by Laura Dower
Madison wanted to hide.
“Hey, Finnster,” Hart said, raking his brown hair out of his eyes.
“Hi,” Madison said. It came out like a whisper. She looked away, unsure about what to do or say.
“You going to the cafeteria?” Egg asked. He was staring right at Fiona.
“Yeah, we’re being lured there by the smell,” Fiona said sarcastically.
Egg laughed.
“Mmmmm—mystery lasagna.” Chet made a retching noise.
“Suspiciously, lasagna is what they served us last Friday,” Dan pointed out. “Coincidence? Or ancient leftovers?”
Madison chuckled. She’d gotten to know Dan better this year because they both volunteered at the Far Hills Animal Clinic. Dan’s mom worked there as a nurse, and Dan was an animal lover, just like Madison.
“Indestructible, cardboard lasagna,” Aimee said.
“The same batch that’s been around all year!” Drew added.
Everyone cracked up.
“What’s so funny?” asked a voice behind Madison.
Madison turned around and came face-to-face with “Poison” Ivy Daly—her least favorite person in the seventh grade. Once upon a time (in third grade), Ivy and Madison had been good friends. But then Ivy transformed into Miss Obnoxious and started hanging out with her two drones, “Phony” Joanie Kenyon and Rose “Thorn” Snyder. When she was elected president of the seventh grade, tensions mounted even more.
Ivy stood there holding a stack of hot-pink flyers. She was wearing a fuzzy pink cardigan sweater that matched.
“I hope I’ll see you all at the Valentine’s Day dance next Friday,” Ivy said, passing a flyer to Hart first. “It’s going to be a lot of fun … and we’re raising money for a good cause.”
Madison grabbed a flyer.
Have fun and help fight heart disease at the
HEART TO HEART DANCE!
Who? Everyone! All Far Hills Junior High students, grades 7-9
When? 8 P.M.–10 P.M. Friday, February 14
Why? All proceeds to benefit the
International Heart Society
Where? Far Hills Junior High Gymnasium
How much? $5 single ticket in advance
$8 for two tickets in advance
$6 at the door, single tickets only
Buy your tickets early and save!
“We’re also having a carnation sale next week,” Ivy said.
“Carnations? For me?” Chet cracked.
“No, we’re having a competition to see who can sell the most. All proceeds from that are going to the Heart Society, too,” Ivy said.
Sell the most? Madison thought. She rolled her eyes. She means who will get the most. And Ivy will be sure that the winner is herself.
Egg took a few more flyers from the pile.
“Ta-ta!” Ivy chirped. “I hope I’ll see you all there!” She gave Hart a flirtatious look and flounced off.
“Ta-ta!” Egg repeated mockingly when Ivy had walked away. He waved the pink pages in the air.
The group giggled.
“Here’s what I think,” Egg said, folding his flyers into a paper airplane. He held them up and the boys laughed.
“What are you doing that for?” Aimee squealed, prancing in place. “Don’t you think this dance looks like fun?”
“Are we supposed to buy carnations for all the girls or something?” Drew asked, looking squarely at Madison.
Chet cracked up. “Yeah, right.”
“Do we get dates for the dance?” Fiona asked.
Egg tossed his pink plane into the air. “I like doing this better,” he said, aiming a plane at Dan’s head.
“It says here that it’s eight dollars for two tickets in advance,” Madison said, looking down at her flyer again.
“I guess we all DO have to find dates!” Drew crowed. “I want to save the money!”
Hart laughed. “Well, I already know who I want to go with,” he said.
Everyone got quiet. Madison felt her cheeks get hot. Was Orange Crush about to reveal himself? Was his date pick … Madison? She held her breath.
“I WANNA GO WITH EGG!” Hart screeched, reaching over to give Egg a fake embrace.
The boys all laughed again. Madison sighed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Fiona give Egg a sly smile. He smiled back, awkwardly looking down at his shoes.
Madison wished Hart would smile at her, but he was still goofing around with the other guys.
