Girls Only! by Beverly Lewis Page A

for it.” Jenna straightened her iridescent orange shirt. “But, oh well . . .”
    “How can you just do that?” Livvy stared at her.
    “Do what?”
    “You know, pretend like it’s nothing.”
    Jenna piled her book bag on her lap. “It’s not easy getting along with someone like Diane. But I have this feeling about her. Like I told you, I think she needs a true friend.”
    It was the way Jenna said true that made her wonder. Something about it reminded her of Grandma Hudson’s approach to things. Her dad’s mother had always been one to forgive and forget quickly.
    “Hey, I have some good news,” Livvy said. “We’recoming to your house on Saturday. If we’re still invited.”
    “You sure are!” Jenna squeezed her hand. “This is so cool!”
    “I didn’t know what Dad would decide. He’s been hiding away from the world—like a hermit—since Mom died.”
    Jenna nodded. “I don’t blame him. Do you?”
    The comment took her breath away. Her friend had a way of firing off unexpected questions. “Well, I think I understand why he’d wanna stay away from people. It’s been just a little over two months since we lost Mom.”
    “Maybe that’s why your dad picked Alpine Lake. It’s far away from the past, isn’t it?”
    Livvy felt like she was being quizzed. “Dad and I had a long talk last night. Bottom line: He says we needed to get away from our old house back in Illinois.”
    “Because it reminded him of your mother?”
    Livvy nodded thoughtfully.
    The bus made another stop. Suzy and Diane came on board, laughing and talking to each other. Livvy was thankful that they found seats close to the front.
    They waited for the traffic light to turn, then the bus jerked forward. All the while, Livvy stared at the back of Diane’s head. Is she the mystery caller?
    Livvy turned and looked out the window, watching theold clapboard houses and the cars whiz by. She longed for the old days as tears blurred her vision.
    “I’ve been praying for you, Livvy,” her friend said.
    Livvy fought the lump in her throat, still gazing out the window. “Thanks,” she managed to say.
    “Ever since you wrote me about your mom’s illness,” Jenna added.
    Jenna’s remark touched her heart. And Livvy was ashamed for not praying much herself.
    They rode along in silence. Halfway to school, Jenna pulled something out of her pants pocket. “Before I forget . . . your letter finally came.”
    Livvy studied the double postmark. “Looks like it got forwarded to your new address.”
    “You called this town Podunk, USA, in your letter, remember?” Jenna was grinning about it. “But you know what? I think I like that name almost better than Alpine Lake.”
    Now both of them were gawking out the bus window. Livvy noticed there were fewer trees here than back home. Mostly tall Ponderosa pines. Rugged and irregular, they were different from the trees in Chicago. Everything was different here.
    “Podunk’s pretty tiny, isn’t it?” Jenna said, snickering again. “But you should’ve seen the place where we used to live. My dad called it a ‘one-horse town.’ And I’m not kidding.”
    “One horse or one mall?” asked Livvy.
    “Oh, we had a little mall, all right,” said Jenna. “But nothing to brag about.”
    “Like Podunk?” Livvy said.
    “Yep,” answered Jenna, laughing.
    Livvy couldn’t help but laugh, too.

Dreams on Ice
    Chapter Thirteen
    Livvy stopped in to see Mrs. Newton at the Cloth Mill after school.
    The woman seemed pleased to see her. “How would you like a sneak preview of the new cheerleader outfits?” she asked.
    “I thought they were top secret.”
    “Well, I can trust you , can’t I?” The woman’s bangles and bracelets jingle-jangled as she motioned Livvy over to a wall cupboard. She reached up to turn the knob but paused in midair. “Here we are.” Out came yards and yards of soft navy blue fabric and the top-secret pattern.
    Livvy was still surprised that Mrs. Newton was showing