The Limit by Kristen Landon Page B

a queen to a loyal subject. In fact—wow—now that I looked at her, she was pretty enough to be royalty. With that rich golden-brown skin and all that dark hair she could be a princess from India.
Do they have princesses in India?
    “Hi,” Madeline said in a flat tone before flipping her wet hair and turning to speak with much more enthusiasm to Honey Lady. “Do you like my new bathing suit, Miss Smoot?” She turned around, stopping and posing a couple of times like a model. “I just got it this morning.”
    “Very nice,” said Honey Lady. “That color really complements your skin tone.”
    Raising her chin, the girl smiled smugly. “I chose the color after I did a beauty analysis on myself at the Cluminair Cosmetics website. Cluminair is a new company I found while doing my research assignment for the P and N Brokerage Company last week. I recommended it as an investment to consider. I hope they looked into it, because Cluminair’s stock went up eight points in two days.”
    “P and N did take your advice. They’re very pleasedwith your work. So am I. Keep it up.” Honey Lady’s smile flattened out instantly as she turned to the Indian princess. “Neela, did you receive the message I sent you this morning?”
    “Yes.” The girl’s voice was barely audible.
    “And what do you plan to do to remedy the situation?”
    “I’ll finish the mock-up on the spread first thing tomorrow.” She spoke in a one-hundred-percent American accent—there went my Indian princess theory.
    “You’d better. You’re two days late as it is.”
    “I will. I promise.”
    Honey Lady continued with the lecture, even though Neela had told her straight out that she’d take care of whatever problem it was she was having.
Blah, blah, blah. Get your work done on time. Be responsible. Blah, blah
. Adults were the same everywhere. How long was this going to take?
    I pulled out my cell phone and tried to text Brennan. Still nothing. Weird in the middle of the city. That last girl—Paige, I think her name was—watched me mess with my phone. She crinkled her lips and shook her head.
    “All right, then!” Paige and I both jumped at Honey Lady’s rah-rah voice. “I’ve got to run, girls. You’ll look after Matt, here, won’t you? Show him around. Make him feel at home.”
    “What? Ew!” said Madeline. “We’re in our bathing suits!”
    Turning pink, Paige crossed her arms over herself.
    “Besides, we’re not done swimming yet. Can’t you find one of the boys?” Madeline grabbed Paige by the arm and dragged her toward the pool. She leaned into Paige’s ear but looked straight at me and spoke plenty loud. “Maybe if she brought us someone cute every once in a while. What is it with nerdy guys and the top floor?”
    With that the two girls jumped into the pool. A second later, when their heads surfaced, Madeline called out, “Come on, Neela!”
    Neela shook her head, rubbing her temple. “I’m going to sit in the hot tub for a while.”
    She kept rubbing the side of her head as she walked away. Honey Lady and I moved toward the door. Looked like Neela had a headache. I hoped it wasn’t too bad. She was right, though. I bet a soak in the hot tub would help her feel better.
    Headaches.
Crab Woman’s voice from the night before grated like gravel in my mind:
It was easier when they just got headaches. You going to have to dump this one too?
    Could something about this building be making kids sick?

“ DO YOU KNOW WHY MY CELL PHONE isn’t working?” I asked Honey Lady as we pushed through the door and out of the pool room.
    “We’ve always had trouble getting reception here,” she said. “Never could figure out why. Feel free to use your computer if you need to communicate with someone outside the workhouse.” The cool air of the cubicle room on my moist clothing sent a shiver through my body. “Let’s see, where would they. . .” Her heels would have been clicking rapidly if we weren’t walking on carpet.