The group started walking toward the cafeteria again, everyone talking excitedly about the dance and the carnation sale. Madison moved down the lunch line slowly. All Madison could think about was Hart. Will he ask her to the dance?
“I know you’re a chip off the old block, Maddie,” Dad joked later that night, “but maybe you’d better take it easy on the chips. You act like you haven’t eaten anything all day.”
Dad, Madison, and Stephanie were sitting in Tamales, waiting for their food to arrive. The waiter had brought out salsa and a basket of tortilla chips, and Madison was having trouble resisting.
“I kind of skipped lunch,” Madison said as she dipped another chip into the salsa. “It was lasagna day at school.”
“Oh, yuck,” Stephanie said. “Whenever they served lasagna at my school, it used to make the whole hallway smell disgusting.”
Madison laughed. “That happens at my school, too,” she said.
Stephanie grinned, tucking a strand of curly dark hair behind her ear. “It’s nice to know that some things haven’t changed since the Stone Age,” she said.
Dad put his arm around Stephanie and squeezed. “I’d hardly call a few years the Stone Age,” he said warmly.
Madison’s smile faltered, and she looked away from them. Even though she really liked Stephanie, sometimes she felt awkward when her dad and Stephanie acted all lovey-dovey.
Really awkward.
“You look beautiful tonight,” Dad said, gazing at Stephanie.
Madison shoved another chip into her mouth. Why was her dad being so extra-gooey tonight? She glanced around the brightly colored restaurant. Cut paper decorations hung from the ceiling, and there was even a live mariachi band.
“I’m going to get the band to serenade us,” Dad said suddenly, grabbing Stephanie’s hand.
“No, Jeff—” Stephanie protested.
But it was too late. The band had seen Dad wave and was headed for their table.
Madison twitched in her seat. Serenade? She wasn’t sure she could deal with sitting through an entire song, watching Dad and his girlfriend stare at each other.
“Dad!” she blurted. “I think I’m sick.”
It was as though the words had sprung from her mouth by themselves. Madison put her hand to her forehead. She spit a chewed-up chip into her napkin and groaned a little.
“Are you okay?” Stephanie asked, giving Madison a concerned frown. “She looks a little pale, Jeff.”
Dad waved away the mariachi band.
“It’s my stomach,” Madison explained, clutching at her middle. “I think I ate too many chips. Wow, I feel really bad.”
It wasn’t a total lie, of course. Madison really was nauseated—but from watching Dad and Stephanie.
“The chips? Aha!” Dad said. “See?” He dropped Stephanie’s hand and reached for Madison. “Will you be okay?”
Madison mumbled, “I don’t think so.”
“Should we cancel dinner?” Dad asked.
Stephanie leaned over to Madison. “Do you want to go?” she asked.
Madison shrugged and covered her mouth.
“Why don’t we go back to my apartment,” Dad suggested. “You can lie down there awhile.” He motioned for the waiter and asked to have their food to go.
“Maybe I should just go back home instead to my own bed,” Madison said. “I feel really, really bad. I am so sorry.”
Stephanie put her hand on the back of Madison’s neck. “I’m sorry, too, sweetie. I was really looking forward to
our dinner tonight.”
Madison felt a pang of guilt mixed in with the nausea. As they got up to leave, she said nothing more. The ride back home was quiet, too, except for a few moans and groans. Madison used those for effect.
When they pulled up in front of Mom’s house. Dad helped Madison out of the car.
“Feel better,” Stephanie called as Madison hurried up the front walk.
“Yeah, and no more chips for you,” Dad joked.
“Thanks,” Madison called back. “I’m sorry!”
She waved with a limp wrist and blew a kiss to her dad, who stood by the car, waiting to see that she got inside all right.
“Maddie?” Mom looked up from her book as Madison walked into the living room. “What are you doing home so early? Did you have dinner already?”
“Not exactly. I didn’t feel well,” Madison said.
Mom frowned and got up from her chair. She put her hand on Madison’s forehead. “You don’t feel hot. What are your symptoms?”
“My stomach was hurting,” Madison fibbed. “But it’s better now.”
