The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger

Alaska, and that doesn’t seem too sensible. We knew what we were getting into, so let’s go through with it. At least we’ll get our chance to talk to Stone.”
    We got to the office and went to the front desk. The secretary had the look on her face that she always had whenever a kid was going to get it. I bet when she was a kid she always told on others.
    We filed into Mr. Stone’s office. It was filled. My mother was there. So was Nancy’s. And there was another woman and a man that I didn’t know. I glanced to my right and saw Stuart sitting there, clutching Wolf and sucking his thumb.
    Mr. Stone said, “I have called your parents here to discuss your plot to undermine my school.”
    We all stood there. Then Joel said, “There has been no plot to undermine your school. We just want to make ourselves heard in
our
school.”
    Then the man who was with the women said, “See here, Mr. Stone. I’m not sure what you’re trying to accomplish. I’ve already told you that I trust my son and approve of him.”
    I looked at Joel, and he nodded his head. “Dad, I would like to introduce Marcy Lewis, Nancy Sheridan, and Robert Alexander—”
    Mr. Stone interrupted, “Look, there is a time and a place for everything. I have called all of you together to discuss the student rebellion of which you four are the leaders. What I want from you are thenames of all of the students who are involved in this plot, or you four will be in serious trouble.”
    I said, “Oh, no. That’s not fair. No way.”
    Mr. Stone turned to my mother. “I told you, Mrs. Lewis. See what she has turned into.”
    My mother looked at him and said, “My daughter has turned into someone I’m very proud of, and I’m not sure that she is doing anything wrong. I don’t appreciate your threatening her.”
    All of the parents started talking at once. So did we. Everything got noisy and very confused.
    The phone rang. Everyone shut up. Mr. Stone picked up the receiver. He listened for a while and then said, “Thank you. That solves a lot of my problems.”
    Then he got up and started walking around. That was sort of hard. There were so many people in such a small place. But I guess Mr. Stone thought he would win the “Principal of the Year Award” for his performance.
    Anyway, he turned and said, “Your plan has no way of working. The Superintendent’s Office has ordered school to be closed until the Tuesday hearing.”
    Then he walked back to his desk. On his way he accidentally knocked over Wolf. Orange pits fell allover the rug, and Stuart started to cry. My mother ran over to Stuart, and so did I. All of a sudden, everybody in the room started to laugh, except for Stuart and Mr. Stone, who turned around and said, “For everyone’s information, these four student ringleaders are suspended for ten days. It will go on their permanent records, and they will not be allowed to make up work missed. You might as well take them home. I don’t want them on school grounds for the entire time that they are suspended.”
    We all walked out of the office and into the hall. I heard my mother inviting everyone over to our house to discuss the situation. Then she, Stuart, and I went to my locker to get my coat and books.
    I said, “Thanks, Mom. I’m sorry to get you involved in this.”
    “Marcy, do you believe in what you’re doing?”
    “Yes, I do.”
    “Then I’m very proud of you. I wish I had nerve enough to do it. But I’m scared. What is your father going to say?”
    “Mom, I’ve spent thirteen years worrying about that, and I’ve never been happy. So now I’ve got to do things that I think are right.”
    Then I closed my locker and we walked out to the car.
    “Honey, don’t think I’m mad at you, but shouldn’t you clean out your locker? People will think that I never taught you to be neat.”
    I just looked at her and laughed. That’s just like my mother—in the middle of everything, she worries about my locker. But she certainly