could’ve kept us from moving.”
“So it was really hard on you?” asked Emily.
“Yeah,” said Chelsea sadly. “We’d lived in Minneapolis my whole life, and I had to leave all my friends — even my very best friend — all back there.”
“I kinda know how you feel,” said Emily. “I moved here in June. Just before school ended. If I hadn’t met Morgan and Carlie and Amy … well, I’m sure I’d be really bummed by now.”
“It must be so convenient having all your friends right there in your own neighborhood,” said Chelsea as sheadjusted a tie on her bathing suit bottom. “You just step out your door and there are your friends.”
“Have you gotten to know any kids in your neighborhood yet?” asked Morgan. She already had on her swimsuit and was wrapping a brightly colored beach towel around her like a skirt.
Chelsea sighed. “No. Carlie’s the only friend I’ve made.”
“So far,” said Amy with a bright smile. “But I think I can promise that we’re all willing to be your friends too, Chelsea.”
Carlie studied Amy for a long moment. As usual, Amy was wearing her cute little brightly colored two-piece. And, Carlie noticed, it wasn’t so different from the one that Chelsea was tying around her own neck right now. Almost like these two girls could have something in common. Plus it was obvious that Amy was totally impressed by Chelsea’s home and room and everything.
What if Amy was trying to take over here? What if she wanted to replace Carlie with herself in this pretty little picture? And even if she did want to do something like that, why should Carlie really care? But, to her surprise, Carlie thought maybe she did care.
She had to admit that she’d enjoyed having someone like Chelsea and her mother taking an interest in her. And she was actually looking forward to their trip to Portlandthis weekend. What if Chelsea suddenly decided she’d rather get haircuts with Amy? And what if she wanted to take Amy back-to-school shopping instead of Carlie? That would not be good!
chapter eight
As the girls hung together — swimming and splashing and joking and playing — Carlie worked hard to maintain her position as Chelsea’s friend. Was she her
best
friend? Who could tell? But she went out of her way to say nice things to and about Chelsea. Still, the harder she tried, the less Chelsea seemed to notice her at all.
In fact, it seemed that most of Chelsea’s attention was focused on Morgan just now. And Carlie almost got the feeling that Chelsea was testing her out.
“What’s your dad do?” she asked Morgan as they were lounging around on the deck, drying in the sun.
“I don’t know,” said Morgan.
Chelsea looked shocked. “You don’t know?”
All the girls got quiet now, as if they were holding their breaths so they could listen to her answer. As far as Carlie knew, Morgan had never mentioned her dad to any of them before. Of course, none of them had ever asked either.
“My parents split up when I was really little,” said Morgan. “All I know is that my father was from New York and he was really into his music — more than he was into being a husband or a daddy.”
“So you never see him?”
“Nope.” Morgan rolled over onto her stomach, propping her chin in her hands. Carlie could tell that this was making her uncomfortable. But what was Chelsea’s point?
“Was he black?” asked Chelsea. “Or African American? I mean, your skin doesn’t seem as dark as your mom’s, and I was —”
“Can you guys believe it’s only
eleven days
until school starts?” said Carlie suddenly, making a feeble but desperate attempt to change the subject.
“I can’t wait!” said Amy with real enthusiasm.
Carlie groaned. “That’s right, Amy
loves
school! Can you believe it, Chelsea?”
“No way!” Chelsea turned her attention to Amy now. “Only geeks love school.”
“She’s not a geek,” said Morgan in a flat voice.
“No, she’s just a brainiac,”
“So it was really hard on you?” asked Emily.
“Yeah,” said Chelsea sadly. “We’d lived in Minneapolis my whole life, and I had to leave all my friends — even my very best friend — all back there.”
“I kinda know how you feel,” said Emily. “I moved here in June. Just before school ended. If I hadn’t met Morgan and Carlie and Amy … well, I’m sure I’d be really bummed by now.”
“It must be so convenient having all your friends right there in your own neighborhood,” said Chelsea as sheadjusted a tie on her bathing suit bottom. “You just step out your door and there are your friends.”
“Have you gotten to know any kids in your neighborhood yet?” asked Morgan. She already had on her swimsuit and was wrapping a brightly colored beach towel around her like a skirt.
Chelsea sighed. “No. Carlie’s the only friend I’ve made.”
“So far,” said Amy with a bright smile. “But I think I can promise that we’re all willing to be your friends too, Chelsea.”
Carlie studied Amy for a long moment. As usual, Amy was wearing her cute little brightly colored two-piece. And, Carlie noticed, it wasn’t so different from the one that Chelsea was tying around her own neck right now. Almost like these two girls could have something in common. Plus it was obvious that Amy was totally impressed by Chelsea’s home and room and everything.
What if Amy was trying to take over here? What if she wanted to replace Carlie with herself in this pretty little picture? And even if she did want to do something like that, why should Carlie really care? But, to her surprise, Carlie thought maybe she did care.
She had to admit that she’d enjoyed having someone like Chelsea and her mother taking an interest in her. And she was actually looking forward to their trip to Portlandthis weekend. What if Chelsea suddenly decided she’d rather get haircuts with Amy? And what if she wanted to take Amy back-to-school shopping instead of Carlie? That would not be good!
chapter eight
As the girls hung together — swimming and splashing and joking and playing — Carlie worked hard to maintain her position as Chelsea’s friend. Was she her
best
friend? Who could tell? But she went out of her way to say nice things to and about Chelsea. Still, the harder she tried, the less Chelsea seemed to notice her at all.
In fact, it seemed that most of Chelsea’s attention was focused on Morgan just now. And Carlie almost got the feeling that Chelsea was testing her out.
“What’s your dad do?” she asked Morgan as they were lounging around on the deck, drying in the sun.
“I don’t know,” said Morgan.
Chelsea looked shocked. “You don’t know?”
All the girls got quiet now, as if they were holding their breaths so they could listen to her answer. As far as Carlie knew, Morgan had never mentioned her dad to any of them before. Of course, none of them had ever asked either.
“My parents split up when I was really little,” said Morgan. “All I know is that my father was from New York and he was really into his music — more than he was into being a husband or a daddy.”
“So you never see him?”
“Nope.” Morgan rolled over onto her stomach, propping her chin in her hands. Carlie could tell that this was making her uncomfortable. But what was Chelsea’s point?
“Was he black?” asked Chelsea. “Or African American? I mean, your skin doesn’t seem as dark as your mom’s, and I was —”
“Can you guys believe it’s only
eleven days
until school starts?” said Carlie suddenly, making a feeble but desperate attempt to change the subject.
“I can’t wait!” said Amy with real enthusiasm.
Carlie groaned. “That’s right, Amy
loves
school! Can you believe it, Chelsea?”
“No way!” Chelsea turned her attention to Amy now. “Only geeks love school.”
“She’s not a geek,” said Morgan in a flat voice.
“No, she’s just a brainiac,”
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