Madison and Mom walked into the kitchen together. Madison grabbed a few cookies.
“Hey! What are those?” Mom asked. “Dinner?”
Madison stuffed one into her mouth and put the others back into the jar on the counter. “Oh. Maybe I’d better just go to bed.”
“Hmmmm. Be sure to wake me up if you feel sick in the middle of the night,” she said, raising an eyebrow.
Madison gave her a wry smile. “I don’t think I’ll need to, but thanks.” She didn’t feel like talking about Dad and Stephanie right now.
Mom understood. “I love you, honey bear,” she said, not forcing the discussion.
Madison gave her a kiss and trudged up the stairs. Phin followed right behind as usual. It was only 8:30 and Madison wasn’t tired at all. She closed her bedroom door so Mom wouldn’t discover that she wasn’t really sick (even though she probably already knew that). Then she logged on to her computer, watching as the cursor flashed yellow and the pages loaded. Phin looked up at her curiously for a moment in the half-darkness and then snuggled into a pillow.
Madison opened up a new file.
Secret Admirer
I can’t believe I just lied to everyone about being sick. But I just couldn’t sit there and watch Dad. I had to do something.
Now that I’m home I feel so badly. I should be happy that Dad is happy, shouldn’t I? Especially since he and Stephanie may be in love. And the truth is, Stephanie is nicer than nice. What’s wrong with me?
Rude Awakening: If love is supposed to keep us together, why does it always leave me feeling unglued?
I wonder what REAL love is like—the kind that sticks? What is it like to have someone like you that much, someone who you like back? Aimee says she’s been in love before. Fiona, too. I bet even Ivy Daly has had real love by now.
I wonder whether my secret admirer could be someone who likes me and who I’ll like back?
Where are you, Orange Crush?
WHO are you?
Maddie closed the file and headed onto the web to play some games in the main tank on TweenBlurt.com. The website had a new section devoted to online games where members competed against one another.
After an hour or more in the Trivia Tub and several games of Beach Bingo later, Madison powered down her computer and crawled into bed. Mom was coming up the stairs. It was nearly eleven o’clock now.
“Maddie?” Mom whispered, poking her head inside the bedroom.
Madison pulled the covers up to her chin, pretending to be fast asleep.
“Good night, honey bear,” Mom whispered.
She opened her eyes when Mom walked out, and watched as the shadows on the wall danced in moonlight. Phin was snoring loudly.
Madison wondered what real love was really like—and whether horoscopes could ever really be right.
Chapter 3
BLEEP! BLEEP! BLEEP!
Madison rolled over and smacked the snooze button on her alarm clock. Calculating that she didn’t actually have to get out of bed for another twelve minutes, she snuggled beneath her comforter. But she wasn’t tired anymore. Thankfully, she wasn’t nauseated anymore, either.
Madison thought of getting up to call Dad, but she decided not to do it. Maybe I will send him an e-mail instead, Madison thought, throwing off the covers. She jumped up to check her e-mail.
The first message was from Dad.
From: JeffFinn
To: MadFinn
Subject: Feeling Better?
Date: Mon 3 Feb 9:49 PM
Maddie,
Just wanted to check in and make sure that you are okay. You looked pretty green at the restaurant. And I know it’s not easy being green.
Love you,
Dad
Madison smiled at the joke but then quickly frowned at her computer screen. She felt even guiltier now.
From: MadFinn
To: JeffFinn
Subject: Re: Feeling Better?
Date: Tues 4 Feb 7:13 AM
Hi Dad.
I’m feeling better—thanks for writing. I still don’t feel 100%. Can we make a raincheck o=)
Please tell Stephanie that I’m sorry I ruined dinner.
Love u,
Maddie
Madison pressed SEND and zapped the e-mail into cyberspace. She clicked on a message from Bigwheels next.
From: Bigwheels
To: MadFinn
Subject: RE: Re: Top Secret and Urgent!
