by Betsy Haynes
Nobody said a word. I looked down at the ground as I waited, my heart pounding in my ears. I had said it. I had apologized to Jana and her friends. If this didn't work, I didn't know what else I could do.
Finally Jana spoke. "We don't have it, Taffy. Honest, we don't."
"That's right," said Beth. "All we found was that dirty magazine. We only pretended that we might have your diary."
"Are you sure someone's planning to read it at the party?" asked Jana. "That's awful."
I opened my purse and pulled out the crumpled note and handed it to her. "And look. It says 'Friday night,' just as I told you it did. What else could it mean?"
The girls passed it around, studying it closely and shaking their heads.
"Wow," said Melanie. "That's pretty scary. Somebody's definitely out to get you."
"But who?" said Katie.
We scanned the playground looking for anyone who might be suspicious, but none of us came up with any ideas.
I can't explain how, but I knew that Jana and her friends were telling the truth. They didn't have my diary after all. I walked around Mark Twain Elementary like a zombie all day, going to class, having lunch in the cafeteria, and feeling more depressed than ever. It was Thursday—the day before the party—and not only did I still not have my diary back, but I didn't even know who had it.
Most kids were bubbling over with excitement over leaving grade school and going into junior high in the fall. On the way home from school even Randy talked about how he could hardly wait for September and playing on the Wakeman football team, and he didn't seem to notice that I was quiet again.
As usual, my mother was waiting for me when I got in the house. She was in a dither, her face pink with excitement. I groaned under my breath. She was the last person I wanted to talk to right now.
"Oh, love, just wait until you hear the news," she gushed. "Cynthia Cameron will never be able to top this."
She paused, waiting breathlessly for me to ask her about her big news. When I didn't, she went on anyway.
"A little while ago I got this brilliant idea. You're going to be a star, and you should arrive at the television station like a star! So I rented a limousine to take you to the audition!"
I gasped. "A limousine?"
"That's right, dear. Tomorrow night, at exactly seven o'clock, an enormous white stretch limousine will pull up to our door. Then a uniformed chauffeur will escort you out to the car, put you inside, and take you to the audition in style. He'll wait, of course, and after you've given a stunning performance at the station, he'll drive you home again where your father and I will be waiting for you with bated breath."
I swallowed a giggle as what she was saying began to sink in.
"Then you and Dad aren't going with me?" I asked tentatively.
"Of course not, dear. How would it look for a star to arrive with her parents? But don't worry about a thing. You'll be wonderful."
Later, after I had thanked her a million times and was finally alone in my room, I hugged myself with joy. I had a new plan. A fantastic plan. It didn't matter that someone was going to try to humiliate me by reading my diary at the party. I would show that person a thing or two. I would show that person the truth about Taffy Sinclair!
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Miss Wiggins had tears in her eyes as the final dismissal bell of the year rang the next afternoon. "It's been a wonderful year," she said. "Good luck in Wakeman Junior High. I'm going to miss you. Oh, yes," she added. "Every one of you has passed!"
A cheer went up when she said that. Naturally Clarence Marshall cheered the loudest. A lot of girls were crying when we filed out of the room. Not me. I couldn't have been happier. And neither could Curtis Trowbridge. He had been stopping kids in the halls all day reminding them about his party.
"Don't forget to be there at seven sharp. That's when it starts," he called out, "and we're going to have a big fire in the barbecue pit and roast wieners and make s'mores. It'll be great!"
I had smiled to myself when he stopped me at morning recess to give me his message. I had been on my way to the office to make a phone call. Mrs. Lockwood, the school secretary, let me use the phone after I assured her that it was a local call. Then I took the phone number of the television station out of my purse, dialed, and listened nervously to it ring.
When the station's receptionist answered, I took a deep breath and said, "May I speak to the casting director, please?"
"Who is calling?"
"This is Taffy Sinclair. I have an appointment for an audition this evening."
"One moment, Miss Sinclair."
I shifted from one foot to the other as I waited. Finally a man's voice said, "McDougal here. What can I do for you, Miss Sinclair? You are still planning to audition for us, aren't you?"
"Oh, yes," I said quickly. Then I faked a couple of coughs and went on, "But I have a little cold today, and my eyes are red." I coughed a few more times. "I was wondering if it might be better to postpone the audition until in the morning. I'm sure I'll be perfectly fine after a good night's rest."
Mr. McDougal didn't say anything for a moment. I tried not to panic. If he said no, it would blow all my big plans.
"Sure," he said pleasantly. "I was just checking my schedule, and I have an open slot at nine in the morning. How does that sound?"
"Terrific, Mr. McDougal. Thanks a million. I'll see you in the morning at nine."
"Good. And, Miss Sinclair . . ."
"Yes?" I asked nervously.
"I hope your cough is better in the morning."
"Oh! Thanks!" Then I coughed again for his benefit and hung up.
Next I dialed the limousine company. I had sneaked a look at my mother's bulletin board by the kitchen phone to get the number.
"Executive Limousine. May I help you?"
I crossed my fingers behind my back. "Certainly," I said in my most grown-up voice. "This is Mrs. Sinclair. I have a limousine reserved for this evening to take my daughter to the television studio for an audition."
