Fabulous Five 021 - Jana to the Rescue

by Betsy Haynes

  "Jana, it's for you!" Pink called from the living room.

  "Thanks, Pink, I'll take it in your bedroom," Jana called back. She hurried into her parents' bedroom and picked up the receiver.

  "Hello?"

  "Hi, Jana. It's Randy."

  Jana's heart fluttered a little at the sound of Randy's voice. He'd had that effect on her ever since the fourth grade. Jana had noticed lots of other nice, cute boys in school, but none of them could ever compete with Randy.

  "Hi, Randy," she said softly.

  "How did the first day go with the new girl?"

  "Awful," Jana confessed. "She's . . . well, she's not one of the friendliest people I've ever met, let's put it that way."

  "Gosh, that's too bad," Randy said. "What's her problem?"

  "Mom thinks maybe she feels a little threatened," said Jana. "I suppose because she's new. I'm going to invite her over for dinner Saturday night and see if that helps."

  "Good idea," Randy said. "Hey, I've missed seeing you around this week. Want to meet me at Bumpers tomorrow after school?"

  "Great! I'd love to."

  "Super," said Randy. "See you then."

  Jana nearly floated back to her room. She was going to see Randy tomorrow after school, and she was going to invite Liz for dinner on Saturday. She just knew that her mom and Pink could help win Liz over, no matter how hard Liz might try to resist. Maybe things were looking up.

  "Liz, these are my closest friends in the world," Jana said proudly the next day during lunch period. She hadn't gotten up the nerve yet to ask Liz to her house on Saturday, and now Jana and Liz stood with their trays next to the table where The Fabulous Five always sat. Liz was wearing the same pair of jeans, plaid shirt, and jacket that she had worn yesterday. "This is Beth Barry, Katie Shannon, Christie Winchell, and Melanie Edwards," Jana went on. "The five of us make up The Fabulous Five."

  "Oh, yeah?" Liz mumbled. "What's so fabulous about you guys?"

  Jana winced inwardly. Why did Liz act this way? She wanted her friends to like Liz and help her feel at home. But how could they when Liz behaved like a jerk?

  There was an awkward silence for a moment. Melanie cleared her throat and glanced nervously from Beth to Katie to Jana, obviously hoping someone would say something helpful.

  "Sit down," Beth offered, and moved her tray over to give Liz room. Melanie sighed loudly with relief, and Jana seated herself across from Liz.

  "It's very nice to have you here at Wakeman, Liz," Melanie said. Jana thought she sounded as if she were being dutifully polite, saying something she didn't mean.

  Liz rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh," she said, looking bored.

  "No, it really is," Beth insisted. "It's always great to meet new people." Around the table, the others nodded eagerly.

  "Liz, if you need help getting caught up in math, the person to ask for help is Christie," Jana said. "She's really a whiz."

  "Well, I don't know that I'm a whiz, but I'd be happy to help you," Christie said sincerely.

  Liz nodded but didn't say anything. She picked up the peanut butter sandwich in front of her and took a tiny bite.

  "And I'm pretty good in English," Jana said.

  Still no response from Liz.

  "What do you like to do?" Melanie asked Liz. "I mean, what are your hobbies?"

  Liz glanced at Melanie and then at Jana and finally at the table. She looks scared, thought Jana.

  "I don't have any hobbies," Liz mumbled. Jana could barely hear her.

  "What?" Melanie asked.

  "I said, I don't have any hobbies! You deaf, or what?" Liz shouted, her eyes filling with tears. She grabbed her books from the floor, stood up, and ran out of the cafeteria.

  "What did I say?" cried Melanie, looking bewildered.

  "Mel," Jana said gently, "Liz lives in a shelter for the homeless, remember? The last thing on her mind is a hobby."

  Melanie gulped and blinked back tears of her own. "I'm sorry," she said. "I wasn't thinking."

  "That's okay, Mel," Katie said. "I have a feeling that Liz is pretty tough. I don't think your question killed her. We'll just have to be more thoughtful about what she's going through and try to ask the right questions from now on."

  "She sure isn't easy to get to know," Jana said, sighing. She got up and collected her own books. "I just wish I knew the right way to handle her."

  "Why don't you talk to some of the other kids who're helping homeless students," Beth suggested. "Maybe they're having the same problems."

