by Betsy Haynes
"I'm sorry," said Christie, putting her hand on Melanie's hand and smiling apologetically. "It's just that I think I've explained it a million times already.
"What am I going to do?" Christie implored as Melanie smiled back at her. "Tammy Lucero is telling everybody that I've been kicked off the team already. I know the rest of The Fantastic Foursome is doing the same thing, but Mr. Neal said I've got until Wednesday to find out what happened."
"Everybody knows you, Christie," said Beth. "They know you didn't have to cheat to win."
"You don't have any idea how it happened?" asked Jana.
"None at all."
"We could all spread the word that it's a mistake," said Melanie. "Like Beth said, everyone knows Christie wouldn't have to cheat to win."
"That's great," said Christie. "But if I don't find out what happened by Wednesday, Melissa McConnell will take my place in the match against Trumbull, and everyone will think I cheated, regardless."
"Let's put our heads together and figure it out," said Jana. "There's got to be a way. Why don't we all go to the auditorium after classes and go over the scene of the crime? If anyone can figure it out, we can."
"Right," said Katie. "The Fabulous Five can do anything."
"Oh, Christie, I heard you had a problem in the tryouts." Laura McCall's voice suddenly interrupted their conversation.
None of them had seen her come up. She was smiling broadly, and Christie could tell she was overjoyed at Christie's predicament.
"It's none of your business, Laura McCall," said Beth.
"Just like the fact your boyfriend is sitting with Kimm Taylor is none of my business, Christie?" she said sweetly. "I guess you're right, only I hear you didn't do so well at the tryouts, and it doesn't look as if you're doing too well with Jon, either." She smiled her icky-sweet smile again.
"Some people win, some people lose," Laura said, flicking her braid over her shoulder. "Well, I don't suppose any of you Fabulous Five will be at the Trumbull match since none of you will be on the team. The Fantastic Foursome will all be there, of course, since one of our group did make the team."
"There's no proof that Christie took the folder with the questions," countered Jana. "In fact, we're sure we can prove she didn't have the folder. Someone must have stuck it in with her books." Jana looked coldly at Melissa.
"Oh?" said Laura, raising one eyebrow. "I hear that someone saw Tim giving Christie a blue folder, just like the one Mr. Neal had the questions in, Wednesday after school."
For the second time that day Christie felt as if she had been hit with a brick. Everyone stared at her, even The Fabulous Five.
Christie dropped back down on the bench without even trying to explain that she had gotten that folder from Miss Simone. It hadn't been proven that she had taken the questions, and she had until Wednesday to prove that she hadn't, but that hardly mattered anymore. Laura McCall had just made it clear that Christie had already been found guilty.
CHAPTER 9
After classes had ended for the day, Christie trailed along after her friends to the auditorium. She couldn't help feeling gloomy about her chances of proving she was innocent, but her friends had insisted on going over what had happened.
"Laura McCall makes Joe Isuzu look honest," Katie said, giving her a sympathetic look. Christie smiled at her friend gratefully.
"Okay, Christie. Tell us exactly what happened during the tryouts," ordered Jana.
"Well, we came in, and Mr. Neal told us to sit where we had been sitting the day before."
"Where was everyone sitting?" asked Melanie. "Show us."
"Kyle Zimmerman and Holly Davis were sitting on one end, Daphne Alexandrou and Brad Cochran were in the middle. I was next to Brad and Curtis was next to me."
"Where was Melissa?" asked Katie.
"Over there, at the other table," answered Christie, pointing.
"Where did you put your books?" asked Jana.
"I put them right in front of me on the table where I was sitting."
"Did you put them down someplace else before you sat down?" asked Beth.
Christie bit her lower lip and thought a moment. "No . . . I had them in my arms until I sat down." Her four friends' eyebrows wrinkled into frowns almost in unison.
Katie walked over to the podium. "You didn't talk to Mr. Neal and put the books down over here, did you?"
Christie shook her head. "I didn't put the books down, except at the table where I was sitting. And no one came near them. That's why I can't understand how the folder got in with my books."
