Boy, Oh Boy!

by Laura Dower

  He stammered. “H-h-help? Well, I don’t know. We just figured it was a cool thing to do. After yesterday, we got to talking. That’s all. We wanted to be a part of the Web site.”

  Drew usually got to be a part of whatever he wanted. His father was a richer-than-rich inventor who always gave his son the newest, coolest gadgets. Once Drew had an actual spy pen with a teeny-weeny camera inside it, as if someone had slipped James Bond’s toy into his pocket.

  Madison made a face. “Did Egg put you up to this?”

  “Egg?” Drew acted surprised. “Like I said, we thought about it together.”

  “Yeah, but it’s really him,” Madison mumbled. “He’s so competitive.”

  “Maybe a little,” Drew said. “But he’s also smart. Don’t you think it will be fun if we all do it together?”

  “I guess,” Madison sighed. She wasn’t totally convinced.

  After school, by the time the three of them met up together in room 510 to start the Web site project, Madison was getting used to the idea of Egg and Drew helping. She had to admit that the boys were as good as she was (if not better) with computer stuff. Especially Drew. Even though Egg was a bigmouth about his skills, Madison knew for a fact that Drew was on a higher level of Minecraft than Egg. He was just a lot quieter about what he knew and didn’t know.

  Mrs. Wing walked into the technology lab, arms filled with folders and envelopes. “Walter, could you help me here?”

  While Egg rescued the folders from Mrs. Wing’s arms, Madison and Drew logged onto their computer stations. They went to a page of scrolling data entry tabs. This was where information needed to be input on the site. They started typing in the information Madison had retrieved from the newspaper room.

  “I’ll be right back,” Mrs. Wing said. “I need to run back to the office. I’ll be back in a few.”

  “Hey, did you read this?” Drew was typing in Ivy’s profile and statement of purpose. “Ivy says, ‘I promise that when I am elected, I will make this the best junior high in the world.’ Is she kidding? In the world? Talk about making stuff up. And she doesn’t even say how she’s going to do it.”

  Egg looked at her photo. “Yeah, but she’s still a hottie.”

  “Egg!” Madison groaned. No matter how evil Ivy acted, all Egg really seemed to notice was how she looked.

  “She comes off like a total robot,” Drew said.

  “Aimee isn’t a robot,” Madison said. “Read something from her profile.”

  Drew shuffled the pages. “‘I, Aimee Gillespie, promise that when I am elected, I will make this the best junior high in the world.’”

  Egg cackled. “Hah! She says the exact same thing as Poison Ivy!”

  “Maybe we should change that,” Drew said. “You have to fix what Aimee says.”

  “That wouldn’t be fair,” Egg said.

  “Yeah, but Aimee is a way cooler candidate,” Drew insisted.

  Madison just listened as the boys bickered back and forth. She was busy scrolling through the other pages on the election web site. She needed to make sure all the information had been typed in and formatted correctly.

  “Drew, do you like Aimee or something?” Egg asked.

  “Aimee?” Drew replied. “I like her. She’s nice. She’s a good dancer.”

  Madison jumped into the conversation. “No, he means like her, like her.”

  “Yeah, Drew, do you like her, like her?”

  “What?” Drew was taken aback. “No!,” he gulped. “I mean, not in that kind of way.” He was very surprised by this new line of questioning. “No way, Jose. No.”

  “Who do you like?” Egg prodded him.

  “Yeah,” Madison chimed in. “Who?”

  Drew shook off the question. “We should input this before Mrs. Wing comes back, right? Quit asking me stuff.”

  At first Madison had wanted this election project all for herself, but she felt different as time passed. Maybe it wasn’t so weird with the three of them working on the site. Madison had always assumed Egg and his pals were abnormal. But Drew and Egg could set up the Web pages faster than fast.

  As they sat there, Madison remembered something else important: Drew was a cousin of Hart Jones’s. Maybe she could ask him questions about Hart. “Hey, Drew, what’s the deal with your cousin?”

  “Hart? What does he have to do with anything?” Drew looked confused.

  “Oh, nothing, I was just wondering—”

  “Hart’s a fart,” Egg interrupted.

  Drew snorted. Madison just rolled her eyes. Sometimes boys could really be so immature. She’d save her questions for another time.

  “Just forget it,” Madison said.

  She was glad to drop the subject. Madison had no logical reason whatsoever to be asking about Hart. She didn’t want Egg or Drew to get the wrong idea about her interest. She didn’t want them to get any idea.

  When she got home to Aimee’s, Madison found her e-mailbox icon blinking.

  Seeing that she had mail lifted her spirits.

  From: ff_BudgeFilms

  To: MadFinn

  Subject: Phone Call

  Date: Tues 12 Sept 1:21 PM

  Hello, sweetie. I tried to call you before sleep tonite (we’re 6 hours ahead, remember?) but the line was busy for an hour! Aimee’s brothers are always on that phone, I’m sure. Well, I just wanted to say that I miss you very much. Are you okay at school? I’ m sorry to be gone for so long. I promise, no more long trips.