  "Good idea," Jana said. "I'll call Whitney tonight. Excuse me now, guys, I think I'd better see if I can find Liz."

  Jana left the table and hurried out into the hall. Miss Dickinson, her English teacher, was walking toward her with an armload of books.

  "Miss Dickinson," Jana said, "have you seen Liz Flagg?"

  "Yes," said the teacher. "She came running this way. I was about to ask her to slow down, but she looked so upset, I decided to let it go. I think she may have ducked into the girls' bathroom at the end of the hall."

  "Thanks," Jana said, and sped off in that direction.

  She found Liz in the last stall at the back of the restroom. She recognized the old, worn sneakers under the door.

  "Liz?" she called softly.

  There was no answer.

  "Liz, Melanie didn't mean to hurt you or make you mad," Jana said. "She feels really bad that she said the wrong thing. Won't you come out so I can talk to you?"

  "Go away," Liz said. "I don't want to talk to you."

  Jana sighed. "Liz, we just want to be your friends. Honest."

  "I don't need any friends," she said.

  Jana tried to think of what she could say to make Liz feel better, but then she considered the possibility that maybe Liz really didn't want to have friends at Wakeman.

  "Okay," Jana said. "If that's what you want."

  She turned and walked out of the restroom, hoping that Liz might call her back. But she didn't.

  Jana had planned to talk to Liz during one of their afternoon classes. She wanted to reassure Liz that she was liked and wanted at Wakeman. And she wanted to invite her to have dinner with her family on Saturday.

  She didn't get the chance, though, because Liz didn't show up at any of her classes for the rest of the day.

  CHAPTER 5

  "This is it, this is it!" Melanie's eyes grew large with excitement. "This is the fourth day of the true love test! With everything that went on at lunch, I nearly forgot!"

  Jana and Beth had arrived at Bumpers right after school. Melanie, Christie, and Katie had come shortly afterward. Since Randy hadn't gotten there yet, Jana was sitting with The Fabulous Five in a booth, positioned so that she could see him when he walked in the door.

  "So, what happens on the fourth day?" Beth asked. "I've forgotten already."

  "If you'd taken the test when I offered it to you, you'd remember, but since you didn't, I'll explain it again. On the fourth day, you drink a glass of water, then say your favorite guy's name," Melanie explained patiently.

  "Uh-huh," said Christie. "Then what?"

  "Within four days, he'll ask you out or say he likes you," Melanie said dreamily. "Isn't that romantic?"

  "Okay, Mel, now's the time," Beth said. "I'll ask for a glass of water."

  She scooted out of the booth and hurried up to the soda fountain. Within half a minute, she returned with a cup of ice water.

  Melanie glanced into the cup, and a frown creased her forehead.

  "What's wrong?" Katie asked.

  "Well, there's ice in here," Melanie said slowly. "The test didn't say anything about ice."

  "I'm sure it doesn't make any difference," Jana said, smiling. "A glass of water is a glass of water."

  Melanie frowned again."Yeah, and that's another thing. This container isn't made of glass either. It's a paper cup," she said. "Wow, I hope I don't mess this up. What if it doesn't work because it's ice water in a cup, instead of just plain water in a glass?"

&nb
sp; "Don't worry about it," Katie said. "If the crazy thing works anyway, it'll be a miracle."

  "No," Melanie said worriedly. "I'd better do it right. Excuse me, Beth, but I think I'll ask if they have a glass and I'll dump the ice out."

  "Oh, brother," Katie said with a sigh.

  "Be right back. Don't go away!" said Melanie, flushed with anticipation.

  "She's having fun," said Jana. "Let's play along."

  Melanie returned in a minute, holding up a small water glass. "And no ice," she said. She clutched the glass with both hands and stared upward dramatically.

  "Now is the time," she whispered, her eyes sparkling. "Now I drink the water and say the name of the boy who will become my own true love!"

  "Whose name are you going to say?" Beth interrupted.

  "Keep your shirt on, Beth," Melanie said impatiently. "I'm trying to create a mood here."

  "Oh, sorry," Beth said. "Go on."

  "First, I drink—" Melanie said. She lifted the glass slowly to her lips and drank the liquid.

  Suddenly Richie Corrierro came out of nowhere. He had a frog wriggling in his hand, and he held it up in front of Melanie's face. "Hey, Melanie!" he cried, laughing. "Kiss it! It's a prince!"