"Yes, Mrs. Sinclair. We have your reservation right here. Is anything wrong?"
"Oh, heavens, no. I would just like to change the destination this evening and reserve another limo to take her to the television station in the morning instead. She's in such demand that I can hardly keep up with her schedule."
The lady at the limousine company must have believed that I was my mother because she made the changes I asked for in the reservation. Everything was set. I would take the limousine to the party tonight, and then, when I got home, I would tell my parents that the station wanted to do a second audition in the morning and that I had already informed the limo driver that he should pick me up at eight-thirty. Since my mother had said that a star never arrived with her parents, they would never know the difference.
The first thing I did when I got home from school was take my new sundress out of the closet and spread it across my bed. It was even prettier than I remembered with all the bright colors splashing through it, and it made me feel good to look at it. I could hardly wait to put it on. It would be perfect for the party tonight.
Mother came into my room after I had showered and dressed. She was all excited and had her arms loaded. "I brought my makeup and some other things," she said. "After all, if you're going to be on television, you need a little eye shadow to emphasize your beautiful blue eyes and some color for your cheeks and lips."
I was too excited to trust my voice, so I only nodded and let her tie a towel around my neck the way the makeup lady had done on the set of Interns and Lovers. Things were working out too terrifically to be true.
Finally, seven o'clock came. As I stood by the window in my beautiful new dress watching for the limousine, I thought about all the kids from my class arriving at Curtis Trowbridge's house for the party at this very moment. They would all be there. Jana Morgan would probably be dropped off by her mother and her mother's friend, Pink. Jana's friends and Alexis and Scott and Keith and, of course, Randy Kir
wan would come in their family cars.
Just then a sleek white limousine pulled up at the curb. It was the longest car I had ever seen and the most beautiful. It had six doors along each side, and the windows were tinted so that you couldn't see who was inside. A tall, thin chauffeur in a dark suit and a hat with a visor stepped out and came to the door, bowing stiffly when I opened it and saying, "Miss Sinclair? I'm here to drive you."
After my parents had both hugged me and wished me luck a jillion times, I took a deep breath and followed him out to the car. When he held one of the doors open for me, I hesitated an instant. Maybe I was making a mistake, I thought wildly. Maybe it wouldn't work.
But hadn't my mother always told me to hold my head high and ignore what people were saying about me? I got into the car, and we drove away.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
I could see the fire in Curtis's barbecue pit as soon as the limousine rounded the corner onto his street. It was almost dark, and through the tinted windows the kids scampering around the yard looked like demons in the glow of the firelight.
"I'll be back for you at nine o'clock, Miss," the chauffeur said when the car came to a stop in front of Curtis's house. I nodded. Then I allowed him to open the door for me, and I stepped out.
Every single person in Curtis's yard had stopped and was looking at me with admiration. I was Cinderella getting out of her carriage. I was the Queen of England. I was a movie star arriving at the Academy Awards. I was Madonna stepping out on stage. I raised my head high, squared my shoulders, and walked through the gate to join the party. I would die before I'd let anyone know how much I was hurting inside.
At first no one said a word. They just stood there in the shimmering firelight and stared at me.
Finally, Mona rushed forward and grabbed my hand. "Come on, Taffy. You're the last one here, and we're having fun!"
I blinked and gave Mona a second look. She was wearing the blue outfit I had given her, and she really looked gorgeous. She giggled when she saw the expression on my face, and I started to compliment her when Curtis raced up to me.
"Gosh, Taffy. That was some entrance. Where'd you get that limo?"
I had made up my mind to be mysterious about the limousine, so I ignored his question. "It looks like a great party, Curtis," I said. "I'm sorry I'm late. Oh, by the way. Is it true that your parents aren't home?"
Curtis looked embarrassed. "You must be the tenth person who has asked me that. I don't know who started that rumor. They're here, all right, but they promised to stay in the house."
A moment later Curtis was off and running again, passing out pointed sticks. A table was set near the barbecue pit, and it was piled high with wieners, buns, mustard, ketchup, and potato chips. Soft drinks were cooling in a tub of ice nearby.
Everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time, but suddenly as I stood there alone, my old fear came back to me. Someone here at this very party had my diary, and whoever it was, was planning to read it out loud. I shivered even though it was a warm night and looked around. Over to one side of the yard Mona was talking to Matt Zeboski. Were they holding hands? It was too shadowy to tell for sure. I giggled and looked away. Jana and her friends were talking to Keith Masterson and Joel Murphy, and Randy and Scott Daly were holding twigs over the barbecue pit until they caught fire and then pretending that they were smoking them. Those fakes, I thought and smiled.
Clarence Marshall had already started roasting wieners. In fact, he had threaded three onto his stick, and they were so heavy that the stick snapped and they fell sizzling into the fire.
"Rats!" he shouted, and looked around for another stick. Just then he spotted me. "Hey, Taffy," he shouted. "Don't forget that you owe me a kiss."
"That jerk," I muttered. "He'd better leave me alone." Lisa Snow and Kim Baxter were starting a game of badminton under the light from the porch, and I hurried in their direction.
