by Chudney Ross
Chapter 10
Caught
Wednesday began just like every other morning. I got dressed, washed up, and headed downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast. The whole family was at the table like usual, but then we heard a knock.
Gardenia raced up and swung open the door. No way! Stinky Stanley was standing there with a big, silly smile on his face.
“Bean, your boyfriend is here,” Gardenia said.
“He’s not my boyfriend!”
“Hi, Bean,” Stanley said as he stepped into the kitchen. “Hi, Mr. Gibson.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I just stopped by to pick up my saxophone. Your dad was gonna fix it for me.”
“All fixed,” Dad said as he pointed to the leather case, which was propped up against the door. “Why don’t you try it and see how the keys feel?”
“All right,” said Stanley. He dropped his backpack, grabbed the case, and followed Dad into the living room.
“Bean, go grab your violin and come too,” Dad suggested.
“Now? With him?”
“Yes,” he said sternly. “Now.”
I know better than to argue with Dad when he talks serious like that, so I went up to my room and pulled my violin case out from under the bed. I sat at the top of the stairs, listening to Stanley putting his saxophone together and blowing to test the keys.
“Bean?” Dad yelled.
“Coming,” I moaned.
I walked as slow as I could. I put my case on the couch, all the way on the other side of the room from Stanley. I didn’t want to sit too close, you know. A person could die from his stink.
“Okay guys, you have a couple minutes to play till breakfast is ready.” And with that, Dad went back into the kitchen and left me alone with Stanley.
“That’s pretty cool that you play the violin,” he said.
“Well, I’m just learning.”
“I am too.”
“No, I mean I’m really just learning. The first day I played, it sounded like I was killin’ a cat.”
Stanley blew into his saxophone and—blaaaag! The most awful noise exploded. I laughed so hard I nearly dropped my violin on the floor. I knew he did it on purpose to make me feel better—and it really did!
Then Stanley played real notes and I followed the best I could by pressing the strings and pulling the bow and—guess what? Playing with Stanley was kind of fun. Reading sheet music was still hard for me, but I was getting pretty good at playing along with notes that I could hear.
“Why don’t you guys come in and eat some breakfast,” Dad said as he stuck his head through the door.
We put away our instruments and headed into the kitchen. Stanley grabbed his backpack. It was bright red with a cool race car on it.
“Is that new?” I asked.
“Yep, I just got it yesterday.”
“That car is supercool,” I let him know.
“Thanks.”
I sat next to Stanley at breakfast, and he wasn’t so stinky after all. Maybe he just seemed smellier before because that’s what everyone at school always said. Maybe the rumors had crept into my nose. I mean, he kinda had a smelly-feet-need-a-shower kinda stink, but nothing that was gonna make you fall out of the chair and die, you know.
Stanley walked to school with me, Rose, and Gardenia. Me and Stanley laughed as we tried to kick a rock like a soccer ball. We had to keep it from falling off the sidewalk and into the street.
When we got to school, I wasn’t so sure that I wanted everyone to think me and Stanley were friends. I gave him one last smile and then, with a shrug of my shoulders, I ran ahead and slid in line next to Tanisha.
“Happy hump day!” I said to her.
“What’s that mean?”
“My dad calls Wednesday hump day because it’s in the middle of the week, which means that when it’s finished, you’re over the hump and on the home stretch to the weekend. And boy, am I glad it’s hump day!”
Tanisha just shrugged. She doesn’t get excited about stuff like that.
The line started to move, and I skipped all the way into the building. Goody-two-shoes Gabrielle was the door holder. Me and Tanisha made faces at her as we passed.
“You two are unkempt goons,” Gabrielle said.
I don’t know what unkempt means, but I know what goon does and it is not very nice at all. When Gabrielle passed by us to take her place back in line, Tanisha stuck out her foot and—trip! Gabrielle tumbled to the floor.
“Oww!” she moaned as she got up and wiped off her frilly pink dress.
Tanisha howled with laughter. Gabrielle hadn’t hurt herself, so I giggled too and gave Tanisha a high five.