  Did I mention that it is very rainy here?

  Je t’aime, ma cherie.

  Madison clicked SAVE. She wanted to hear Mom’s voice for real. She wanted Mom to tell her that the election would turn out okay. But calling France was way too expensive, Madison told herself, especially from someone else’s house. This would have to do.

  A new note from Bigwheels popped up after Mom’s. Madison had hit the e-mail jackpot.

  From: Bigwheels

  To: MadFinn

  Subject: Re: School elections and stuff

  Date: Tues 12 Sept 5:01 PM

  Yes, I think boys are all weird. No, I do not have a boyfriend. (I used to have a pen pal in Spain named Robbie, but he moved and I never got his new address. I met him through my parents. My Dad had a client who lived there. Robbie was so nice but he made me a little nervous and in general I think boys make me nervous.)

  I never feel like myself when I am with boys. Do you? I do have crushes on movie stars sometimes though. Do you?

  Do you like a person at your school? Is that why you feel weird? I am sure whoever you like will like you right back if you are just honest with him. I may not be the best person to ask for advice, but I definitely think you need to be honest. Honesty is the best policy. Just don’t be nervous if you can help it.

  I actually meant to tell you that I was just elected last week as class rep in my class, so I know EXACTLY what you mean by annoying elections. Good luck with yours! Why aren’t u running for class prez? You sound so smart.

  I have a question for you: do you have brothers and sisters? I have one sister and one brother who are both younger than me. My brother is only four. He is a pest.

  Yours till the moon beams,

  Bigwheels

  p.s. If your mom is away, y don’t u call ur Dad? My dad always makes me feel much better. Yesterday my daddy got me flowers.

  Madison’s Dad got her flowers sometimes, too. But today, when Madison dialed his cell phone, she only got Dad’s recording.

  Please—leave—message. Beeeeeeep.

  “Uh, Dad … this is Maddie and … I am calling because I need … well, I miss … when you get this please call me back I don’t know when … I just wanted to say hi and good-bye so … hi … and good-bye. Okay, that’s all. Don’t forget I’m at Aimee’s house.”

  No sooner had Madison rested the phone back into its cradle, when Mr. Gillespie screeched from downstairs.

  “Soup’s on!”

  So far they were having dinner
every night at six o’clock on the dot. Tonight there was baked whole-wheat bread (all-natural and organic, of course), grilled vegetables, and some other macrobiotic food. Madison wasn’t too sure what half of the food on her plate was. She was now eating the exact opposite of Mom’s Scary Dinners.

  Aimee’s other two brothers, Dean and Doug, were the only ones at the table tonight and they didn’t talk much. It wasn’t the same as the previous night’s burps and urps. Mayhem tonight was minimal.

  Dean was a senior in high school who worried and talked more about his Camry and hot girls than anything else. Doug was a ninth grader who Madison sometimes saw at school but who never said much of anything, let alone “Hiya, Madison.” He didn’t seem to care about anything more than his high-tech calculator and baseball. Tonight Doug and Dean were arguing about catchers. Madison tuned right out.

  Blossom brushed Madison’s foot and she sneaked a grilled piece of zucchini under the table. A second later Blossom woofed it up. Even the dog liked vegetables in this house.

  “Mmhey, Mmmaddie.” Aimee chewed with her mouth full sometimes. “Mmmell my dad—”

  “Pass the pepper, please,” Mr. Gillespie said.

  “Mmhow mmis the mmelection mmmweb site?”

  Madison looked at Aimee for a moment like she had three heads, and then finally figured out how to translate her mouth-full-of-food lingo: How is the election site?

  “Fine,” Madison answered, picking at the couscous on her plate. It was brown bulgur wheat, Mrs. Gillespie had said, but it looked more like coarse sand. Sand? She would have given anything in that moment for a cheeseburger. Why would anyone want to eat sand?

  It always grossed out Madison that Aimee loved brussels sprouts more than burgers. Aimee liked eggplant, okra, and lima beans, too! She was already on her second helping of sand.

  “Madison,” Mrs. Gillespie said, “have you heard from your mom?”

  “Yes, she wrote me an e-mail.” Madison shrugged. “I miss her. I mean, I missed her. She tried to call and the line was busy.”

  “Well, I bet she’ll call again either late tonight or tomorrow, depending on her schedule.” Mrs. Gillespie’s radar was up. She could tell Madison was homesick. “I’m sure your mom is having a great old time over there. I am so envious of her traveling around the world. That must be so—”

  “Pass the salt, please,” Mr. Gillespie interrupted.

  “Mmddad!” Aimee groaned, giving her Dad an evil look.

  Mrs. Gillespie kept right on talking, about how smart Madison’s mom was, and independent, and adventurous. …

  And never home, Madison thought. By now, Blossom and Phin were begging under the table. She shoved another grilled pepper downward. There was a collection of all-natural food scraps under the table.

