Ripple Effect

by Sylvia Taekema

  “You want to be Dorothy?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe.”

  Julia’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t you think that’s a little selfish, Dana?”

  “Selfish?”

  “Don’t you think you’ve taken enough away from Janelle without taking this too? I thought you would try to help Janelle, to support her. That’s what friends do, isn’t it?”

  Dana wasn’t sure what friends did anymore. She was also pretty sure Janelle didn’t need her help for anything. She had Julia. “So, you don’t think I should try out?”

  “Janelle would be a perfect Dorothy,” said Julia.

  “Of course she would,” said Dana. Janelle was good at everything. Good at sports. Good at school. Good at having friends. Small. Pretty. And she had perfect hair. It was annoying how perfect she was.

  Dana went to volleyball practice every other day at recess. The days she didn’t have to, she found a nice little sheltered corner beside the gym where no one ever seemed to go. So what if a bunch of the girls had permission to work in the library at recess? Dana had decided it would be fine just to be by herself. She had something else to focus on, something very important. She didn’t know what to do about Janelle or Julia or Dorothy, for that matter, but she did know one thing. She liked Jason Elwood, and she was going to tell him. But how? When? Where? Definitely somewhere private and preferably somewhere they could sit down so that she wasn’t towering over him. She was growing taller every day. Now was the time.

  Dana thought long and hard. Finally, she decided she would send Jason a note. She considered very carefully what it should say and what it should look like. Dear Jason? No way. Love, Dana? Absolutely not. Printing? Handwriting? Hearts and flowers? Too embarrassing. In the end she just stuck a green sticky note inside his desk, asking him to meet her around the corner of the gym at recess on Friday. She didn’t sign her name. He’d know where the green paper came from. How many people had frog-shaped sticky notes?

  Fourteen

  DANA HAD PUT the note in Jason’s desk on Tuesday. By Wednesday, she was wondering why she’d done it four days ahead of time. She had wanted lots of time to prepare. Now she knew she’d just given herself lots of time to worry instead. At least she had a volleyball game that afternoon to help keep her mind off things.

  The Wesley Wildcats were visiting. They were a tough team. During the warm-up, Dana noticed that they had some great servers. They also had some really tall girls who were very good at tipping the ball back over the net. The Eagles were going to have to be ready. But Dana was distracted. Every time she thought about the note she’d put in Jason’s desk, she got a really weird feeling. Her face got hot, but her insides felt like cold jelly. She was glad she’d written the note, and she was excited about talking to him. But nervous too. A little.

  She scanned the crowd starting to fill the bleachers. She didn’t see Jason. Janelle hadn’t come to watch the game either. Dana wasn’t sure why she even bothered looking for her. She shook her head. Never mind. Concentrate. She narrowed her focus to only the volleyball. Watch the ball. Watch the ball.

  She began to anticipate where the ball would go, and every time the Wildcats tried to bump it over the net, Dana was there to block it. She jumped. She blocked. She tipped. She called out to the back row when it went over her head. Time after time she was able to return the ball. It was a tight game. Very tight. It was game point again and again. First for the Eagles. Then for the Wildcats. Neither team could get ahead by the two points they needed to win. Dana tried to ignore the score and kept her focus on the ball.

  The Wildcats sent a blistering serve their way. The Eagles sent it back. The Wildcats tried to return it, but the ball hit the net and bounced back on their side. Now Emily had the serve, but she put too much into it and it went out of bounds. The Wildcats served the ball back and the same thing happened. “Easy does it, ladies,” called Mr. Finch. “Easy does it.”

  Lisa Torelli was up. She served the ball way over to the left, and all the Eagles held their breath, thinking it was going to go out. Instead, it landed just inside the line to give the Eagles a point. The Wildcats rolled it back to the other side. Everyone took another deep breath.

  “Game point, game point,” shouted the fans.

  Dana felt tingly all over. Lisa served the ball a second time. It was a good, hard hit. “Crater maker!” yelled the crowd, but the Wildcat player in the middle of the back row managed to get a piece of it and bump it back in their direction.

