by Jess Keating
Ducking inside, I settled against the wall and checked my watch.
4:28 p.m. Don’t fail me now, Daz.
But he poked his head out from around the scorpion tank right on time.
“Psst!” he hissed into the darkness.
“I’m right here, Daz,” I said. “You don’t need to whisper. What the heck is that on your head?” I looked quizzically at the old-timey brimmed hat.
Daz grinned. “Your note said this was top-secret business! This is my secret agent hat.”
“You look like you’re a gangster,” I said. “And a grubby one at that.” I swiped away one of Darwin’s feathers from the brim, sending it floating to the ground.
“I could be both,” he said. Sitting down next to me on the bench, he peered around us in the dark. We were alone. “So. What’s up? It sounds important.”
“I need your help,” I said. For a moment, I was surprised to hear those words coming out of my mouth. You know I’m in a pickle if I’m asking Daz for his opinion.
“Ashley’s being a giant pain, and I want to teach her a lesson.” My heart began to race in my chest. This all felt so…so criminal.
I clenched my fists. Stop it. Sharks don’t feel guilty.
His eyes widened. “Seriously? That doesn’t sound like you.” He frowned. “What did you want to do?”
I drummed my fingers on my knee. “Nothing too serious,” I said. “I don’t want to hurt her or anything. I was thinking about…her notebook,” I said.
Daz didn’t react. “What notebook?”
“There’s a notebook she has that she’s been keeping all her notes in for our shark stuff. Since she’s giving a presentation at the opening, I thought that maybe—” I paused. This didn’t feel right. I swallowed hard, shoving the thought away. Ashley’s sneering face flickered in my mind, reigniting my anger. “I was thinking it would be awfully hard for her to remember everything without her notebook,” I said finally. The words rushed out, leaving a twisted feeling deep in my stomach. “So I’m going to switch it,” I said. “With an empty one.” I kept my eyes down, in case Daz could tell I was lying on that one.
Daz leaned back against the bench, tapping his face with his fingertip. I did the same thing when I was thinking hard. “Are you serious? That’s like…pretty mean,” he said finally.
I huffed. “Well! She sabotaged me! She left the locks open to make it look like I did, and—and,” I stammered. “What else am I supposed to do?! Will you help me or not?!” The prick of tears behind my eyes made me turn away. I was not going to cry in front of Daz. Not in a zillion years would I live that down.
“I’ll help you!” he said, holding out his hands in apology. “Did you want me to switch her notebook? Or do you want me to show you how to do it yourself?”
Relief swelled through me. “You’ll help me.” I breathed, nodding to myself. “Okay.”
“Well, duh. I am your brother.” He smirked. “Besides, you’ll have a much better chance of not getting caught with my help,” he said.
I laughed. “I don’t know if being a criminal genius is something you should be proud of,” I pointed out.
“Comes in handy now though, doesn’t it?” Daz beamed.
“Just tell me what to do.” I glanced at my watch again. “I want to get this done tonight. She’ll leave her notebook in her locker and take her flash cards home to study. I need help with the locker.”
Daz nodded. “You might want to write this down,” he said sneakily. “Daz action plans are always meticulous.”
Meticulous?
“Have you been reading Dad’s word-a-day calendar again?” I rolled my eyes at the look he shot me. “Okay! Okay! Officially writing down. Go ahead.” I dug into my backpack and pulled out a pen, poising it over the back of an Adventure Zone pamphlet. “What’s the first step?”
Daz glanced around us to make sure we were still alone. “’Kay. Here’s what you need to do.”
The sharp yelp of a zoo visitor outside made me nearly jump out of my skin.
“Breathe,” I told myself. “You can do this.”
I leaned against the Adventure Zone wall, peeking inside the back room. Nobody knew I was in here. Daz’s plan was foolproof, but apparently it wasn’t “Ana-proof,” because I’d already stubbed my toe trying to be all Mission: Impossible–like against the walls. Ashley was putting her stuff in her locker, humming to herself. Logan was in the cafeteria with Danielle, eating curly fries. Patricia was helping someone in the polar bear exhibit.
