by Laura Dower
“What?”
“Well, that maybe she was …”
Madison stalled. She wanted to ask if maybe Hart knew that Madhur liked him, or if maybe he’d said something that Madhur could have misconstrued.
“Maddie?” Hart said. “Is there a problem?”
Not unless you consider being tongue-tied, jealous, and very confused a problem.
“No …” Madison replied.
“Then what are you asking?”
Madison didn’t know what to say now. So she didn’t say anything. She slowly strolled away from Hart, right down the hallway.
“Finnster?” Hart called out, very confused himself. “Where are you going?”
Without turning back, Madison stuck up a hand and waved. She didn’t want to see the bewildered expression on Hart’s face.
“Finnster!” Hart called out once again, but Madison was gone.
She zoomed around the corner, past a few classrooms, through a pair of swinging doors, and through a cluster of kids talking in the hallway, past another bank of lockers crowded with students, and up a short flight of stairs….
“Madison?” Madhur stood at the top. With a few more paces, Madison would have bumped into her.
Madison caught her breath. “I didn’t see you,” she said.
“Yeah, well, I saw you.” Madhur said. “I saw you earlier today, too.”
“Oh?”
“But I didn’t come over to talk,” Madhur said. “Sorry.”
“Oh.”
“I should have said something. I know I’ve been avoiding you.”
“Did you get my note?” Madison asked.
“Yeah, of course. I showed up at Mrs. Wing’s, didn’t I?”
“You did,” Madison said. “But then you bolted again. We didn’t really have a chance to talk.”
“I know.”
Madison was standing a few steps below the spot where Madhur stood; she climbed up so they could talk face to face. Then they turned and headed out of the stairwell and into the hallway near the lobby.
“I never should have backed out,” Madhur admitted. “I do want to go to the conference, you know. I really do want to go.”
“I figured,” Madison said. “Then why did you tell me and Mrs. Wing the opposite?”
Madhur looked away. “I was too embarrassed not to. These past couple of days I’ve been nothing but embarrassed….”
“About what?” Madison asked. Of course, she thought she knew the reason—but she needed Madhur to say it out loud.
“You know why,” Madhur said, staring right at Madison.
“I do?”
“You know.”
“Yeah,” Madison replied gently, remembering how Fiona had described the conversation at Madison’s house. Maybe she didn’t need Madhur to speak the exact words. Madison knew only too well what it felt like to be super embarrassed.
“You don’t have to be ashamed on my account,” Madison said, attempting to be comforting.
“Well, it isn’t just you. I was embarrassed in front of everyone,” Madhur said. “Why didn’t you tell me about you and Hart?”
“Oh, that,” Madison stammered. “I guess I got stuck. I felt weird. I assumed you knew. I didn’t want you to be mad. I liked being your friend. I … don’t know.”
“Gee, that’s a lot of reasons,” Madhur said, smiling for the first time in a long time.
Madison nodded. “A lot,” she agreed, smiling herself.
“How long do you think until my embarrassment wears off?” Madhur asked.
“Not long,” Madison said.
“We make good partners,” Madhur said. “Don’t we?”
“We?”
“Me and you, of course,” Madhur said, clarifying herself. “Who else would I be talking about?”
“Oh. Yeah, of course,” Madison said. Even though she knew better, she thought Madhur had been speaking of Hart. “Do you think we can pull the presentation together in less than one day?”
“Of course we can. I’m glad you changed the presentation topic,” Madhur said.
“It’s both of our ideas,” Madison said.
Kids moved past them, pushing and shoving their way to the stairwell and making their hurried way through the school lobby.
“Should we go somewhere else to talk about this?” Madhur asked.
Madison’s face lit up. “I have a fantastic idea,” she said, throwing her hand into the air. “You’re gonna love this one.”
“What?” Madhur asked, sounding very intrigued.
“It’s Friday. We don’t have school tomorrow. I bet you’ve already done your homework. “So, why don’t you come over to my house after school? Bring your stuff. And then we’ll do a sleepover. We can work on our presentation, talk, and go to the conference together tomorrow.”
