Out of Bounds by Annie Bryant

Charlotte said to Maeve.
    Maeve reluctantly held them out. Her nails were painted with bright pink polish. Maeve had even glued a rhinestone to every nail, very Hollywood glam, except the polish was chipping around the edges. It was hard to maintain her beauty regime and do her homework, too.
    â€œNow I need to see everyone else’s hands,” Charlotte said, carefully examining each pair, turning them over.
    â€œAvery, you’re the best match for her,” Charlotte said. “Your hands are the same size.”
    Avery pulled back her hands in horror. “I have no nails,” she said.
    â€œFixable,” Charlotte said. “Nail polish will do the trick.”
    â€œWhat are you up to?” Katani asked.
    â€œI’ll tell you what she’s not up to,” Avery said. “She’s not painting my nails!”
    â€œI don’t understand,” Isabel said to Charlotte. “What kind of trick is this? It sounds creepy!”
    â€œOh,” Charlotte said gleefully. “We build this little thing. Separate the box into two pieces, and voilà, it looks as if Maeve has been separated from her hands. A few dramatic noises, Maeve’s Academy Award performance, and the audience will believe it.”
    Now that it involved acting ability, Maeve was starting to get interested. “I can scream really well,” she said, and she proceeded to give them a preview.
    â€œFabulous,” Katani added with sarcasm. “I don’t think you have to do that again until the talent show.”
    Maeve stuck her tongue out playfully at Katani.
    â€œWhat about you?” Charlotte turned to Avery.
    â€œDo I have a choice?” Avery asked.
    â€œNot really,” Charlotte laughed.
    â€œIs the Marty trick still in the show?” Avery asked.
    â€œYes,” Charlotte said.
    â€œAnd I want to do a trick with the guinea pigs, too,” Avery said, realizing she had some leverage.
    â€œWhat trick?” This was the first Charlotte had heard of any guinea pig trick.
    â€œI don’t know yet. I’ll think of something,” Avery said.
    â€œNow you’re pushing it,” Charlotte said.
    â€œThat’s my final offer,” Avery said, putting her hands on her hips. “It’s either the guinea pigs or…”
    â€œOkay,” Charlotte said. “Okay, okay, okay. Are we all in?”
    â€œI’m in, but this trick is kind of creepy. I don’t know if anyone’s gonna let us do it,” Isabel said doubtfully.
    T ROUBLE WITH M OVIES
    The girls worked until almost dinnertime. By the time they were finished, they had five tricks lined up, including one with the guinea pigs, newly renamed Siegfried and Roy. Avery was delighted. Katani decided she wanted to make an endless scarf that Isabel could pull all the way across the stage. Everyone liked the idea. “I’m not sure yet what material to make it out of,” she said.
    â€œSomething diaphanous,” Maeve suggested.
    â€œWhat does that mean?” Isabel asked.
    â€œYou know, sheer, transparent…something that seems to glow with its own light,” Maeve said dreamily, getting carried away with a vision of herself dancing across the stage.
    â€œGood word,” Isabel said. “You must read a lot of books.”
    â€œEveryzing I know I’ve learned from ze movies,” she said in her best French accent. “Particularly the old ones,” Maeve added in her own voice. “My dad and I love to watch them together. Especially old Katharine Hepburn films.”
    Dramatically putting her hand to her forehead, she launched into her best Katharine Hepburn imitation: “The calla lilies are in bloom again…”
    Katani smiled.
    Isabel looked at her blankly.
    â€œPlease don’t tell me you haven’t seen any Katharine Hepburn movies,” Maeve said.
    â€œI saw My Fair Lady ,” Isabel said hopefully.
    â€œThat’s Audrey Hepburn,