My Life in Dioramas by Tara Altebrando Page B

if I were brave enough to try to get up there, there was the not-so-small issue of having to use a ladder and needing someone to hold the ladder.
    â€œWhat’s in your lunch box?” I asked Naveen as we reached our usual tables. “Anything that’ll stink really bad in a few days?”
    â€œAlmond butter and jelly sandwich. Sorry.”
    I sat down at “my” table, which was next to the table Naveen shared with some of his guy friends. Stella appeared with her tray and sat down across from me, her earbuds in.
    â€œI know!” I said to Naveen. “I’ll raid the fridge this afternoon. For stuff that’ll really stink by the end of the week. And I’ll take it from there.”
    â€œWhere are you going to put it to rot, though?” He bit his sandwich. Stella wasn’t even listening.
    I couldn’t exactly keep it in my room. And outside there was the possibility of raccoons and wild animals having a feast. But then I remembered yet another forgotten project of my parents.
    â€œThe composting bin!” I said. “They stopped composting like two years ago.”
    â€œAs previously discussed”—Naveen smiled—“you are shockingly good at this!”
    â€œI know! It’s like I’ve found my calling!”
    Then Naveen started talking to his friends and I turned to Stella, who was humming along to her phone.
    â€œHello?” I said, waving a hand in front of her face. “Whatcha listening to?”
    â€œOh.” She pulled out her earbuds and put them away. “I’m sorry. I’m out of it.”
    â€œWhat is it?”
    â€œIt’s the song I’m dancing to. For my solo.”
    â€œCan I listen?”
    â€œYou sure?” She winced and made a sorry face.
    â€œI’m sure, Stella. It’s not like I even want to do a solo.”
    â€œEverybody wants to do a solo,” she said.
    I just looked at her for a second; she obviously had no idea what she sounded like. “I guess I’m not everybody.”
    She got her earbuds out again and I listened to the song. It was pretty, but it wasn’t the best song I’d ever heard, and I felt glad about that for a second, then guilty.
    â€œI like it,” I concluded.
    â€œWell, I love it,” she said. “It’s totally perfect for me.”
    I went back to studying my lunch. “What foods should I raid the fridge for that smell bad fast?”
    Stella picked at her turkey sandwich. “I don’t know, Kate. Are you sure this is a good idea?”
    â€œI’m trying to make it to the end of the year. I’m trying to stay for Dance Nation. I thought you’d want that, too.”
    â€œOf course I do.” She looked down at her fingernail. “Butyou need the parent permission form signed.”
    â€œDon’t worry your pretty head about it, Stella. I’ve got it all figured out.”
    I didn’t, but I wanted her off my back.
    Megan and her two sidekicks, Corinne and Natalie, walked up to our table. Megan said, “I saw a ‘for sale’ sign on your house.”
    â€œYeah? So?” I took a bite of my sandwich, even though I was suddenly not very hungry.
    â€œSo where are you moving to?”
    â€œAnother house.” I bugged out my eyes. “Duh.”
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œNot sure yet.” Another bite. “We’re looking around, trying to find just the right place.”
    Megan looked at her friends. “Pretty much anything you find is going to be nicer than that old place, right?”
    â€œYeah,” I said. “Totally. We’ve seen some really awesome places already.”
    Megan and her friends walked off and I felt kind of pleased with how I’d handled that.
    â€œWhy did you do that?” Stella said.
    â€œBecause it’s none of her business what’s really going on.”
    â€œBut she’ll find out eventually.”
    â€œI’m not going to