by Jess Keating
Patricia laughed. “You bet! We’ve had a great response from schools since your presentation last month. Many parents have called to see if their kids can help out as volunteers in different areas.”
My heart lifted. “Oh yeah? That’s cool,” I said. Surreal too, that people were paying any attention to me at all.
“Is the new person a student then?” I was hopeful. Patricia seemed okay, but it might be nice to have someone else my age to hang out with while I was in here. I felt a stab of sadness that Bella couldn’t have joined in with me here, but she was so busy with her new historical cooking classes that she barely had any spare time.
“Yup,” she said. She dug into her pocket and pulled out a crumpled paper. “From your school too!” She reached to the top of her head for her reading glasses and settled them onto her nose.
My mouth went dry as I tried to remember what kids I knew who might be interested in hanging out at the zoo. Kevin? If only. Maybe it was that girl with the braces who always drew ponies on her notebook?
“Um…let’s see here…what was it again?” She flipped through a stack of papers from her pocket. “Annalise…? No, that’s not it. Andrea? Addison? Hrmm.” She clucked her tongue. “I know it’s in here somewhere. I should really know before she shows up and I mess up her name,” she muttered. “Right! Here it is! Ashley! Her name is Ashley!”
My hand slipped against the side of the tank and dipped into the frigid water below.
Ashley?!
I dried my hand on my shirt, blinking fast.
There was no way. Absolutely no way that prissy, perfect-haired Sneerer would volunteer to work at the zoo surrounded by messy animals. There was bound to be some other Ashley at our school. Even though I couldn’t think of a single one. That girl who always wears a braid and reads romance novels in the cafeteria? Was her name Ashley?
I tried to wipe the mortified look off my face before Patricia thought I was seriously unhinged, but the rustle of the plastic tarp by the pavilion door made me whirl around. A young girl stepped inside.
A girl with arched eyebrows, pink-painted toenails, and a very, very familiar sneer.
“Hello, Scales,” Ashley said.
I couldn’t find my voice. Obviously it was hiding somewhere now, cowering from the Sneerer beside me.
Speak.
Speak! I commanded myself like a dog. I couldn’t let her think I was scared. I had to say something.
Patricia clasped her hands together. “Excellent! Glad you found your way here! Ashley, this is Ana. Ana, Ashley.” She made the introductions as Ashley blinked at me. Every lash taunted me. “Looks like you two already know each other! That will make your time here extra fun.”
Ashley grinned. “For sure! Ana and I go way back, don’t we?”
I gaped at her. “What are you doing here?” I wanted to sound like I wasn’t completely mortified. But…what was she doing here?
She shrugged. Her shoulders glinted in the light with some shimmery bronze powder. Or maybe her skin was naturally super sparkly? Maybe she was a vampire that fed on human fear?
“What? A girl can’t want to help out at her local zoo to get summer credit? You know we have to volunteer somewhere. I thought the zoo would be perfect.” She held her hand out and examined her nails. Probably making sure they were sharp for when she sprang forward to attack me like a leopard.
Assertive. Confident. Sophisticated.
Pick one, Ana.
“Sounds like you two have a lot in common,” Patricia said happily. “Let me grab you some introductory forms. I’ve got them here in my binder somewhere. This place is such a mess!” She bustled to the other side of the room and knelt down by the big shark tank. “Forms, forms, forms,” she muttered, while Ashley stood there, rigid like some angelic statue.
I took the chance. “You can’t be here.” I kept my voice low. “You hate this stuff. It’s animals. And stinky. And work. Remember what happened last time you came here…” I glared at her. Finally some of the fire in my stomach was growing.
I didn’t need to be scared of Ashley. I’d already shown her once this summer that she shouldn’t mess with me. The whole thing was still lodged firmly in my brain as one of my scariest moments ever. It was my first big educational presentation in front of everyone, and what did Ashley do? She tried to mess me up completely. I’m talking smarmy stares, evil laughs, and she was the one that got my whole class invited to watch. She even had her little harpy friend Rayna film it so she’d have evidence when I panicked.