During morning lessons, Ms. Sullivan let me and Tanisha share a social studies book. While I was trying to read, she kept folding the pages. Then she blew a spitball right at me. In spelling, she even cheated off my test. I liked having someone to hang out with, but Tanisha was driving me crazy! Carla was a real friend. She would never do anything mean. At least that’s how it used to be.
The bell rang for recess, and as I got up from my seat, I bumped right into Carla.
“Wanna play hopscotch?” I asked hopefully.
“No, thank you, Bean.” Carla turned her back to me and headed into the hallway, pulling Sam along with her.
“I brought Flamin’ Hot Cheetos,” I yelled, swinging the bag in the air. “You want some?”
“I’ve got my own bag,” Carla said. She didn’t smile, but at least she had talked to me.
Tanisha grabbed my arm and dragged me to the playground.
“Let’s throw rocks at cars,” she said.
“No way. We’ll get in big trouble.” I was not planning on going to jail that day or any other day!
“Scaredy-cat!”
“Am not,” I said, “but I’m also not stupid.”
“Yeah, you are!” She shoved me and ran off across the playground. I felt kinda mad that she still bullied me, but not mad enough to stop playing, so I ran after her.
“Let’s mess with those girls.” She pointed at Renee and Aisha, who were playing hopscotch. We danced on the hopscotch board so they had to stop playing.
Finally Aisha whined, “Leave us alone!”
We grabbed a basketball from some boys and threw it over the fence. I laughed along with Tanisha, but way down deep, I didn’t feel right. I tried to ignore the twisting in my tummy, though, because for the first time in a long time, I had someone to play with.
“Come on, Bean,” said Tanisha as she stomped her feet in a big, dirty puddle, right next to where Gabrielle was sitting on the bench reading.
I just stood there, because I didn’t want to mess with anyone else today and I for sure didn’t want to get my socks and sneakers all soaking wet. But Tanisha gave me a growly I-mean-business look and dragged me into the puddle.
“Now my feet are all wet, Tanisha!”
She just laughed as she splashed around in the water. Tanisha pointed at Gabrielle and gave me a wink. Before I could stop her, she swung her leg, and dirty, muddy water sprinkled on Gabrielle’s dress and mud speckled her white ruffled socks.
Gabrielle got up and ran into the building. I sloshed out of the puddle, feeling terrible. The bell rang and everyone started filing off the playground. Tanisha grabbed my arm again and pulled me so fast that my soaking wet feet barely touched the ground.
“Where are we going?” I said, running to try and keep up. If I didn’t, she probably would’ve dragged me right across the cement.
“I have a plan, but we’ve gotta hurry.” Tanisha dragged me through the red door.
“This is the big plan? To get into the building first?”
“No, silly! We’re gonna hide behind the door and . . .” Just as Tanisha was explaining her plan, someone pushed the door and slam! Tanisha shoved it back as hard as she could. I could hear the sound of the door hitting someone.
“Ha! We got ’em good!” She laughed. But I didn’
t because I could hear crying from the other side of the door.
I slowly opened the door to see the damage. A girl was lying on the floor covering her face. She looked up at me with blood dripping from her nose and tears in her eyes. Oh, no! It was Carla.
“You’re bleeding!” I cried in shock.
Sam pointed at me and yelled, “Bean, what did you do?”
Ms. Sullivan came running to see what all the commotion was.
“What’s your problem? That was really mean!” Sam barked at me with fire in her eyes.
“It wasn’t me!” I swore.
“What happened?” Ms. Sullivan asked.
Before I could say a word, Sam told Ms. Sullivan, “Bean slammed the door as we were coming in and it hit Carla in the face and she did it on purpose!”
“Bean, go straight to the principal’s office,” said Ms. Sullivan angrily as she led Carla to the nurse’s office with Sam following. “This is unacceptable behavior and I will not stand for it.”
When I was all alone, Tanisha popped her stupid head around the corner.
“Are they gone?” she said.
“You have to tell them you did it!” I cried.
