by Betsy Haynes
CHAPTER 16
Brian was quiet again on the ride home, and Melanie's depression deepened. She knew that she should try to fix things between them. She should apologize. Or if she couldn't do that, she should ask someone else to give him the message that she was sorry for acting like a jerk. But what if she did and he started liking her again? Her mind reeled at the thought of more brick-smashing demonstrations where he yelled out her name, or of him chinning himself for her again in front of the entire student body. Or worst of all, of anyone's thinking that she liked him back. As badly as she wanted to make things right, she didn't want that to happen.
Maybe if I just ignore the whole situation, it will go away, she told herself. Maybe he'll forget all about me. Maybe he'll even get interested in somebody else. But one look at the forlorn expression on Brian's face told her that he wouldn't. Not very soon, anyway.
For the next few days, Melanie had a lot of other things to occupy her mind. Two eighth-graders and a ninth-grader signed on for the teen taxi. Counting herself, that made seven junior-high passengers, which was the limit the van could hold, and except for the tension between her and Brian, trips to and from school took on a party atmosphere. Her mother was ecstatic, and Jeffy was running around the house shouting about all his new friends, and Melanie was miserable.
More of the puppies went to new homes, also. Scott was taken by an elderly friend of their neighbor's, Mrs. Miller, and Melanie consoled herself that the old gentleman was lonely and that Scott would be a good friend to him. Christie was chosen by Jeffy's kindergarten teacher, Ms. Strickland, who promised they could visit her anytime they wanted. But the hardest time came one afternoon when Melanie came home from riding her bike to Jana's and her mother met her at the door.
"There is a family downstairs with the puppies," she said, "and I think they're going to take Katie."
A lump the size of a tennis ball filled Melanie's throat. "Katie?" she whispered in disbelief. Red-haired Katie had become Melanie's favorite, and she had laughed and told herself so many times that the little dog's personality was identical to Katie Shannon's. Little Katie was always in the middle of everything, growling at the boy dogs and making sure that she got her fair share of the puppy food.
"Why don't you go down and meet them?" her mother said gently.
Melanie took a deep breath and willed the tears not to fill her eyes. Of course she wanted to meet them. She couldn't send Katie home with just anyone. She counted off the steps as she went down, not wanting to look at the man and woman and small girl about Jeffy's age who stood beside Rainbow's box.
"Hello," said the woman when Melanie approached. "I'm Mrs. Hayward. This is my husband and my daughter, Janelle."
Melanie cleared her throat and said in a shaky voice, "Hi, I'm Melanie Edwards."
She glanced at Janelle, who was cradling Katie on her shoulder, but the little girl's face was solemn and her eyes were brimming with tears. Melanie frowned. If she wanted a puppy, why wasn't she smiling? Maybe she didn't even like dogs and would be mean to little Katie.
"Janelle's feeling sad," Mrs. Hayward explained. "Last week Maxie was hit by a car and killed. Maxie was Janelle's best friend. We got him as a puppy when she was just a baby so they had been together forever."
Melanie looked back at the sad little girl as sympathy filled her heart. "Oh . . . I'm sorry," she almost whispered. Then she took a deep breath and knelt beside Janelle, stroking Katie's curly red head. "I call her Katie," she said, "because she reminds me so much of one of my best friends, Katie Shannon. She loves to play, especially tug-of-war."
Just then Katie stuck out her tiny pink tongue and licked Janelle squarely on the nose as if to say she liked the little girl. Janelle's face lit up and she planted a kiss on top of Katie's head and pressed her cheek against the little dog's head. Melanie smiled in spite of the ache in her heart. Katie was going to have a good home. She was going to be loved.
Melanie didn't have to worry about talking to Brian on the way to or from school now. With the teen taxi so full, she always had someone else to talk to. Not only that, Jeffy was the center of attention, hopping from one teenager to another and loving every minute of it. It was almost impossible to get him to sit still and buckle up except when he sat with Brian and admired his muscular arms and chest. Jeffy liked everybody, especially the girls.