So I taught her a lesson.
And she deserved it.
I mean, it wasn’t exactly my fault that Frankie went to the bathroom all over her sandals during my big presentation in June. And it wasn’t my fault that camera crews were there to film it for my grandfather’s movie, which got national coverage on all the major television news stations. And it wasn’t my fault that for the first time in Ashley’s life, people laughed at her instead of me.
Okay, maybe it was a little my fault. I had handed her the croc in the first place.
But she had it coming.
She clicked her tongue. “You’re not the only one who can work, you know.” She stretched her arms over her head, yawning. My skin crawled at the thought that she was getting comfortable here. This was my space. Suddenly I wanted to work with the sharks. Anything to show her this was where I belonged and where she didn’t. I wanted to grow a tail and turn into Ariel if it meant she would leave me alone here. This was my chance to adapt and prove to myself I wasn’t destined to be fighting against my scaredy-cat ways forever.
“But why here? If you’re going for volunteer credit, why don’t you just work at an old-age home?” I blurted, but willed myself not to feel small next to her anymore. I had to stop this awful thing she did to me, making me feel like I was turning into a crispy, dead leaf that was going to crumble away in the breeze. I had to remember how it felt when everyone was on my side, and she was the laughingstock instead of me.
My next words felt like fire on my tongue. I darted a glance at Patricia to make sure she wouldn’t hear. “I’m sure there are tons of places in the mall that will take you.”
She sniffed, still holding her smile. But I could see it wavering at the sides. “It’s none of your business why I’m here,” she said. “All that matters is that you can’t stop me.” Her words slowed as she drew out the next sentence. “And you, Ana”—she grinned happily—“are going to have to deal with it.”
For some reason, hearing her call me my real name was even scarier than when she called me “Scales.” I wasn’t about to tell her that, though.
I shook my head. “Fine. You won’t like it here, you know.” I knew I was right, so how come I could already feel my insides unraveling like an old sock that was being torn apart by a lion?
She nodded, her blond hair shifting on her shoulders like a bunch of silky yellow snakes. Medusa with better accessories.
“Whatever.” Her eyes darkened. “I’d be worried about yourself, not me.”
Something stirred in my chest. Is that why she was here? Was she trying to sabotage me?
Suddenly the room seemed to shrink, and my safe, awesome place to be myself felt foreign and menacing. Nobody would believe Ashley if she said something awful about me here, right? This wasn’t school. She had no power over me here.
But I couldn’t get my stomach to stop churning.
“Why can’t you just leave me alone?” I sputtered.
“What makes you think this is about you?” she spat.
“Ready to get to work, guys?” Patricia was back with our forms. “You’re pretty lucky that you know each other. I bet all the other volunteers here are working together for the first time!” She laughed in her jolly way. My eye wouldn’t stop twitching.
Ashley nodded readily. “I know, right? So lucky.” She beamed
and then, horror of horrors, wrapped her tanned arm around my shoulder. Her manicured nails dug into my skin.
“Great! Let’s get you started. You can hang out in here if you want, but the most important thing is that you learn about each new species we’re going to be housing. I’ve printed off all the information you need, so why don’t you go over it and start to quiz each other on some of the natural history facts? There are pictures on each tank of all the animals too, so you can get used to where they will be. Ana, you normally work with the reptiles, so most of this will be new to you too, so you can learn together. This way when the new animals show up this week, you’ll be up to speed.”
She smiled widely, and I could tell she was trying to make Ashley feel welcome. Like laying out a welcome mat for the devil. Next she’d offer her cookies.
“Sounds great!” Ashley cooed, grabbing her forms and tucking them under her arm. “Ready to go, Ana?” She raised her eyebrows expectantly.
What.
Is.
Happening?
Chapter 5
Three meters long and spiraled, narwhal teeth used to be mistaken for unicorn horns.