For the record, it’s super weird watching someone when they think you’re not there anymore, and it made me feel like a total creeper. But I couldn’t avoid it.
This is my only shot.
I ran through Daz’s plan in my head one more time. All I had to do was wait for Ashley to change her shirt, like she did every day right before she left. After watching her a zillion times, I knew she always grabbed it from her bag, threw it over her shoulder, and ducked into the bathroom to wash up and change. She always left her locker open to do it.
At least, she better today, because this whole revenge thing depended on it.
I would sneak in, switch the notebook in her locker for mine, and bolt.
Easy as revenge pie.
I tried to steady my breathing, timing it with the drone of the filters all around me. Was it just me or were they quieter today? Why did I feel about a thousand times louder than normal? Could the sharks tell I was up to no good? Is this the kind of paranoia criminals live with all the time?
I ducked as Ashley grabbed her backpack and threw it on the bench. From here, she looked normal again. Almost nice. There was no snarky anger in her eyes. She riffled through her things, pulling out a green shirt. Daz’s instructions recited in my head.
Step one. Get inside the room without her hearing you.
I held my breath as she swung the shirt over her shoulder. Yes! This was working! She crossed the room and went into the bathroom. Her locker was still open.
I could do this.
I am stealthy like James Bond.
Leaning into the door, I let it open slowly. No loud squeaks or creaks here. I slipped in the room carefully, checking the floor for anything that I, Captain Clumsy, could possibly trip on. So far, so good.
I waited a moment, staring at the bathroom door. I could faintly hear Ashley humming behind it, and then the water started running. I froze; my hand was suspended in midair, reaching toward her locker. The notebook was sitting there on the top shelf, practically daring me.
Step two. Switch the notebooks as quickly as possible. Do not let anything fall to the floor or it might tip her off that you were there.
Gingerly, I pulled out the notebook, making sure none of the other papers or books tumbled out after it. I flipped it open, making sure it was the right book. Drawings of seashells stared back at me. She had made notes after our shell sorting day. I touched a small drawing of a murex shell. It was the shell she had taken home with her. Small ballpoint pen stars surrounded it.
I swallowed hard as my stomach clenched with doubt.
No. None of that mattered now.
The water in the bathroom stopped running. She could come out any second.
I sucked in a breath.
Step three: Get out way before you have to, so there’s no chance of her seeing you leave the exhibit.
Ashley sneezed from inside the bathroom, jerking me back into action. It was too late. She couldn’t find me going through her stuff. I tucked the notebook under my arm, shoved mine in its place, and bolted back through the door, leaving her locker open the way it was when I’d arrived.
The door thumped closed behind me.
Outside the air was thick and hot. Visitors bustled around me as I hid the book as best I could by my side and hustled away from the Adventure Zone. The word criminal seemed
to echo through me as my sandals slapped the hard pavement. I forced myself to slow down and walk like a normal person.
Nobody knew anything. I’d done it. When it came time for Ashley to present, she would have to do it without her handy notes. And as a bonus, she would see all the ways she’d been horrible to me in their place.
It was only fair, I told myself, considering how much of a jerk she’d been to me.
Once I made it home, I bolted for my room and shoved her notebook under my bed as Darwin glared at me with glittering black eyes. He clicked his beak in disgust. At least I think it was disgust because I felt pretty disgusting.
“What?” I snapped. “All I’m doing is teaching her a little lesson,” I hissed. “She tried to ruin my presentation too!”
He fluttered his wings and turned away from me.
“Oh, come on,” I said. “She might not even need her stupid notes, with all the memorizing she’s been doing,” I rationalized. It was true. Ashley had been working hard to get her presentation right; she would probably coast through perfectly fine. It’s not like she’d be worried about me if the situation were reversed, right?