“I’m not the one who got caught. You were,” Tanisha said. She leaned against the wall like it was no big deal.
I was so fuming mad that I wanted to scream.
Chapter 11
Grounded
“Sit down by Mr. Bloodsoe’s door,” Ms. Gloria said without a smile.
This wasn’t the Ms. Gloria I knew, but I guess I seemed like a very different Bean to her too.
I flopped into the chair and waited for Mr. Bloodsoe. I couldn’t stop shaking. Mr. Bloodsoe is scary. He’s so hairy that even his neck is covered. His eyes bulge out of his skull and his teeth are pointy like daggers. He looks like an ogre who lives in a cave.
Creeeak! The door to his office slowly opened. I covered my mouth so I wouldn’t scream as he lumbered toward me.
“This way,” growled Mr. Bloodsoe. He motioned with his big, thick, hairy arm. He walked into the office behind me and sat at his huge, messy desk.
“It wasn’t . . . um . . . I didn’t . . . This is all a big mistake. I promise to be good and . . . um . . . I won’t be bad anymore,” I stammered. Then I smiled my warmest please-forgive-me smile.
“If you didn’t do it, then who did?” he growled.
I zipped my lips because I knew I couldn’t tattle. Tanisha would kill me for sure.
“This is not like you, Chrysanthemum. We’ve never had any problems with you before.”
“And you won’t ever have any again. I promise I’ll be good and I’ll listen and I’ll . . .” I kept babbling on, but I stopped short when Mr. Bloodsoe picked up the phone. Was he gonna call security to haul me away? The cops to arrest me?
“I’m going to have to call your parents,” he said.
Oh no! That was even worse. Tears started to creep into my eyes as he pressed one number at a time. I hoped and hoped and hoped that no one would answer, but no luck.
“Hello, Mr. Gibson, sir. This is Mr. Bloodsoe from Coliseum Elementary. I have Chrysanthemum here in my office. She has been giving her teacher some problems.”
I buried my face in my hands.
“Yes, Ms. Sullivan said that she’s been throwing things and talking back in class, and today, a little girl was hurt badly because of her mischief.”
He had it all wrong! None of this was my fault.
“Thank you, sir. I am sure you will,” Mr. Bloodsoe said as he hung up the phone and turned to me. “If Ms. Sullivan has any more problems with you, there are going to be some serious consequences, Chrysanthemum. Do you understand?”
I didn’t think this was a good time to tell him that my name is actually Bean. Instead, I nodded and said, “Yes, sir. I will be a good girl. I promise.”
The minute he stood up, I rushed out of the office. I was too embarrassed to look at Ms. Gloria. I headed right back to class. Ms. Sullivan gave me an angry glare as I slid into my seat.
I felt really, really superbad when I saw that Carla’s seat was empty. I looked over at Terrible Tanisha and she was smiling to herself. She was definitely not going to be my friend anymore. I would rather be alone forever.
I made it through the rest of the day without even opening my mouth. When the bell finally rang, I lined up and tried to be invisible as the class walked to the playground.
“Bean, may I speak to you for a second?” Ms. Sullivan asked before I could make it over to Rose, who was waiting by the fence.
“Yes, ma’am,” I said, trying to be as polite as I could.
“I would like you to think about your behavior and how it affects others. Carla got hurt today.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And you will have to stay in for recess for the rest of the week,” she added.
“Yes, ma’am,” I agreed, even though it made me really sad. I said good-bye and headed over to Rose.
“What was all that about, Bean?” she asked. “Ms. Sullivan looked upset.”
“Tanisha slammed Carla with the door and she got really hurt. They blamed me and I got in big trouble.”
Tears started rolling down my cheeks again. I tried to hold them in my eyes, but it was no use. Rose put her arm around my shoulder. I must have really looked upset, because even Gardenia didn’t make fun of me as we walked home.
I slowed to a snail’s crawl as I spotted the house up ahead. I didn’t wanna face Dad. When we got there, Rose swung the door open and I crept in, snuck to the computer, and plopped myself down. I needed to email Tanya, but before I could even log on, Dad came down the stairs.