—Animal Wisdom
Didn’t people used to think unicorn horns had magical powers? Maybe if I wrangled myself a narwhal tooth, I could use it to cast a spell on Ashley and turn her into a mealworm.
So I’ve figured out that if we lived back in the olden times, Ashley would probably get burned at the stake as a witch.
I know. That’s pretty morbid. But it’s Bella’s fault, having all these books about medieval people and how they were all treated really badly whenever they ticked off the royals.
Actually, it would make more sense that Ashley would be royal back then. Because wouldn’t that just be the way of it? And then I would probably be the one to get tarred and feathered, all because she lifted her royal finger and declared me a “pox on our land!” or something else super-medieval sounding.
“Kevin, could you measure out the seeds for me? And, Ana, your job is to sift the flour.”
Bella swiped her hand across her forehead, leaving a dusty smear of white flour above her eyebrow.
CREATURE FILE
SPECIES NAME: Bellanadae Superspyifus
KINGDOM: Anywhere! She can blend in like a chameleon if she wants, without anybody noticing her.
PHYLUM: Quiet Girls Who Are Secretly Incredibly Cool; New Best Friends Who Rock Short Hair
WEIGHT: She probably carries about fifty extra pounds worth of books with her everywhere.
HABITAT: The library, the art room, the museum. If it’s somewhat geeky, she’s into it (and that’s awesome).
FEEDS ON: Books, cookies, and maps of exotic places.
LIFE SPAN: I bet if anyone could find the secret to immortality, it’s Bella. It’s got to be in a book somewhere, right?
HANDLING TECHNIQUE: None needed. Except when she’s giving Daz a lovey-dovey look, in which case, I’m totally allowed to tell them they’re gross. Because ew. How can anyone have a crush on my weirdo brother?!
I flipped through the recipe book in front of me, eyeing the cover suspiciously. A man with a bushy beard and beady eyes was holding a gold goblet. Bella’s new cooking class had her “cooking through the ages,” but I have to say, if these recipes were any indication, I would not want to live in the olden days. Any world without pizza doesn’t seem like a world for me.
I used to think Bella was a lot like a mouse: super quiet and meek. That’s how she seemed at school before I got to know her. But since Liv moved away and we became friends, now she seemed more like a hawk, with darting eyes that saw everything. I guess you can’t know someone until you really talk to them. I’m just glad I did, so I didn’t have to spend the entire summer surrounded by boys. Even if one of them is supercute.
“Are you sure about this?” I asked her. “I mean, seed bread? Won’t that taste like birdseed?”
She shook her head and handed Daz a can of ginger ale. “It won’t taste like birdseed because we’re not using birdseed! We’re using cardamom, coriander, anise, and other stuff. This recipe is supposed to be great, and my cooking instructor said that people have been making it for centuries! It’s going to be perfect for the bake sale at the old-age home, but I have to test everything first. I want to do a bread, those no-bake cookies that you tried earlier, and something else unique,” she said, excitement glittering in her eyes.
“I read that bread dates back to over twenty-two thousand five hundred years ago,” Kevin said. “Some cultures even added rice, lentils, or peas to it.”
I blinked at him. Sometimes I think Kevin should be a teacher because he’s awesome at remembering facts and making things interesting for everyone. But honestly, pea bread? That would taste royally disgusting with peanut butter, I bet.
“Wait, we have to put pop in it?!” Daz squinted suspiciously as he read from the recipe book.
Bella sighed. “We only need to use a third of a cup for the recipe, but it has to be warm, so put it in the microwave for thirty seconds.”
She gave me a look that I see on my mom a lot when Daz is acting like a weirdo. I still couldn’t believe that Bella saw anything in my completely insane brother, but ever since we all went to the end of school dance together as a group, she’d been pretty googly-eyed over him. And worse? He was all googly-eyed over her too! Well, most people wouldn’t notice I bet because he’s still a nutcase, but I definitely can see how he tries to make his hair extra spiky when Bella’s around. My brother, the world’s biggest clown, falling for the quietest girl I’ve ever met. Love is so weird.