  Melanie screamed and almost dropped the empty water glass, and Richie doubled over with laughter. Then he dangled the frog by a back leg and shouted through his laughter, "Ha, ha. It's only rubber!"

  "RICHIE CORRIERRO! You're the most disgusting—"

  Suddenly she stopped and slapped a hand over her mouth.

  "Oh, no! What have I done!" she gasped, her eyes wide with horror.

  "You said, 'Richie Corrierro!'" Jana said. "Does that mean—"

  "That means he'll become my one true love!" Melanie wailed, sinking into the booth as her knees gave way. "Richie Corrierro! Yuck! Yuck! Yuck! This can't be happening. It just can't!" She put her hands over her face.

  "Don't worry, Mel," Katie said. "This test is a fake, anyway. People don't fall in love after taking a test and drinking a glass of water—"

  "And I did everything right, too!" moaned Melanie, completely ignoring Katie. "The container made of glass and no ice! I did everything perfectly! I'm doomed, doomed!"

  "No, you're not," Beth said. "You can get almost any boy you want by being nice, and—"

  "I was going to say Shane Arrington's name!" Melanie wailed. "If I'd done it right, I'd be waiting for Shane's call asking me out. He might have said he liked me! But no, now that's impossible. Now when I get that phone call, it'll be from dumb, stupid Richie Corrierro. I'd even rather have said the name of Shane's iguana, Igor! Yeckh! I can't stand it!"

  Jana put a hand on Melanie's shoulder. "Mel, don't worry. If Richie calls, just say no and then be super nice to the guys you really like. The test won't matter."

  "You can't change fate," Melanie said despondently. "What happened here this afternoon was fate. I know, because the test worked for my cousin."

  "What happened here this afternoon was dumb," said Beth. "Really, Mel, I can't believe you're taking this so seriously."

  Melanie glanced over Beth's shoulder and then her eyes grew wide. "It's Shane!" she gasped. "Shane just walked into Bumpers!"

  "Why don't you go over and say hi?" asked Jana.

  "But, I can't—"

  "Go ahead," Jana insisted, gently nudging Melanie toward the edge of the booth. "Put the love test to the ultimate test. Go talk to Shane and see what happens."

  Melanie bit her lower lip and gave Jana a wary look. Then she sighed shakily and said, "Okay. Here goes."

  Jana crossed her fingers behind her back and watched Melanie walk slowly toward Shane.

  "Uh-oh! Look who's coming toward Shane from the other direction," said Katie.

  All four girls grabbed one another's hands and held their breath as Laura McCall sauntered over to Shane. She was far enough ahead of Melanie to reach him while Melanie was still several steps away. Then Laura put a hand on Shane's arm and whispered something to him.

  Jana watched in horror as the two of them talked and giggled together while Melanie stood, staring at them, from the middle of the floor. Suddenly she whirled around and stomped back to The Fabulous Five's booth, tears spurting into her eyes.

  "See? I told you the test works," she said between sobs. "I just proved it!"

  "But, Mel—" Jana started to protest.

  "You saw it," Melanie cried. "Stupid, crummy Laura McCall came up and started flirting her head off with Shane, and he just flirted right back and ignored me completely!"

  "How could he ignore you?" asked Christie, frowning. "You weren't over there more than five seconds."

  "Yeah," added Katie. "He probably didn't even know you were there."

  "He didn't know I was there because of the love test! Don't you understand? I'm fated to have a crummy love life for the next four years!" Melanie jumped to her feet. "I'm going home. This is the worst day of my entire life!"

  "Mel!" cried Jana, grabbing Melanie's sleeve. "Stay here. You know you'll feel better if you're with your friends."

  "Right," said Beth. "Give him a second chance."

  "Are you kidding?" huffed Melanie. "And humiliate myself two times in one afternoon? No way!"

  "But don't you see what you're doing?" asked Christie. "You're making that stupid test work! You didn't give Shane a chance when Laura walked over. She isn't with him now, but now you won't even talk to him."

  "He's looking this way," Jana said, trying to talk without moving her lips so that he wouldn't be able to tell what she was saying. "Melanie! Turn around and smile at him."

  Melanie shot up straight as a poker. "Where is he?"