"I think he's learning to flirt," said Holly Davis, one of the new riders. "Look at the way he rolls his eyes and grins."
It was true, thought Melanie. Jeffy was so busy showing off and clowning for the others that she barely had to deal with him at all, and her mother didn't seem to mind that he sat with first one and then another of the riders as long as he buckled up.
One afternoon after they had delivered all their passengers and were home again, her mother looked thoughtful and then said, "Mel, do you remember when we were starting up the taxi and I needed your help and that I told you eventually we'd work things out so that you wouldn't have to give up your social life?"
Melanie nodded. What was her mother getting at? she wondered.
"Well, I've decided that Jeffy is so well taken care of by the boys and girls who ride with me that it isn't necessary for you to come along anymore, if you don't want to. I appreciate all the help you've given me, but now you're free to go to Bumpers with The Fabulous Five or help your friend Garrett out with his photography assignments or do whatever you wish."
Melanie's mouth dropped open, and she stared at her mother, who looked back at her with genuine appreciation shining on her face.
"Gosh . . . thanks . . . I mean," Melanie sputtered.
"Without you, I never could have gotten my business going," Mrs. Edwards said proudly. "And I'm the one who's doing the thanking. You don't know how much making the teen taxi service work has meant to me."
Melanie saw tears fill her mother's eyes, and the guilt that she had tried to push out of her mind while she was sabotaging the teen taxi came rushing back in.
"Mom," she said softly. "There's something you ought to know. It's my fault that Shawnie and Kevin canceled. I told Shawnie that you were a bad driver and Kevin that you were always running late. It's my fault that Michelle canceled, too. She's awfully shy, especially around boys, so I told her that . . ." Melanie cleared her throat, wishing there was something else to say. Sighing, she said, "I told her she'd have to sit on a boy's lap because the van was so crowded."
"What?" gasped her mother. "Melanie Edwards! Why on earth did you do a thing like that?"
Melanie closed her eyes. She had to tell her mother the truth. There was no other way. "I was embarrassed about the teen taxi. I was afraid kids would tease me and make fun of you, saying my mother was a taxi driver."
"Oh, I see." Mrs. Edwards frowned to herself. Then she looked at Melanie with concern and asked, "And did they?"
Melanie shook her head. "I guess I was worried for nothing," she confessed. "And Shawnie even said she thought the teen taxi was cool."
Her mother chuckled and put her arm around Melanie's shoulder. "I guess everything worked out all right then, didn't it?"
Melanie tried to smile, but she couldn't. "Not quite," she said. "There's still Brian. He had a monster crush on me and was telling everybody at school that we were making out in the back of the van."
"Oh, Melanie!" Her mother sounded shocked. "That's awful. No wonder you were upset. But Brian wouldn't do a thing like that. Someone must have told you that just to be mean. He's a darling boy, and so strong. Why, as much as you like boys, I'm surprised that you don't have a crush on him."
Melanie looked away quickly, crossing her eyes in exasperation. Why did parents always have such rotten taste? "Mu-THUR!" she groaned. "Brian Olsen's not my type. Anyway, everything's okay now. I . . . I had a talk with him."
Mrs. Edwards's face lit up. "Wonderful, sweetheart. I can always count on you to do the right thing."
Melanie cringed and her guilty feeling came back again. If only her mother knew that the tal
k she had had with Brian had been anything but the right thing to do. What would she think if she knew that Melanie had said everything she could to make him not like her anymore? She was still fumbling for words to end the conversation when the telephone rang. Grabbing the receiver, she said, "Hello. Edwardses' residence. Teen taxi service, our specialty. Melanie speaking." Her mother's smile told Melanie that she was pleased.
The caller was a man and he asked for Mrs. Edwards. Probably someone else about the puppies, she thought as she handed off the phone and escaped up the stairs to her room.