"Curtis or Brad?" asked Jana. "They were sitting next to you. Could either one of them have done it?"
Everyone looked at her.
"Why would they?" asked Katie. "There has to be a motive."
"Speaking of motives," said Beth, "Laura said she heard that Tim gave you a blue folder. You have to admit that he's been hanging around you a lot ever since the tryouts started."
"Right!" said Jana excitedly. "And he's a real brain so he's sure to make the team."
"Are you guys thinking what I'm thinking?" asked Melanie, nodding to the others and opening her eyes dramatically. "He wanted to make sure Christie made the team, too, so he gave her the questions without her knowing it."
"He wouldn't do that," Christie insisted. "Besides, I know the folder he handed me was the one Miss Simone gave me to take home to my mother. There has to be something else."
"But what?" asked Jana.
The Fabulous Five stared at each other in gloomy silence. "I don't know what else to tell you," said Christie quietly. "That's all that happened." She felt the tears beginning to well up in her eyes again.
Jana came over to her and hugged her. "Keep thinking, Christie. We all believe you didn't do it, and there has to be an explanation."
"That's right," said Katie, wrapping her arms around both Christie and Jana. As Beth and Melanie joined them, Beth raised her hand for a high five and shouted, "One for all, and all for one!" The others slapped it, but Christie could tell they weren't enthusiastic. They knew, just as she did, that her chances of finding out how she had gotten the Super Quiz questions before the Wednesday deadline were pretty slim.
Christie braced herself as The Fabulous Five entered Bumpers. The room was filled, as usual, with the after-school crowd, and the old Wurlitzer jukebox was blaring loudly. Mr. Matson, the owner, was working the cash register as kids lined up with sodas, dishes of french fries, and hamburgers.
"All the booths are filled," said Christie.
"Why don't we stand by the jukebox? That way all the boys can admire us," suggested Melanie.
"Yeah," agreed Beth. "And we can talk to them when they come up to play songs."
"Who wants a cola?" asked Katie cheerfully. "I'll go get them if somebody will help."
"I do and I'll help," said Melanie. "I see Scott in line and I want to talk to him." Christie, Jana, and Beth gave them their orders.
"There's Randy," said Jana. "I'll be right back." Then she added, looking at Christie, "I'll be watching in case you need help."
Christie surveyed the crowd, telling herself that she was not looking for Jon but knowing deep down that she dreaded the possibility of seeing him with Kimm again.
Dekeisha Adams and Mandy McDermott were sitting with Bill Soliday and Tony Sanchez. Dekeisha waved when she saw Christie and Beth. Laura McCall and her friends were sitting together, and when Christie noticed them, they started whispering to each other and pointing in her direction. Christie had the feeling it was all for her benefit.
"Hi," said Shelly Bramlett as she came up to put money in the Wurlitzer.
Christie and Beth said "Hi" back.
"Did I see Jon sitting with Kimm Taylor in the cafeteria today?" Shelly asked Christie as she punched the buttons. "You and Jon haven't had a fight, have you?"
Christie tried not to show any reaction to Shelly's question. "Oh, no. Jon and I aren't going steady. We're just good friends."
Shelly looked
at Christie. "Hey, Christie. I think you're prettier than Kimm Taylor any day. You don't have to worry about her."
"I'm not worried about Kimm Taylor," responded Christie. "Jon can talk to her all he wants."
"Well, if he were my boyfriend, I wouldn't let someone take him away without a fight," said Shelly. "See you later."
Christie looked at Beth. Beth shrugged noncommittally. Why can't people understand about Jon and me? Christie wondered. But still, Shelly's words left her feeling depressed.
Looking around again, she saw Jon sitting with Keith Masterson and Randy Kirwan at the booth where Jana had gone to talk to Randy. Jon gave Christie a big smile when he saw her.
"Here are your sodas," said Katie, coming up from behind them. "Where's Jana?"
"Over there, talking to Randy," answered Beth.
