My Last Best Friend by Julie Bowe

calls.
    Ms. Stein blows her whistle and points to Stacey. "Benched!" she shouts.
    Meanwhile, Jenna whips a ball at Jolene, knocking her out of the competition. "I thought you said you were good?" Jenna says to Stacey as she scoops up another ball.
    Stacey just shrugs and limps to the sidelines. She sits down on the floor, looking relieved.
    I'm so busy watching Stacey, I don't notice Quinn zeroing in on me. A ball slams into my shoulder, sending me into a death spin.
    "Get off the floor before you trip someone!" Jenna yells at me.
    "Aye, aye, Captain," I say, and crawl out of the game.
    I sit next to Stacey. We watch the action for a few minutes, and then I hear her say, "Actually, I'm not that crazy about dodgeball."
    "Actually, I'm not either," I reply.
    "I'm better at individualized sports," she says. "Like dance."
    "I'm better at civilized sports," I say back. "Like checkers."
    It isn't long before the only people still playing are Zane and Jenna on our team and Randi on the other team.
    Jenna throws a ball hard at Randi, but it whizzes past her.
    Randi bullets a ball at Zane. It ricochets off his hip and hits Jenna square in the stomach. She goes down like a sack of flour.
    "Gotcha!" Randi hollers. She does a little victory dance.
    Ms. Stein blows her whistle. "The winners!" she shouts, pointing to Randi's team.
    Jenna scrambles to her feet and gives Zane a shove.
    "What was that for?" Zane asks.
    "For losing the game," Jenna says, stomping off the floor.
    Ms. Stein forces us to play three more games of dodgeball. For the last game, Jenna positions Stacey in back with me and moves the Dylans up front with her. Stacey doesn't seem to mind.
    ***
    When I get home after school I read Stacey's note to George. "I wonder what her scary emergency is," I say. "And why she's friends with Jenna if she thinks she's mean."
    I wait for George to comment. But he just stares at me with his big smile. "Maybe lying makes her feel better about the emergency," I say. "But I think she means it when she says she won't lie to me anymore."
    I tuck the note away and get out my sketchbook.
    I draw Stacey. And a big hairy monster with multiple eyes and large claws chasing her.
    Then I draw me, pelting it with stones.

    That night, when my dad is tucking me in, I say, "Dad? What are you scared of?"
    My dad thinks for a minute. Then he says, "War. Tornadoes. Leather gloves."
    "Leather gloves?"
    My dad nods. "When I was your age, a bully at my school named Allen Bentley wore leather gloves every day of the year. He'd come up behind me on the playground, grab my neck, and squeeze until I choked. Then he'd say, 'Outta my way, May
flower
," and push me to the ground."
    "What did you do? I mean, did you tell on Allen Bentley?"
    "Nope," my dad says. "Not until today." He smiles at me. "Funny, but I suddenly feel better about leather gloves."
    My dad pulls the covers up to my chin. "Is there anything you want to tell me about, Ida? Anything scary?"
    I think of all the scary stuff I could tell him about. Elizabeth moving away. Jenna being mean. Stacey's secret emergency. But telling him about it feels scary, too.
    "No," I say. "Not tonight."
    My dad gives me half a smile. "All right, then. Good night, Ida. Sleep tight."
    "Same to you," I reply.
    After my dad leaves, I crawl out of bed. I turn on my desk lamp and find a piece of paper and a pencil.
Dear Anastasia,
    I'm not exactly scared to tell you who I really am. It just feels safer to be Cordelia for now.
    But I am scared of Jenna Drews. I'm afraid her big, bossy head will explode and all her sawdust brains will shoot out and block the sun and we will have three gears of endless winter.
    Cordelia
    P.S. If you think Jenna's so mean, why are you friends with her?
    P.P.S. I'm sorry about your scary emergency. I'm glad you told me the truth about it, even if you didn't tell me what it is.

Chapter 13
    The next morning I don't mind waiting for the bus, or even sitting by myself on the way to school. I know