She paced the floor, too antsy to do homework. On the one hand, right after she confessed to her mother about trying to sabotage the taxi, she had turned around and stretched the truth about how she had handled Brian. But on the other hand, her prayers had been answered. Now she could get her social life back on track, and she wouldn't have to face Brian twice a day in the taxi. Maybe now she could even forget about the mess she had made of that situation. I'll call my friends, she thought, and tell them the good news.
Halfway down the stairs she met her mother coming up, and the grin on her face was bigger than ever. "Melanie, guess what?" she shouted.
"What?" Melanie asked.
"I'm going to be a celebrity," Mrs. Edwards said with a laugh. "That was the local newspaper. They're coming here in the morning to do a story about the teen taxi. They're sending a photographer, too. Isn't that exciting?"
"Gosh, Mom, that's terrific. What did they say?" asked Melanie.
"They said that they had heard about the taxi and thought it was a great idea and that I deserve recognition for providing such a badly needed service. I don't know what to think," she added with an embarrassed laugh. "I never expected anything like this."
Melanie gave her mother a hug. "They're right, you know. You do deserve recognition. Gosh, I'm really proud of you."
A little while later, after she had called her friends and given them all the good news, she telephoned Garrett.
"Hi, Garrett," she began shyly. "If you still need an assistant to help with your photography assignments, I can do it now. And I can explain all about the teen taxi."
They talked a long time, and before they hung up he said he really wanted her to help him. He even said that he'd take pictures of the teen taxi for the yearbook.
Melanie drifted back into her room and stretched out on her bed. In spite of how great everything was turning out, there was still one thing that bothered her. Brian Olsen. Why, oh, why, she asked herself, can't I get Brian out of my mind?
CHAPTER 17
The Edwards household was a madhouse the next morning with the newspaper reporter interviewing her mother and the photographer snapping pictures of the van. Jeffy was beside himself with excitement and mugged for the photographer every chance he got. Melanie watched it all with growing pride. She was sorry now that she had tried to sabotage the teen taxi, but at least everything had worked out for the best.
When the people from the newspaper finally left, she went back upstairs for her books. She paused by her desk and opened her notebook, pulling out the page where she had written the turnoffs and crumpling it into a ball, which she tossed in her wastebasket. It was no wonder that Brian hated her now. Those were terrible things to do on purpose, and she had lain awake most of the night making up her mind about how to set things right. Crossing and uncrossing her fingers three times for luck, she hurried back down to the taxi.
When she got inside the van, she looked longingly at the seat she usually sat in. Maybe she should wait until another time to put her plan into action. She was going to Bumpers after school, but maybe she could do it tomorrow morning. No, she decided, straightening her shoulders. She wouldn't feel better until she got it over with.
She sat down on one end of the bench seat where Brian usually sat. If he would sit down beside her, they could talk on the way to school, and she could finally tell him the truth about how she felt.
As usual, Shawnie was the first passenger to be picked up, and Jeffy jumped into her lap and jabbered excitedly about the morning's events. Melanie tried to join in the conversation, but the closer they got to Brian's house the more nervous she got. Would she be able to say it right? What if he became angrier than ever?
Her heart was racing when they turned into his street, and the blood was pounding in her ears when the van pulled into his driveway. Her eyes were glued to the van door as it swung open. Brian stepped inside, closing the door behind himself, and absently headed for his usual seat. He gave her a quizzical frown when he noticed her sitting there.
Melanie turned to look at him. He was staring out the window.
"Hi, Brian," she said through quivering lips. "You don't mind if I sit with you this morning, do you?"
He seemed to think the idea over for a second and then shook his head. So far, so good, she thought, and took a deep breath to start her speech.
"Hey, Brian. Show me your muscles!" shouted Jeffy. "Can I come and sit with you?"
"Not now, Jeffy," Brian answered. "Maybe later."
They rode along in silence for a few minutes, but she knew there was no use putting it off. She had to talk to him, and she had to do it now.
"Brian, I think I owe you an apology," she began, saying the words slowly. He turned to look at her, but his expression was blank, so she couldn't guess what he was thinking.
"Actually, I know that I owe you an apology for acting like such a jerk and saying so many dumb things. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."