“Sleep over?” Madhur’s eyes lit up. “Really? Just the two of us?”
“Just the two,” Madison nodded. “Totally.”
“But I told you that my parents don’t allow me to do sleepovers.”
“They’ll make an exception if we tell them it’s a practice session for the conference.”
Madhur shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Definitely!” Madison cried, trying to trump Madhur’s doubtfulness with her own optimism.
“Maybe Mom and Dad will let me come, since it is you.”
“I know they’ll let you.”
In the school lobby, members of the administration set up a tremendous cardboard display and attached posters to the walls and windows. Evidence of the conference was everywhere Madison looked. The conference was nearly there, and she was as determined as ever to make an impact—and solidify her new friendship at the same time.
Down the hall Madison and Madhur walked as they talked, arms linked together like a chain. They walked outside the school building and over to the pay phone under the parking-lot overpass. Madhur popped a quarter in and dialed her house for permission.
Meanwhile, Madison held her breath, crossed her fingers and her toes, and hoped for the very best.
Chapter 12
Junior World Leaders
I’m trying to imagine myself as a junior world leader. Yesterday, I would have laughed milk out of my nose at the mere notion. Today it seems more like it could happen. In the past twenty-four hours, a lot has changed.
Madhur’s mom gave her permission for Maddie to come to her very first-ever sleepover at MY house. Mrs. Singh didn’t object one bit. In fact she said it was a brilliant idea and she let Madhur come home with me directly from school! I was sosososo happy. The only person (or should I say ‘pooch’) who had a small problem with the whole arrangement was Phinnie. He acted weirdly territorial all night. He kept jumping in my lap to be petted when I needed to do work. Eventually I felt bad but Mom took him into her office and shut the door. I hope pugs don’t hold grudges. LOL.
Rude Awakening: Why do they call it a sleepover when you hardly get any sleep at all? Madhur and I talked all night—about school, about friends, and of course about the presentation. Sleep was never in the plan.
Random thing: I found out last night that even though Madhur went to another middle school before FHJH, she knew Ivy Daly from camp and she ALSO had a bad experience with Miss Poisonous. We have the ultimate thing in common: a mutual enemy. That meant trashing Ivy all night. I know it’s mean to talk badly about people, but I couldn’t help it with Madhur there, esp. after how Ivy talked to me in science class.
The only person Madhur didn’t talk about too much was Hart. That’s cool. I had hoped to clear the air and make sure that she understood (really understood) that Hart and I were a thing. But Madhur seemed way too embarrassed to even say Hart’s name. So I’m not 100% sure if she’s stopped liking him. Am I worked up about nothing? I mean, Madhur’s not going to turn around after all this bonding and come totally unglued, is she? That’s the kind of thing only Poison Ivy would do.
This morning, we’re bouncing off the walls. Conference time i
s really here. Madhur’s mom dropped off clothes for Madhur to wear to the conference. She’s got this purple dress and patent leather shoes that look a little bit like what I wore in fifth grade but they’ll do. As usual, Madhur’s dark hair will look sooo killer and she’s sooo smart that it probably doesn’t matter too much what she wears. When Mrs. Singh came by, she and Mom had a pot of tea. Mom is so good at understanding and interpreting different cultures and traditions. I envy that. She knows all the right things to do and say and ask. Did I inherit that trait?
Madhur is taking a shower while I type this. She says it takes her more than an hour to blow-dry her super thick hair. I’m the exact opposite. I get dressed in ten minutes.
Madison’s computer pinged.
She clicked on the icon for her e-mailbox.
A new e-mail sat alongside a few others Madison had not seen the day before.
The newest one was from Aimee.