"I'm glad I got in line. Scott just asked me if I'd go to the movies with him tonight," said Melanie. "Is anyone else going?"
"I'm going with Tony," answered Katie. "We're going to double with Jana and Randy. Randy's dad is dropping us off."
"Keith and I are going, too," said Beth. "Why don't we all meet in front and sit together."
"That sounds great," responded Katie. "What about you, Christie? Are you and Jon going?"
"We haven't talked about it," answered Christie. "I don't know what he's doing."
"Are you two still just best friends?" asked Katie.
Oh, no, thought Christie, glancing in Jon's direction. Not more questions about us.
"Nothing has changed," she answered, trying not to show her frustration at the question.
Going to the movies with The Fabulous Five and their boyfriends was always fun, but she didn't really have a boyfriend of her own now, and Jon might not want to go with her. He might want a real date.
"Look out, here comes Laura and her friends," whispered Beth. Laura, Melissa, Tammy, and Funny had gotten up from their booth and were headed toward The Fabulous Five.
"Have you found the mystery person who supposedly put the answer cards in your folder?" asked Laura. She had the end of her long braid in her hand and one eyebrow was raised arrogantly.
"It's just a matter of time until we do," Christie said with more confidence than she really felt.
"There are only a few people in Wakeman who would do such a dirty trick," said Beth, stepping forward. Christie knew Beth wanted to protect her from Laura's insults and appreciated her friend's efforts.
"Well, you don't have a lot of time left," interjected Melissa.
"I've got until Wednesday," responded Christie.
"Maybe not," said Tammy with a sneaky grin.
Christie looked at her questioningly. "What do you mean? Mr. Neal said I had until then."
"Well," piped up Melissa, "we don't think it's fair for me to have to wait that long to know if I'm going to be on the team, and I'm going to tell Mr. Neal that. After all, I need to know whether or not I should study, don't I? Wednesday is too late to find out. We think he'll change the day to Monday." The Fantastic Foursome smiled in unison, although Funny Hawthorne seemed uncomfortable.
"Studying won't do you any good," said Melanie. "You've got too much to learn." She and Melissa gave each other angry looks.
"We'll see," said Laura. She turned and headed for the door with Melissa, Tammy, and Funny following her.
"I'm glad they're gone," said Katie. "Do you really think Mr. Neal would change the date on you, Christie?"
"I don't know. I bet they ask him to, though."
"Hey, Christie. Things are looking up," said Melanie, nudging her. "Here comes Jon. Maybe he's going to ask you to the movies."
Christie turned and saw Jon headed toward them. Was Melanie right? Was he going to ask her for a date? Or was it something else? Maybe he liked Kimm so much now that he wanted to break off everything, even his friendship with Christie. Maybe she had been wrong to think that a boy and a girl could just be best friends. She cringed at the thought of losing him completely, especially now that she needed his help and his friendship so badly. She looked questioningly at him as he approached, but she couldn't tell anything from the expression on his face.
CHAPTER 10
"I'm out of here," said Beth as Jon came toward them. "I want to talk to Keith anyway, and you and Jon don't need us hanging around." She puckered her lips and made a kissing sound at Christie.
"Me, too," said Melanie. "I don't want to be near if you two decide you've had enough of this boy-girl friendship stuff. I don't know if I could survive the explosion of your first making-up kiss."
"I'm going to sit with Jana," said Katie. "See you all at the movies tonight."
"Boy, I sure made them scatter," said Jon as he came up beside Christie. "Isn't my deodorant working?"
"They had people they wanted to talk to," answered Christie. "It wasn't you."
"When you're ready, can I walk you home?" he asked. "Can best friends do that?"
Christie almost crumpled with relief. Kimm or no Kimm, he did still care about her. "Of course. Best friends do things like that all the time," she said. She wanted him to really believe that she meant he was her best friend outside of The Fabulous Five. "I'm ready to leave anytime you are." Christie noticed people watching them as they walked out of Bumpers.
"What's this rumor going around about your having trouble with the Super Quiz team?" asked Jon.