  "Over there," Jana said, nodding slightly in Shane's direction.

  Melanie took a deep breath and pasted a big smile on her face before swinging around to look toward Shane. But just then, he looked away and started talking with friends.

  "You didn't look fast enough," Jana insisted when she saw the crushed expression on Melanie's face.

  "Oh, yeah? Well, I give up! I'm going home!" She swept her books into her arms and stormed out of Bumpers.

  CHAPTER 6

  Melanie had scarcely gotten out the door when Randy walked into Bumpers. Jana waved him over.

  "Hi," he said to everyone in the booth. "Where's Melanie?"

  There was total silence for a moment, and then Jana said, "She was here, but she had to get home. Big test Monday or something."

  She didn't look at any of the other members of The Fabulous Five when she said that. She hated to lie, but Melanie would absolutely die if any boy ever found out about her love test. Even Randy, Jana thought with a sigh, who is the kindest and most sensitive boy who ever lived.

  "Earth to Jana. Earth to Jana," said Randy, bringing her back to reality. He was grinning, and Jana grinned back, knowing how he loved to tease her. "Want to walk home?" he asked.

  "Sure," Jana said, glad to get some time alone with him. "I'm ready now. Let's go."

  Jana and Randy said good-bye to the girls and headed for the door. Just then, Lee Brophy, a blond eighth-grade girl, walked in. She held up her hand in a greeting.

  "Hi, Jana," she said. "I've seen you with that homeless girl at school." Lee wrinkled her nose when she said "homeless" as if the word itself had a bad odor. "How's that working out, anyway?"

  Jana winced at Lee's haughty expression. "Well," she said, trying to phrase her answer carefully, "she's trying to get used to Wacko. It's quite an adjustment for her."

  The girl rolled her eyes. "Hmph. I certainly hope she's grateful that you're spending so much time with her."

  "Oh, I don't know—" Jana began, but Lee interrupted her.

  "I suppose she can't help how her parents live their lives, but—well, I just don't have much sympathy for those people."

  Little explosions went off in Jana's brain. "What do you mean?" she demanded.

  "What I mean is, why don't her parents get jobs?" said Lee, narrowing her eyes. "Then they could live in
an apartment instead of a homeless shelter where the taxpayers have to feed them. I just don't understand people like that—people who want handouts instead of standing on their own two feet. Talk about lazy."

  Jana bristled. She couldn't stand to hear Lee talk this way, but she didn't exactly know how to answer, either.

  "Well, I don't know that much about Liz," Jana began. "But there are a lot of people who've had some bad luck through no fault of their own. They're not lazy at all, but they need help, and they can get it at the shelter. And in the meantime, they can look for work. I'm sure everything is going to work out just fine for Liz in time."

  "Oh, come on, Jana, get real," said Lee. "Those people aren't like us."

  "What do you mean?" Jana asked warily. She didn't like the smirk on Lee's face.

  "Well, for one thing," Lee said with an air of superiority, "her hair is always a greasy mess. I mean, doesn't she have any pride? How tough is it to wash your hair, even at a shelter?"

  Jana stared at Lee for a moment, unable to say anything. Lee gave Jana a small, tight smile of triumph and walked away.

  Randy put his arm around Jana and steered her out the door. "Hey, don't let her get to you," he said gently. "You knew when you started this that not everyone would understand."

  Jana nodded. He was right, of course, but something else was bothering her. "Randy, can I tell you a secret?"

  Randy stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and looked at her with astonishment. "Of course," he said. "I thought you knew that."

  "I do," Jana said with an embarrassed little laugh. "It's just that . . . well . . . I don't know exactly how to say it."

  "Try," Randy said softly.

  Jana swallowed hard. "Lee isn't the only one who doesn't totally understand," she began. "Sometimes I don't either."

  She shifted from one foot to the other while Randy stood waiting patiently beside her. "What Lee said about Liz's hair always being a greasy mess is true," she went on. "I try not to let it bother me, and it makes me feel awfully guilty to say it out loud, but I've wondered the same thing Lee did. Doesn't Liz have any pride? I mean, she always looks so grubby. And she refuses to take off that ratty-looking red down jacket. She wears it all the time, instead of putting it in her locker like everyone else. If she washed her hair and tried to look a little neater, kids might be more interested in getting to know her."