  “Short, it’s short!” called the girls behind Dana. But it wasn’t. It had just enough oomph to hover right above the net. Dana jumped and tipped the ball so lightly that it dropped to the floor right next to the net. The other side of the net. The other team didn’t have a chance. Game point. Emery Elementary had won.

  Dana was swarmed by a mob of jumping, screaming girls. Emily pulled her out and put her first in line to shake hands with the Wildcats. Back at their own bench, the girls exchanged hugs and high fives. When the team was finished celebrating at last, Mr. Finch asked Dana and Lisa to stay behind a minute. He called Beverley Tran over.

  “Beverley,” he said, “I know you were taking pictures at the game, and you’ve probably got lots of great shots already, but could you please take one of these two young ladies? Lisa was our star server today. Dana made some exceptional plays in the front row.”

  Beverley tossed the girls a ball, and they held on to it together and grinned while Beverley took the picture. “Okay. It should be in this week’s school news,” she said.

  “Good game,” said Lisa.

  “You too,” said Dana. She felt great. If she could do this, she could do anything. Meeting Jason? Piece of cake. But would he come?

  Fifteen

  HE CAME. WALKING out toward the gym on Friday morning at recess, Dana almost couldn’t believe it. He was sitting with his back against the gym wall. She could see his untied shoelaces sprawled over the gravel. Her heart began to pound, and her throat felt tight. She tried not to let her courage slip away as she turned the corner. This was it.

  “Hey, Jason.”

  “Oh, hey, Dana.”

  Her voice had come out all squeaky. She decided she’d better start with some small talk. Calm her nerves and then build up to what she actually wanted to say. Dana cleared her throat. “How’s it going?”

  “Good.” He jumped up and looked around the corner. “Good.” Was he nervous too? She wished he’d sit down again so she could sit down too.

  “Nice day.”

  “Yep.”

  It was working. Her heart rate was slowing down, and her voice sounded almost normal. Jason, on the other hand, seemed to be getting more and more uptight.

  “Ummm, how do you think you did on the math quiz?” Dana asked. “Are you any good at geometry?”

  “Math quiz? Ah, not bad. Listen, Dana, I was wondering…”

  Dana smiled hopefully. Maybe this was it. Maybe he was going to say what she was working up the nerve to confess. “Yes?”

  “Ah, I was wondering…Well…” He looked around the corner again. “Listen. Hmm, how do I put this?”

  Dana’s eyes lit up. “What is it?”

  “Do you…do you think you could, ah, leave?”

  Huh?

  “I don’t want to be rude or anything, but I’m kind of waiting for someone.” He bit his lip and shifted from side to side. “I’m not positive, but I have a pretty good idea who it might be, and she might not show up if I’m talking to someone else. And if I can’t meet with her now…well, I’m going to miss the kickball game!”

  Dana could see some of the other boys playing way out at the back of the field. Even from where she stood, she could hear Trey shouting.

  “You’re—you’re waiting for someone?”

  “Yeah. I think…well, I think maybe she likes me.” He leaned against the gym wall and looked out at the field. “I don’t really…well…anyway, I don’t want to leave before I talk to her, because I’ve got
to be careful. She’s been hurt, and I guess I don’t want her to be hurt again. You know?” He looked at Dana.

  Hurt? Dana felt her face get hot. Oh yes, she knew. Same old story all over again. She was getting sick and tired of it. She waited a moment so her voice would come out normally. “Oh,” she said. “I’m sorry.” She tried to say it lightly, but her smile was tight. She swallowed hard. She cleared her throat. “I, uh, I hope she comes.” Dana turned to go.

  “Yeah, we’ll see, I guess. I hope it’s soon, ’cause man, I’m missing the whole game!”

  “Where’s Jay?” Trey was shouting. “Anyone know where Jason is?”