Frowning, Brian shook his head. "I couldn't believe that was you talking. I always thought you were a great person, but then you began sounding so conceited and so . . ." Brian shrugged. "I couldn't understand what was going on. I mean, I really liked you before that."
"I know," Melanie said gently. "That was just the problem. Don't get me wrong. I was really flattered that you liked me so much, but the truth is I like someone else and I was trying to make you not like me so much. I overdid it," she said, trying to look truly sorry.
Brian didn't say anything for a minute. Finally he looked at her sadly and said, "Why didn't you just say so?"
"I don't know. Honest, I don't. But I really am sorry."
Just then the van pulled to a stop again to pick up Kevin Walker-Noles. Kevin got in, calling out a greeting to everyone inside, and Melanie held her breath. She wanted Brian to accept her apology and say he understood, but would he? If only their conversation hadn't been interrupted by the stop at Kevin's house.
Once Kevin was seated, the taxi inched out into traffic again, and Melanie glanced at Brian out of the corner of her eye. He had twisted around and was looking out the back window.
Turning back to her, he said, "I could have sworn that I heard someone honking at us. Guess I was wrong."
"Do you believe me when I say I'm sorry?" Melanie asked, getting their conversation back on track as quickly as she could.
Brian nodded. "I'm sorry, too," he said, "especially that you like someone else."
"Then, you forgive me?" she asked anxiously.
"Sure," he said, grinning broadly.
Melanie relaxed and sank down in the seat. Smiling to herself, she thought about how things had worked themselves out. Brian wasn't mad at her anymore and he wouldn't be doing those dumb things to show off for her in front of everyone now that he understood. Best yet, she could go to Bumpers after school with her friends and no one would tease her about Brian. Finally, she thought, my life is getting back to normal.
Suddenly Melanie was aware of honking, and she and Brian both turned to look out the back window at the same time.
"Hey, it's another van, and it's honking at us," she cried.
"Yeah, and it has CHANNEL 2 painted on the side," shouted Brian.
"Oh, my gosh. Mom! Pull over to the curb!" Melanie called out to her mother. "We're going to be on television!"
Mrs. Edwards eased the teen taxi out of traffic and brought it to a stop with the Channel 2 van right behind. A
n instant later the door flew open and Marge Whitworth, the anchorwoman from the television station, climbed inside followed by her cameraman.
"We just heard about your new taxi service. Do you mind if we ride along and tape a segment for tonight's news?" she asked.
"Of course not," chirped Mrs. Edwards. "Be my guest."
As the van started up again, Melanie leaned back and closed her eyes. Being honest with Brian had been the right thing to do. Other things were going right, too. The teen taxi was not only a success, but her mother was going to be famous. It might be starting small with the local newspaper and television appearances, but maybe next week People magazine would call or Johnny Carson. Who knows, she thought, maybe she'll even make Saturday Night Live.
Just then Brian nudged her. "Smile," he whispered.
"What?" she asked, opening her eyes and then sitting up with a start.
"I said, smile," Brian answered. "We're going to be on TV."
Melanie tried to smile, but her lips felt instantly stiff and inside she was groaning. The cameraman was pointing his Minicam directly at them, and she could see by the red light on the front that the camera was rolling. How could this be happening? Especially now, when she had just gotten Brian Olsen out of her life. They were going to be on TV, all right, sitting close together in the backseat of the van. Everyone in the world would see them. At least everyone in Wakeman Junior High.
"Oh, no," she muttered under her breath. "Here we go again."
CHAPTER 18
"Look at this!" Katie said, putting the teen magazine down on the table so the other members of The Fabulous Five could see what she was talking about. It was Saturday afternoon and they were sitting in Taco Plenty, the fast-food restaurant at the mall. "Can you believe that they wouldn't let the girl who wrote this letter play quarterback on a football team for nine- to twelve-year-olds? That's archaic!"
"Who wouldn't?" asked Jana.
"Why would she want to?" asked Melanie.