"Can I play?" I asked.
"Sure. Here, catch."
Lisa tossed me a racket, and we batted the birdie around until Kim announced that she was too hungry to play anymore.
"Me, too," I admitted, and the three of us headed for the fire.
I was beginning to relax. It was almost eight o'clock and nothing had happened. Maybe the person who had my diary had had a change of heart. Maybe whoever that person was had seen me arrive in the big white limousine and had decided that it was impossible to hurt me. I hoped so. That would mean that my plan had worked.
Just then Randy Kirwan stepped up beside me. "It's a great party, isn't it?"
I nodded, and then I started to laugh.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"I was just remembering that at school earlier this week some of the girls were wondering if we'd have to work crossword puzzles or play computer games when we came to Curtis's house."
"Curtis is okay," said Randy. "He's just misunderstood."
I was aching to turn to Randy and say, So am I, but I didn't.
Lisa and Kim and I roasted hot dogs and ate them and were standing around talking when Curtis called from the center of the yard, "Come on, everybody. It's dark enough to play hide-and-seek tag. Okay, who wants to be It?"
"Me!" shouted Richie Corrierro.
He covered his eyes and started counting while everybody scrambled to hide. I squeezed behind the back wall of the house and a bush and held my breath.
"Ready or not, here I come," called Richie.
Richie went streaking around the yard catching Alexis and Eric Silverman while Randy and Mark and Jana ran home free.
Richie was moving steadily toward the part of the yard where I was hiding. He had already caught Melanie and Christie, and I had a feeling I would be next. I eased my way out from behind the bush and ducked around the side of the house. It was totally dark. He would never find me here.
Almost everyone else had either been caught or had made it home free, and I edged toward the corner of the house to peek. Just then someone tapped me on the shoulder. I looked up into Clarence Marshall's grinning face.
"What's the matter? Did I scare you?"
I narrowed my eyes and scowled at him. "Of course not. I'm not scared of you."
"Then give me that kiss you owe me."
"I don't owe you any kiss," I insisted. "Now leave me alone."
"Sure. Whatever you say." He started to back away, but when he did, he stepped into the light and I got a flash of something blue that he was waving in his hand. My diary! "But if you want this back, you'd better give me a kiss."
I stood there staring at him for an instant before pandemonium broke loose. Kids came from every direction, and Clarence went down like a quarterback being sacked in the middle of a pass. I started to grab for my diary, but before I could move, someone else wrenched it out of his hand.
It was Jana, and she tucked it under her arm as she got to her feet. My heart stopped. What was she going to do? Slowly everyone else untangled themselves from the pile of bodies and stood up, too, and I realized for the first time that it had been The Fabulous Five who had tackled Clarence.
"Jeez," he said, sitting up and rubbing a spot on his head. "Knocked down by a bunch of girls! I wasn't going to do anything! Honest! I was just having a little fun."
"We didn't like your idea of fun," said Jana. "And what's more, this diary is private property. It belongs to Taffy Sinclair."
Then Jana stepped over Clarence's outstretched legs and held the diary out to me. "Here's your diary back. Now we know who had it and why. He wasn't going to read it tonight. He was just going to bribe you into giving him a kiss."
"Thanks," I whispered as my chin started to quiver. I had never been so grateful to anyone in my entire life. "Thanks a million."
I took my diary, thinking that I was beginning to feel differently about Jana and her friends, and from the way they had ganged up on Clarence, I suspected that they felt differently about me, too. Not that we could ever be best friends, I reasoned. Too much had happened between us for that.
But maybe we wouldn't be enemies when we got to Wakeman Junior High, either. Maybe the truth about all of us was that we were too grown up for that sort of thing anymore. Maybe I was too grown up for a diary, too, I thought. Then, with everyone watching, I tossed it into the fire.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
After that, no one wanted to play hide-and-seek tag anymore, so we went into Curtis's house to listen to music.
"Can you believe that nerdy old Curtis has a compact disk player and all the best music?" whispered Alexis.
"He's not as nerdy as you think," I whispered back. "He's just misunderstood."
The rest of the party was pretty mellow. Clarence sat in a corner by himself and pouted. Every so often I could hear him grumbling about how having my diary had all just been a big joke. Everyone else sprawled on toss pillows on the family room floor, drinking sodas and listening to music. Finally it was almost nine o'clock and kids got ready to leave.
I glanced across the room at Randy as I stood up and smoothed the wrinkles out of my beautiful new sundress. He was the only part of my plan that hadn't worked out. I had dreamed of us finding a dark corner and being alone, maybe even kissing good-night when the party was over.
What's the use? I thought. After all, he's Jana's boyfriend, and she was the one who saved me from terrible humiliation tonight.
I looked at Randy again, thinking that he was the handsomest boy in our class. There probably wouldn't be anyone else nearly as handsome in Wakeman next year.
Suddenly something occurred to me. Something fantastic. In fact, it was all I could do to keep from jumping all over the place and laughing out loud. True, Randy hadn't spent much time with me tonight, but he also hadn't spent much time with Jana, either. That had to mean I still had a chance with him after all!