Christie patiently explained it for what she thought must be the zillionth time. She had never been so tired of talking about one thing in her life, but she wanted Jon to understand how serious things were and just how much she needed his help.
Jon frowned. "Everybody knows you wouldn't do a thing like that, of course."
"Melissa McConnell and her friends are telling everyone I did. Also, she's going to ask Mr. Neal to make a decision about whether or not I'm on the team by Monday instead of Wednesday. She's the first alternate and says she needs the extra time to study for the match with Trumbull."
"So even if they aren't responsible for your problem, they're taking advantage of it," he said.
Christie nodded. "If you think of anything . . . anything at all . . ." Her voice trailed off. She wanted to tell him how desperately she needed his help and ask him to call her and come over and spend all the time with her that he could while they found a way to work her problem out. But now that he was spending time with Kimm, would he think she was simply jealous? Or would he want to tell Kimm everything and ask for her help, too? Christie shuddered at that thought. She certainly didn't want Kimm poking around in her private business, but if she was Jon's girlfriend then maybe . . .
Jon must have read worry in her expression because he put his arm through hers, and they were quiet for a while as they walked along the street leading to her house.
It was Jon who finally broke the silence. "Don't worry. You didn't do anything wrong, and we'll prove it." Before she could respond, he added, "Are you doing anything tonight?"
She looked at him. His eyes were full of expectation.
"No," she said softly.
"I was wondering if a best friend, who just happens to be a boy, could ask a best friend, who just happens to be a girl, to go to a movie?"
Christie hesitated. Questions swirled in her mind. What about Kimm? And was he really asking her as a best friend? Or did he want to date her? Would it complicate things if she said yes? What would happen when he took her home? Would he want to kiss her? Or would they be proving that they could be best friends and go places together?
"I mean it," he said. "I started thinking about what you said, and I think maybe you were right. A guy and a girl should be able to be best friends like two guys or two girls. It's just that we'd be doing something new, and the idea takes a little getting used to."
"Had you thought about asking Kimm Taylor to go with you?" Christie asked.
Jon got a surprised look on his face. "To be honest with you, I did think about asking Kimm, but I decided I wanted to ask you instead."
Christ
ie was quiet for a moment, thinking. "Why?" she asked.
"I know you're having a hard time now, and people don't seem to want to believe that a guy and a girl can be best friends. I thought we ought to show them that you and I can do it."
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather go with Kimm?"
"No. I'd rather go with my best friend," he replied.
Christie squeezed his arm. "I'd love to go to the movie with you tonight. We'll show everybody. We'll both pay our own way, right?"
"Right," Jon said with a laugh, and Christie felt light-headed with relief.
The line at the movie theater was long, and Christie pulled the money for her ticket out of her pocket as she and Jon got on at the end. Jana and Katie were already on line with Randy and Tony.
"Beth and Melanie are inside!" called Jana. "They're going to save a row of seats for us!"
Christie nodded.
"Hi, Christie! Hi, Jon!" Dekeisha Adams yelled as she joined Dan Bankston, who had just bought tickets for them.
Christie waved back and said to Jon, "Dekeisha and Dan make a nice couple, don't they?"
He looked at her with a half-smile on his face and nodded agreement. Ooops! Christie thought. Why did I automatically assume they're a couple? Why can't they just be best friends going to a movie, like Jon and I? She was expecting Jon to think that way, and yet even she didn't all the time.
She didn't know what to say to Jon after that, and the silence hung between them like a thick curtain. Christie wondered if he was thinking about her comment.
Why did girl-boy relationships always have to come down to dating or hardly knowing each other? Jon and she had talked about a lot of things . . . just like best friends. She sneaked a glance at him. I wonder if he has told anyone some of the things I've told him? Like what I said about Melanie and Beth? He wouldn't do that, she assured herself. But she looked at him and wondered in spite of herself.
She had told him how boy crazy she thought Melanie was. But the rest of The Fabulous Five thought that, too. Katie was always asking Melanie if she ever thought of anything else but boys.