I faced myself in the mirror and wiped at a line of sweat that was forming on my forehead, despite the air-conditioned house.
This didn’t feel the way I thought it would. I closed my curtains, throwing an inky darkness over my room. I didn’t want to hear the lions roaring or the zoo visitors chatting. Curling up in bed, I closed my eyes.
I knew I’d done the right thing.
So why did I feel so…wrong?
Chapter 19
Dolphins use echolocation to track their prey, making up to one thousand clicking noises per second.
—Animal Wisdom
I wonder how the FBI track criminals? They probably have better systems than dolphins, that’s for sure.
I am not going to jail.
I am not going to jail.
I am not going to—wait—what was that noise?!
I whirled around in my chair at the loud creak outside my door, sending Darwin scuttling from my desk to his open cage.
“Shh!” I hushed his indignant chirps.
Could that be the cops?!
It had been a few hours since I’d switched Ashley’s notebook, and it seemed like any second the police would be here, pounding on the door and ready to haul me into jail. I mean, they probably had much scarier criminals to catch than some notebook stealer. But who knows, right? They could be having a slow night.
All through dinner I’d been a jumpy mess, and I even got chicken wing sauce on Dad because I’d dropped the takeout box onto his foot. How did criminals live with the fear? All I knew was, I was not going to leave my room unless it was for a very good reason.
Too bad I’d totally forgotten about what should have been the best reason of all.
I recoiled at another creak outside my door, followed by a light knock.
“Hey, Ana?” For a moment, I thought it was Daz, but then I realized that Daz has never knocked or been quiet for a moment in his life.
“Are you there? Did you still want to go to the bookstore?”
The bookstore?
The bookstore! My heart dropped to my stomach.
Kevin!
I’d totally forgotten our date! Was it Thursday already?
“What is wrong with me?” I whisper-hissed and glared at Darwin as I bolted out of my chair to my closet, knocking over my lemonade onto my lap in the process. He couldn’t know I forgot. Yanking through the hangers, I searched for something to wear. Of course, now after the whole Ashley thing, I had zero fashion ideas. Teal shirt and khaki shorts? Black tank and jeans? Who forgets a date with the cutest super-genius guy ever?! Where is my body spray?!
“Braack! What’s wrong with me?” Darwin crowed. I pelted a dirty sock at his head.
Another knock. “Uh…you okay in there? I can come back…” Kevin said. Then Mom’s voice echoed through the house.
“Ana! Are you in there? Kevin is here!”
Thanks for the warning, Mom.
I pulled open my door, trying not to look like a complete lunatic. The lemonade stain on my shorts was cold and sticky against my leg.
Be cool, Ana.
“Hey!” I shouted, trying to act like I was sane and hadn’t forgotten about him. I looked back at Darwin, who was nuzzling the backup shirt I’d chosen. Getting his feathery face all over it. “Um.” I held out my finger. “Just one sec. I need to change. I smell like hippos! Go hang out with my parents, and I’ll be right there!” I said frantically.
Super smooth, Ana.
Kevin laughed and turned back to the kitchen as I slammed the door closed.
What were the kissing tips again?
I pulled my shirt over my head, switching to a cleaner one. At this point, if it didn’t have a lemonade stain or smell like a barnyard, I was ahead of the game. Standing tall, I checked myself out in the mirror, hoping that I looked mature and sophisticated and kissable and all those things that girls on the magazines look like.
Instead I looked like I’d just run a marathon. Argh.
I so did not feel like I was first-kiss ready in this outfit. Did all first almost-dates feel so rushed? My hair was in a messy ponytail, and my cheeks were beet red. Probably from being scared out of my wits that it was the FBI at the door looking for Ashley’s stolen notebook, instead of Kevin.
No! Don’t think about that now!
I sniffed my shirt. I still smelled like guilty sweat. Digging around under a pile of clothes on my floor, I still couldn’t find my body spray. Tiptoeing across the hall, I ducked into my parents’ bedroom. Mom always had perfume lying around on the top of her dresser. I grabbed a curvy blue bottle from the little tray and spritzed some in the air, running through the mist.