Ew. I can’t believe I just used that word to describe my brother. Barf.
Bella raised her voice. “That’s your job. Daz! Are you paying attention?”
“Okay, okay,” Daz huffed. He snapped open the can and dutifully measured out the ginger ale for the microwave while I sifted the white and wheat flour.
“So…” I said tentatively. “I have a bit of a problem.” I handed my bowl to Bella, who reached across to give it to Kevin. My heart blippity-blipped when I saw the perfect little piles of measured spices on his cutting board. Honestly, he’s even adorable helping out in the kitchen, so neat and organized. Unlike Daz, who had already spilled the pop over the counter and mopped it up with the sleeve of his shirt.
“What’s up?” Bella stirred her bowl of butter and sugar, creaming them together in a gooey paste. I reached over to sneak a taste. I’d been waiting for this moment ever since Ashley left the zoo yesterday, pretending she was practically best friends with Patricia. Now I could tell my friends and get a real game plan down.
“Well. I started at the new shark exhibit, right? And everyone was saying that because of my presentation, there’s been a lot of people from local schools that want to volunteer there now too.” Already I could feel the heat grow in my face. And not happy-watching-Kevin heat. Angry-trembly-earthquake-in-my-heart heat.
“And I got assigned to work with a new student.”
“And what’s the problem?” Bella asked.
I took a deep breath. “It’s Ashley.”
There. That should get their attention.
Bella’s eyebrows knit together. “Ashley Ashley? Ashley, the one you call Sneerer, Ashley?” she asked. She set down her spoon, but that wasn’t nearly the reaction I was hoping for. At least she could look mortified on my behalf. Even Kevin was frowning at his shoes. Like I’d told him a bad weather report, instead of announcing my own personal Anapocalypse.
“Hey!” I said. “I don’t call her that!” I sat taller. “I mean, I do, but only because she calls me names right back. But you’re not focusing on the problem. The problem is she’s trying to ruin my life!”
Kevin cleared his throat. “Uh…” he started.
Finally, someone who gets it.
“But how could she do that?” he asked. �
��I mean, you’re in the zoo, surrounded by a bunch of people, and she’s not going to want to risk anything like her own reputation to make you look bad, right?” He blinked.
Honestly boys can be so dumb sometimes. Even the genius ones.
“That’s exactly what she would do, Kev. I don’t know how she would do it. I just know that she is going to!” I snapped. I looked to Bella for her to agree. But she was still looking at me like she was confused. “Right?” I lifted my eyebrows, giving her the “help-me-out-here” look.
She pursed her lips. I could tell she was doing that thing she always does, where she weighs what she wants to say in her head before she says it.
“I don’t know. I think that maybe this whole thing with you and Ashley got way out of hand, and maybe she needed to volunteer somewhere during the summer like everyone else. It’s possible that she just wants to get on with her life.” She looked at Daz. “You know?”
“You’re out of your mind!” I said. Instantly, shame overcame me as I dropped my eyes to my hands. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I don’t see how you guys can be so chill about this. This is the girl that has tried to make my life a living you-know-what for like a billion years? And now she shows up in, like, the stinkiest, least Sneerer place on earth, and you act like it’s no big deal?” I sputtered. “She is obviously going to try to sabotage me!”
“You can’t let someone mess with you just because you’re paranoid, Ana,” Kevin said softly.
I stared at him. “Paranoid?! It’s not paranoid if someone is actually out to get you!”
“Okay,” Bella said. “Did she actually do anything yesterday?”
I nodded fast. “Yes! She was super nice to Patricia and acted like we were old friends. She even actually tried when we had to learn about shark species together, and made notes and everything,” I said, jabbing my finger into a pile of flour.
Kevin frowned. “That doesn’t sound bad.” He looked to Bella for her reaction, but she shook her head. “Is it possible you’re overreacting?”