  Dana took a deep breath and walked away. You don’t know what you’re missing, Jason Elwood. You don’t even notice bright-green, frog-shaped paper when it’s on the desk right beside you! Kickball! Ugh. Dana felt like kicking Jason in the shins. Instead, she yanked open the door and found the closest girls’ bathroom. Hot tears had sprung to her eyes, and she knew her face would be red and puffy. If she could just splash some cold water on it before the bell rang, she might get away without anyone noticing. Not that anyone noticed her these days anyway. Hmmmph. She pulled open the bathroom door, then stopped short just before going in. Someone was singing. In an absolutely beautiful, clear voice, someone was singing the words to Dorothy’s song from Oz. “Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.” The singing was lovely, soft and sweet.

  All Dana saw were the singer’s feet where she stood in front of the mirrors. That was enough. White-and-blue running shoes. Shoes Dana would know anywhere. She didn’t know Janelle could sing like that. It struck her suddenly that there was a lot she didn’t know about her best friend. Were they even best friends anymore? Was it all Julia’s fault, or had Dana sabotaged the friendship on her own? And why did Jason think Janelle was going to be the one meeting him outside this morning? Janelle knew Dana had liked him forever. She wouldn’t try to steal him. Or would she? Was Julia in on this? It was all too complicated. She had to get out of there. She didn’t know what she’d do if she saw Janelle go outside and talk to Jason. Especially now that she’d heard her sing. Janelle really was perfect for Dorothy. And if Jason didn’t like her already, he would once she got the lead role.

  Dana backed away and let the bathroom door swing closed. She shook her head and told herself to calm down. She walked slowly down the hallway, taking deep breaths, and stopped to pick up a copy of the school newspaper. Had the volleyball story made it? The front page didn’t even mention volleyball. Instead, it featured a huge picture of Janelle and Julia and an article about the bracelet-making group that met during recess. That’s what they had been doing in the library. Proceeds from the bracelets were going to buy toys and games for the children’s hospital Janelle had stayed at. Dana didn’t remember being invited to make any bracelets. Of course, she’d been busy with running and volleyball and writing stupid notes on frog-shaped paper. They probably hadn’t wanted her to be in the group anyway.

  It wasn’t until she turned to the very last page of the paper that Dana found the volleyball article. The picture had turned out okay, but it was pretty small. Eagles Win, read the caption. Game stars Lisa Torelli and Diana Davis.

  It was the last straw. Dana felt her anger build. Just below the picture was an announcement reminding grade-six students about the upcoming tryouts for their play. Dana crunched the page between her fingers. She decided then and there that she would try out for the lead part. After all, what did she have to lose?

  Sixteen

  SHE SECOND-GUESSED herself immediately. Dana had gotten a DVD of The Wizard of Oz from the library and watched half of it that evening. Dorothy’s part was huge! All those lines. All that singing and skipping! What was she getting herself into? Brushing her hair before going to bed, Dana tried putting it in pigtails. The DVD Dorothy had lovely, wavy, brown hair in pigtails that bounced on her shoulders. Dana’s stuck out from the sides of her head like a set of straw pom-poms. She sighed, dropping the brush back down on her dresser, and turned out the light.

  Sleep did not come easily. Thoughts whirled around in her head. She dreamed she was skipping down a yellow brick road and leaves were falling from the trees—hundreds of them, thousands. Only they weren’t leaves, they were frog-shaped sticky notes. And they were croaking, “Dana, Dana, is slipping down the lane-a.” And it was true. The notes were slippery, and Dana was having a hard time making her way through them. Every so often she’d fall and completely disappear under an enormous pile of them. It was terrible. Then it started to rain, but the raindrops weren’t drops at all. They were kickballs and volleyballs sailing in from all sides. Dana began to run. Over the rainbow. I’ve got to get over the rainbow to where the skies are blue. She fought her way up the rainbow hill, but the whole time Munchkins were firing elastic bands at her. Ow! Dana woke with a start. She sat up and turned on the lamp on her bedside table. Maybe a glass of milk would help her sleep.