From: BalletGrl
To: MadFinn
Subject: DANCE
Date: Sat 3 Oct 6:46 AM
Maddie I think this is the earliest I’ve gotten up on a Saturday in a zillion yrs. I am so nervous about the recital tonite. My mom, dad, & two of my bros. are coming which is the good news. My pal Sasha fm. Dance camp is coming in fm. the city, too which is way cool. So I will have at least some friends there. :>) I am so lucky 2 have the solo before the end of the first act that is a BIG DEAL. I know u & the guys have a reallybig day 2day 2. I wish you oodles of luck and all that. I wish I could be there to cheer u on. I know u wish u could be here 2. So that’s ok that ur not. ILYL&L as always.
Aim
Madison hit REPLY.
From: MadFinn
To: BalletGrl
Subject: Re: DANCE
Date: Sat 3 Oct 9:19 AM
It’s early and YES I am online and YES I got ur note. Thank you. I hope ur toe shoes lift u into the sky. Bye! I will call u tonite.
Missing u,
xoxo, Maddie
After Aimee’s mail, Madison clicked through some other e-mails, from Gramma Helen (wishing her good luck), Dad (wishing her more good luck), and even Madison’s uncle in Canada (who had heard about the presentation and wanted to send his good luck, too, even though he hardly ever wrote Madison notes).
The very last e-mail in the in-box was from Madison’s keypal. With all of the excitement of Madhur’s sleepover, she’d missed it.
From: Bigwheels
To: MadFinn
Subject: GL
Date: Fri 2 Oct 9:12 PM
I am sitting here in our kitchen on our family’s new computer and our wireless is working way better now so I think I will be writing more often (if that’s possible). I have 2 go 2 dinner soon but I wanted to write and check in. Is ur conference tomorrow? I can’t believe it. Can U?
Yours till the sugar cookies (I’m eating one right now),
Vicki aka Bigwheels
p.s.: Wait! Did I say GL? Well, GL times a zillion. That’s enough good luck for you and ALL ur friends. Write back and tell me how it all goes.
p.p.s.: What ever happened w/that girl & Hart? U got the guy, right?
Just as Madison read the last line of Bigwheels’s e-mail, Madhur emerged from the bathroom, her hair completely blown dry.
That girl.
“Do I look okay?” Madhur asked, patting the side of her head. “Sorry to hog the bathroom forever.”
“You look great,” Madison said. She wasn’t going to say anything about the dress and shoes, even though they weren’t the most flattering fashion statements a seventh grader could make.
“That’s a nice sweater,” Madhur said, eagerly pointing at Madison’s ensemble. Madison wore a purple cotton sweater with embroidery along the neckline. She had paired it with a midlength black skirt, black stockings, and little ankle boots.
“Thanks,” Madison said.
Together the two Maddies headed down to the kitchen for platefuls of pancakes and syrup, although neither girl was feeling particularly hungry. Nerves—and adrenaline—had kicked in at last.
Mom spouted compliments and encouragement throughout breakfast. She kept saying how proud she was to know that her daughter and her daughter’s friend were taking their first big steps toward becoming powerful young women and leaders of the future.
“Someday you ladies will be running the show,” Mom said.
“Don’t go overboard,” Madison said, feeling a little bit self-conscious.
When Mom stepped out of the room for a moment, Madhur turned to Madison. “Don’t worry,” she whispered. “My mom and dad would have said all the exact same stuff. Parents can be pretty exasperating with all their gushing. Doncha think?”
Madison giggled.
With a little time to spare, they put on their jackets. It was almost ten thirty in the morning—and time to get to school for the start of the conference.
Once Mom drove them to school, Madison and Madhur were swept up in the wild energy of the place. A large banner hung outside the front door that read: DARE TO BE AWARE! Inside, Principal Bernard stood at the doorway to the school along with a committee of welcoming faculty and administrators. Teachers from other districts milled around, registering themselves and their students. The crowd seemed to grow exponentially in a matter of minutes. Madison spotted Fiona and Chet standing off to the side. She waved them over. The four started their own registration line.
“Why do we have to wait? I mean, this is our school,” Chet grumbled.
“Yeah, well, we have to get our name tags one way or another,” Fiona said. “Cool it.”
