Saying that she was just in the way
was taking things a bit too far.
"You are not just in the way , young lady,"
her mother replied. "And I don't want you to get started making excuses
for not riding in the teen taxi. It's a very bad habit to get into when you
know that I'm depending on you for help. I want you to be on the curb when the
van pulls up today. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Mom," Melanie mumbled, and hung up the
phone. There was no use arguing any longer. Her mother would never give in.
When the bell rang dismissing classes for the day, Melanie
hurried to the yearbook room. She knew her mother would be angry if she was
late showing up for the teen taxi, but she had to explain to Garrett that she
wouldn't be able to help him today.
Garrett was already there, and as usual, he was fumbling
with his camera, his tripod, and all his books.
Coming up beside him, she took a deep breath and started
talking before she could lose her nerve. "I'm awfully sorry, Garrett, but
I won't be able to be your assistant today. I'm not reneging on my promise. It's
just that my mom says that I have to ride along and take care of my little
brother while she's driving the teen taxi."
"What?" asked Garrett, screwing up his face in
disbelief. "You have to ride along?"
Melanie nodded. "It's true. Jeffy can be a little
monster sometimes."
"Is Jeffy the reason you're riding in the van, or Brian?"
Garrett challenged. Then he hiked the camera strap up on his shoulder, turned,
and walked away, leaving Melanie staring after him.
"But Garrett . . ." she whispered. She wanted to
run after him and explain some more, but her chin was quivering so hard that
she wasn't sure if she could talk. He did think that she was reneging on
her promise. But worse than that, he actually believed that she liked Brian
Olsen.
CHAPTER 13
Melanie was furious as she stomped out of the building and
made her way across the school ground toward the teen taxi. Why hadn't her
mother let her stay to help Garrett? Then she wouldn't be in this predicament.
In fact, everything was her mother's fault, her mother's and the teen taxi's.
Some career. It was ruining Melanie's life. There was no way that she could
stop her mother from driving the taxi, but she could get Brian Olsen to leave
her alone.
As she approached the van, she was surprised to see Brian
already inside with Jeffy on his lap. She had half-expected to see him
demonstrating karate kicks on the sidewalk.
"Hi, Melanie," called out Jeffy. "Big Brian
is showing me the callouses on his hands. He has to have them to protect his
hands when he breaks bricks," Jeffy said, obviously proud of his knowledge.
Melanie nodded to Jeffy, but she barely looked at Brian as
she sat down. There was one thing she could do, she decided. She would throw
everything at him
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