Date: Mon 3 Feb 10:02 PM
After I read your Emsg, I decided to give him a call on the phone just to say hi. He was so sweet!!!!!!!!!!! We talked for almost an hour, and he totally made me laff about ten times!!!!!! Reggie is like the world’s most perfect guy. He’s cute, he’s funny, he’s smart—I swear, he’s like the kind of dream boy that you want to live with forever and ever into infinity!!!!!!!!!! I just hope he likes me as much as I like him. Otherwise, I’ll be so sad.
Okay—have I talked about him enough? I can’t stop!
Yours till the wedding bells,
Bigwheels
Madison groaned. Was everybody in the world falling in love—except for her? It seemed that way. She clicked on a file and started to type.
Heart to Heart
Rude Awakening: If love makes the world go around, why can’t it stop in and see me sometime?
The “Heart to Heart” dance is around the corner—and I want to go! And I’m not talking about going alone.
I’m tired of feeling like the love train has just left the station and I’m the only one standing on the platform.
I’m sick of waiting around for the love boat—when it’s already sailed.
LOL!!!!
What’s so hard about LOVE anyhow? It seems like everyone else I know falls in love at the drop of a hat—or at least they say they do. Why is it taking me a billion
“Madison!” Mom called, breaking into Madison’s thoughts. “Honey bear, you’d better hurry up, or you’ll be late for school.”
Madison glanced at the clock. “Oh, no!” she gasped. She only had ten minutes to get ready! She’d completely lost track of time.
She hurried to her dresser and pulled out a pair of heavy black leggings and a soft red sweater.
After a quick swipe at her hair with a brush, Madison dashed through the door and down the stairs.
“Hi, Mom,” Madison said as she walked into the kitchen. Her mom had already set out a glass of orange juice and a green apple. Madison gulped the juice, casting an eye toward the kitchen clock. “Bye, Mom,” Madison said, dropping her glass in the sink.
“Have a good day,” Mom said with a grin. “I guess you’re feeling better today?”
“Oh. Better? Yeah,” Madison said, faking a cough. “MUCH better.”
Madison grabbed her orange book bag, which was sitting in the front hall, and stepped out in the crisp, cold air. The sky was grayer than gr
ay, blocking out the sun. Madison bit into the tart green apple.
Two blocks away from the house, Madison spotted a familiar figure crossing the street.
“Fiona!” Madison called. “Over here! Wait up!”
Fiona turned and gave Madison a smile. “Hey!” she said. “Running a little late, aren’t you?”
Madison laughed. “Look who’s talking!”
“Tell me about it,” Fiona agreed. “Chet already left. I was a little slow this morning.”
The two friends fell into step toward the school. “Did you oversleep?” Fiona asked.
“Actually, I got up early!” Madison said. “I just lost track of time checking my e-mail.”
“So …” Fiona wiggled her eyebrows. “Any more messages from mystery man?”
“Not this morning,” Madison shook her head.
“Hmmm,” Fiona said. “Maybe the first one wasn’t meant for you.”
“Gee, thanks a lot!” Madison said. Both girls laughed.
Kids streamed into the main doors of FHJH. Fiona and Madison blended into the crowd. The first bell had rung. They still had five minutes until the late bell. Madison chomped on her apple and tossed the core into a garbage can near the lockers.
The core hit the floor instead.
“Nice shot, Maddie,” Ivy said, walking by at the exact moment when Madison missed her throw. “You should go out for basketball,” Ivy added.
Madison bent down to pick up the core as Ivy walked away, hips swaying with attitude.
Aimee saw the pair and hurried over. “Hey, Fiona! Hey, Maddie! What’s the update? Any more secret admirer messages?”
Madison shook her head. “No more. And would you keep your voice down, please? You never know who’s listening.”
“Hmmm,” Aimee said. “Maybe Orange Crush is just waiting to see what you’ll do next.”
Madison tugged open her locker with a huff. A red envelope tumbled out.
“Whoa!” Aimee said. “What’s THAT?”
Madison turned the envelope over and over, looking for some clue, but there was no writing on the outside. She tore it open and pulled out a red construction paper heart.
U have a good heart, the note on the inside read. Signed, Your secret admirer.
“What does it say?” Fiona asked.