“No computer!” he barked.
I couldn’t even get a word out before he was shuffling me up the stairs and into my room.
“No TV and no playing outside. We will talk about this when your mother gets home,” Dad said. He shut the door, and he didn’t leave it open a crack like he usually does.
I dropped my backpack and sprawled across my bed. I couldn’t stop thinking about poor Carla. I hoped her nose wasn’t broken. What if she had to go to the hospital? What if my mom saw her there?
My head was spinning, but I finally finished my homework. Then I braided my doll’s hair, stared at the wall, and flipped through my Ramona book. I could hear Rose and her friend Gina playing hopscotch outside. I wished I could go out and play with them, even though they wouldn’t have let me anyway.
I could hear Gardenia practicing her flute downstairs. That’s it! Maybe I could practice my violin to keep my mind off things. Dad had taught me the scales, and I could almost get through them without screeching. I took my violin out and started playing the notes over and over and over again.
“Dad told me to deliver this to you,” Rose said as she placed a tray on the table next to my bed. Chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese—yum! But not so yummy when you have to eat it all alone in your bedroom.
“This is my fault,” she said before she left. “I knew I shouldn’t have let you hang out with that girl.”
“No, it’s not. It’s my fault. I was just so lonely without Carla, you know.”
“I know,” she said, then headed back downstairs.
I plopped myself down on the floor and ate my grilled cheese. Dad had made it just right. I dipped the grilled cheese in the soup and gobbled it all up. When I was done, I got back to practicing the violin. I played and played and played . . . anything to stop thinking about Carla.
It was getting late. It must have been almost bedtime, which meant that Mom was sure to be home any minute. I started getting nervous. What if Mom and Dad didn’t believe me? What if they yelled and screamed? What if they got so mad, they made me go live at Grand Mommy’s?
I went to the bathroom and washed my face, brushed my teeth, and put on my favorite pajamas with the clouds on them. And waited. Just as I climbed into bed, Mom and Dad came into my room. Dad still looked mad and Mom looked worried. I don’t know which made me f
eel worse.
“Bean, we are very disappointed,” Dad started. “You have always been such a good girl.”
“What’s going on, baby?” said Mom. She sat on the edge of my bed.
“It was all a big mistake. I missed Tanya and Carla, and I thought being friends with Tanisha was a good idea, but it wasn’t.”
The tears started to fall from my eyes and down onto my sheets. I told Mom and Dad everything while Mom wrapped her arms around me and held me tight.
“I’m so sorry,” I cried. “I messed up big-time.”
“It’s okay to make mistakes as long as we learn and grow from them,” Dad said.
I didn’t think I had grown any bigger, but I had learned for sure.
“I’ll be better. I promise.”
“And tomorrow you have to tell Carla how sorry you are,” Mom said as she gave me a warm hug.
“I will,” I agreed.
“You’re still grounded for the rest of the week,” Dad said. “No computer. No TV. No playing outside.”
I didn’t want to be grounded, but before they left, Dad hugged me too, so I knew everything was gonna be all right.
They turned out the lights and closed the door. This time, they left it open just a crack like I like it.
I tossed and turned all night. I was scared to face Carla. The night seemed to last forever, but still the sun came up too soon. I covered my head with my blanket to block my eyes from the sun rays. I was hoping I could hide there for the rest of third grade.
“Bean, get up!” Gardenia yelled.
“Ughh . . . ,” I moaned, hoping she would leave me alone.
“What’s wrong with you?” She yanked the covers off my head.
“I’m sick!” I said, thinking fast.
“No, you’re not. Now get out of bed, so you don’t make us all late.”
“Aggggh . . . uggggh . . .” I winced, using my best acting skills. I was the star of the second-grade holiday play last year, you know. Okay, maybe not the actual star, but I played the star at the top of the tree, which was a very important role.
“I think Bean isn’t feeling well,” Gardenia called out to Dad.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as he placed his warm hand on my head.