  Dana’s mother was standing by the kitchen table, sorting and cutting material into pieces that could be used for quilts. Besides making quilts and pillow covers herself, she also gave away bags of pieces to other quilt-making groups. All kinds of people dropped off bags of their old clothes and fabrics at Dana’s house. They were stored in what Dana called the recycling room. Every so often, Dana’s mother would pull out a bag or two and start separating the contents into items that could still be used and sold in thrift stores, things that could be cut down and used for quilt pieces, and material that could be used for rags.

  Dana sat down at the table with her glass of milk. Her mother looked up and smiled.

  “Trouble sleeping?” she asked.

  “Hmmm.”

  “Not a bad dream, I hope.”

  Dana didn’t answer. She wouldn’t know where to begin.

  “Something on your mind?”

  Lots of things. Dana shrugged.

  “You know, a patient showed me a really interesting article today from a magazine she’d been reading in the waiting room. It was all about how car makers are using all kinds of recycled materials in the new vehicles they’re putting out. Recycled cotton for dashboards and insulation. Recycled water bottles in seats and armrests. What do you think of that?”

  Dana didn’t answer. She hadn’t heard. She sat with her chin cupped in one hand and blinked slowly.

  Her mother kept sorting. Dana watched her for a few minutes.

  “Mom,” she asked finally, “why do you bother with all this stuff? It’s junk.”

  Her mother looked at her for a moment, then back down at the piles of cloth on the table. “You know, honey,” she said, “you’d be surprised at how much worth these things still have left in them. We throw things away so easily because we only look at what’s worn out or not working and forget about what’s left. I like to look at the good these clothes still have in them and the good that can be done because of them.”

  “Huh?”

  “Dana, it’s like a ripple effect. Sorting these clothes keeps bags and bags of stuff out of the landfill. That’s a good thing in itself. It also gives groups of quilters something to do and other people to be with on quilting days. A lot of those people are lonely. Many of them don’t go out much otherwise, and the quilt-making days are such a highlight for them. For some, their eyes aren’t so good anymore, or their hands shake too much to sew. But they come and sort squares or give advice on colors. And they are just as proud as all the others when the project is done. The quilts turn out so beautifully. Sometimes they are sold and the money is used for a good cause. Sometimes they are given away to young mothers or to homeless shelters. Either way, someone benefits. Someone gets to be warm at night and to know others thought of them, and it’s all because of bags of old clothes.”

  Dana thought for a moment. “But it’s just so much work.”

  Her mother smiled. “Yes, it is. But it’s always worth it to work hard for something you believe is i
mportant. Don’t you think so?”

  “I guess.”

  Her mother opened a new bag. “How’s volleyball going?”

  “Fine.”

  “School?”

  “Fine.”

  “I see you picked up The Wizard of Oz,” said her mother. “Like it?”

  “We’re doing it for our school play.”

  “Wow. That’s a big project. Are you going to try out for a part?”

  “Do you think I’d make a good Dorothy?”

  “I think you’d be good in any role, Dana.”

  “Even Dorothy?”

  “Is there a reason you shouldn’t try for that part?”

  “No.”

  “It would be a lot of work, but you could do it.” Her mom smiled. “Did your dad ever tell you he was in The Wizard of Oz when he was in high school? He was the Scarecrow.”

  “Dad?”

  “You should ask him about it.” She paused before asking the next question. “How’s Janelle these days?”

  Dana didn’t answer. She stared at her glass of milk.

  “Sometimes when something good or bad happens to one person, it can have an effect on a lot of other people. Like the ripples we were just talking about.”

  Dana reached across the table and pulled a piece of material from the pile. It was red and gold. One side was frayed, but the other was still in good shape. “This is pretty,” she said.

  Her mother smiled. “It is.” She came around the table to where Dana sat and put an arm around her shoulders. Dana leaned in to the hug. Neither of them said a word. After a few minutes, her mom glanced at the clock. “Think you should try to get some sleep now?” she asked softly.

  Dana nodded. She rinsed her glass, left it in the sink and went back upstairs.

  She punched up her pillows and pulled her blankets up to her chin. She stared at the ceiling. Part of her wanted to throw out her friendship with Janelle. Let it go. Did it have anything good left in it? Anything worth saving? Nothing had been the same since the accident.