Wait.
Sniffing the air, I realized my mistake. Mom usually smells like vanilla and toasted marshmallows or fresh, breezy oceans.
I didn’t smell like Mom. I smelled like Dad.
I smelled like a boy.
Dad had put his cologne on Mom’s side of the dresser.
“Noooo.” I breathed, sinking onto their bed. “No, no, no, no, no.” I sniffed the collar of my shirt, testing the smell. Maybe it wasn’t that strong? My nose curled in disgust. I couldn’t show up on my first ever almost-date and smell like a boy. Why was I so bad at this?! Was this bad karma for the Ashley-notebook thing?
I eyed the other bottles. The blue bottle smelled like woodsy boy, but maybe there was a perfume of Mom’s that would…complement it? What goes with the woods?
Lifting the bottles, I took a whiff of each one. The mix of my dad’s cologne and mom’s perfume made my head spin, but I finally decided upon the marshmallowy perfume. I mean, woods and marshmallows go together, right? Where else are you supposed to cook s’mores? Smelling like a nice campfire treat in the woods can’t be a bad thing.
I prayed to the almost-date gods as I sprayed myself with Mom’s bottle. Too bad my nose was too fried to tell if it did any good. I gave one final spritz in the air, walking through the mist on my way out the door.
In the living room, Mom was all smiles. And I don’t mean normal smiles. I mean the “I-know-what-you’re-up-to-young-lady-and-I-can’t-believe-my-little-girl-is-growing-up-it’s-killing-me-to-not-get-the-camera-out” smiles. Dad was beside her on the couch, flipping through a thick wad of papers for work. “Kevin said you two are heading to the bookstore?” Mom cooed, giving me the quickest wink in history.
I nodded brusquely, eyeing Kevin to make sure he hadn’t seen it. Luckily he’s a boy and misses pretty much everything involving daughter-mother interactions. “Yep. We don’t need a ride,” I said. “Kev’s mom is going to take us.”
Dad looked up, sniffing the air. “Anyone smell that?”
I cleared my throat. This cou
ld not be happening. “Okay! We’re outta here!” I mumbled, grabbing Kevin by the arm and heading for the door.
“Have fun, you two!” Mom called out, giggling.
Cue eternal embarrassment.
The bookstore smelled like coffee and cookies.
This would have been an awesome thing because usually I like the smell of cookies and coffee. But this time all it did was clear my head and nose enough to notice something: I smelled.
No.
Smelled isn’t the right word.
I reeked.
It took me about three minutes in the store to notice that my perfume mess combo was probably the worst idea I’d ever had. Worse than the time I tried to dye my hair with Magic Markers when I was six. And worse than the time I tried to hide my hamster, Sir HamstaLot, in my closet when I was five years old because I was convinced he was only “playing dead.”
No wonder Kevin’s mom kept sneezing in the car.
Kevin strolled through the aisles, looking for his usual section in science and technology. I tried to keep a safe distance, hoping that the smell wouldn’t get to him. What sucked even more is that if you’re out to get your first kiss, keeping your distance isn’t exactly the best plan.
But I wasn’t going to be defeated. Not by some marshmallow-rotten-woods smell at least. After chomping on three breath mints until my eyes started watering, I decided to move on to step three and get Kevin to teach me something so he could feel important and special.
“So can you tell me about this?” I smiled as flirtatiously as I could and pulled out a book from the shelf.
The mints were still making my eyes blurry, so I couldn’t exactly see what book I picked. Kevin’s eyebrows lifted in surprise.
“Nature’s Most Dangerous Parasites,” he read, frowning. “You want me to tell you about parasites?”
I shoved the book back on the shelf, trying to hide my dismay with a well-timed cough. Parasites are like the least kissable thing on the planet. I wiped my eyes. The perfume-mint combo was really getting to me now.