“If I were any cooler, man, I’d be an iceberg,” Chet quipped.
Egg, who stood nearby, let out a loud guffaw. Then Hart laughed, too. Soon everyone was enjoying the joke, including Madhur.
Madhur leaned over to Madison. “Maybe you were right. Chet is funny.”
Madison was aghast. “Funny-looking,” she quipped.
“That’s not nice,” Madhur said, nudging Madison. “He’s cute.”
“If you say so,” Madison said.
“Finnster!”
Madison turned as Hart approached. He touched her arm. Out of the corner of her eye, Madison thought she saw Madhur squirm. Or was she being paranoid?
“Are you nervous? Are you nervous?” Hart asked Madison, gently shaking her shoulders.
“Well, I am now,” she said, joking around.
Fiona leaned over and put her arm around Madison. “These two are gonna rock,” she said.
“Definitely,” Madhur said.
“Most definitely,” Chet added, smiling at Madhur.
Madison wanted to smile, too. But she was too nervous, and not just because Hart said so. In exactly one hour, she would have double duty: in addition to her presentation with Madhur, she would have to stand up in front of the entire auditorium and recite twenty-five words. Glancing at the program, Madison Francesca Finn saw she was the sole seventh-grade representative for that part of the program.
Yuck.
Hart leaned in close on the other side of Madison. “You’ll be great,” he said sweetly, and Madison really, really wanted to believe him.
Just then, the rest of their friends appeared in the corridor: Lindsay, Dan, and Drew. Now the whole gang was there, buzzing about the conference along with everyone else.
Fiona crossed her arms and pretended to be mad at Egg. She’d been doing a lot of that lately. But within moments, they were walking side by side.
As they marched along, someone snapped a photo. The flashbulb lit up the area, and Madison turned and saw one of the school photographers, readying his camera for a second shot.
“Act natural,” the photographer said, snapping a second picture—and then a third.
Egg threw his arms up and said, “Hurry! It’s the paparazzi! Duck!”
Everyone giggled. Egg grabbed Drew, and they did duck, laughing, into the bathroom for a minute. After the two were chased out by a teacher who was inside, the
group went into the auditorium and took their seats. Madison moved toward the front. She had one of the special seats reserved for solo presenters, near Mrs. Wing and the other speakers.
As she sat there, contemplating her twenty-five words, the entire week flashed before Madison’s eyes. She thought about everything that had happened with Madhur and Hart and even Aimee. She wondered how Aimee was dealing with her own nerves about her dance performance.
Normally, Madison preferred being behind the scenes. She could hardly venture even onto an empty stage in an empty auditorium. But today Madison was being forced to break through many of her own barriers. Here was Madison, with a podium, a microphone, and hundreds of eyes staring back. This was a very big test.
Was she crazy? Could she do this? Would she pass out? There was no bell that would ring to save her this time, like that day in English class.
Something about the past weeks had strengthened Madison’s inner resolve. Maybe it was the same thing the agenda sheet had said: she was daring to be aware. She’d made a new friend from a faraway place. She’d figured out that yes, she really did like Hart that much. And she developed confidence to speak out about her opinions and even to volunteer for something she would never have tried before. Okay, that had happened by accident, but it still mattered, didn’t it?
Madison scanned the rows. She caught a glimpse of Hart, looking in her direction; he smiled.
Mrs. Wing leaned over and whispered in Madison’s ear. “We’re almost ready to start. Are you ready?”
“No!” Madison screamed inside her head. She felt her stomach do its usual flip-flop, but steadied herself.
“Ready,” she replied meekly, and reached into her pocket for the file cards with the all-important words printed on them.
Mrs. Wing led Madison, along with the representatives from the other classes, to the front of the stage. Principal Bernard gave the welcoming remarks. Assistant Principal Goode followed up with some remarks about behavior at the school; then she introduced Mr. Gibbons and another faculty supervisor for the conference. At that, Mrs. Wing gently nudged Madison.