  It seemed that feeding dinner to the dog was only increasing Madison’s appetite. Madison realized she would have to ask Aimee for a peanut-butter sandwich after dinner. Her stomach grumbled and she prayed no one else had heard it.

  “You know, Mrs. Gillespie,” Madison said as they helped clear the sand and sprouts off the table. “I really appreciate your having me stay here. And Phinnie, too.”

  Mrs. Gillespie ran her hand over Madison’s shoulder and squeezed. “I know. Maddie, you’re like family here. You and Aimee have been friends since you were born.”

  Phinnie growled, “Rowrroooo!” It was like he knew what people were saying. Or at least knew when people were talking about him.

  Aimee picked a sponge fight in the kitchen, and the two pals were throwing wet dishrags around, putting on fake accents, when Mrs. Gillespie called Maddie back into the dining room.

  “Oh my gosh!” she cried, as she walked in.

  Too late.

  Mrs. Gillespie was down on her hands and knees picking up the mess.

  “Oh, Mrs. Gillespie, I am so sorry, I am—”

  Aimee’s mother just grinned. “Next time, you tell me what you want, okay? No more secret dumping on the carpet. I don’t think Phin or Blossom is much of a vegetarian. And neither are you.”

  “I like vegetables,” Madison stammered. “It’s just that—”

  She didn’t know what else to say. She could feel her feet telling her to run away, as always. But of course she didn’t go anywhere. She kneeled down and picked up a soggy carrot. Phin had half-chewed it and dragged it across the floor.

  “Maddie,” Mrs. Gillespie said again, “you don’t have to pretend around here. So you can talk to me if you want. You can tell me things … I meant what I said before. I think of you like my second daughter, okay?”

  Mrs. Gillespie always knew how to say just the right thing. It really was like having a substitute mom when Mom was out of town. Madison couldn’t decide if that was weird or if she was lucky or both.

  When Aimee and Madison had finished up their social studies homework (from the one and only class they did have together), they sneaked out Aimee’s bedroom window onto the roof. This was their secret place. It was the flat part of the roof, more like a patio where you could lay on your back and watch the stars. Aimee’s dad had built a little lip around the roof to keep people away from the edge and close to the window.

  “Gee, it smells like rain tonight, doesn’t it?” Aimee said as they lay back on the shingles.

  Madison lay back again and searched the sky for the moon. Even with some stars, it was so dark out tonight that looking for a crescent moon was like searching for a fingernail paring in the sky.

  “So, Maddie, tell me about the Web site,” Aimee said.

  Madison explained how she downloaded photos and information and Mrs. Wing helped them to code the information in a special way and add the right links.

  Aimee was the biggest chatterbox, but she could also be a great listener.

  “What happened to those election pictures I gave in when I announced I would run?” Aimee asked.

  Madison told her those had been uploaded, too. “Oh, did I tell you that Egg and Drew are part of the team now, too?” Madison added.

  “Drew Maxwell?”

  “Yeah.” Madison nodded. “Mrs. Wing said they asked to be a part of it. They volunteered. Weird, huh?”

  “Oh, really?” Aimee said. Madison detected a funny tone to her voice. “Do you think Drew did that to make sure I win or something?”

  “What?”

  “I’m just joking. Of course I know he’s probably only doing it so he can be—” Aimee cut herself short. “Well, I’m sure that’s nice for you, having Egg and Drew around.”

  “It’s okay.”

  Aimee pointed up into the sky. “Hey, is that yellow thing a planet or a UFO?”

  “UFO. Totally! Aim, remember that alien dream you used to have as a kid?”

  Aimee covered her eyes. “Why did you have to remind me? Now I’ll never sleep tonight. Alien abductions. Spaceships. Weird machines. That gives me the jeebies.”

  Suddenly, a shooting star zipped past.

  “Did you see that?” they said at the exact same time.

  Then they laughed and made a wish with their eyes shut.

  Madison felt serious all of a sudden and so she said, “Aimee, I want to make sure you know that I want you to win this election. I really, really want you to beat Ivy. I just wanted you to know that. I’m on your side.”

  “I know that, silly!” Aimee laughed. “I want to win, too. Not that I have any idea about how to be class president. Well, I have an idea about what I could be like. I guess I just did this because someone had to show Ivy she can’t always have it her way.”

  “Too bad there isn’t a talent contest as a part of elections. You could dance and win all the votes just like that.”

  “Just like THAT!” Aimee snapped her fingers.

  “I think it’s between you and Ivy, for real. Are you nervous?”

  “SO nervous,” Aimee said, hugging her knees.

  The two stayed huddled under the chilly, speckled night sky for a while longer, enjoying their “slumber party.”
It was one of those moments you gulp and swallow to keep in your belly, in your heart, for always.

  Then the phone rang.

  “Hey, maybe it’s your mom calling from France,” Aimee yelped encouragingly, lunging back inside through the window to answer it.

  Madison’s stomach flip-flopped at the idea—but of course it wasn’t Mom.

  It was one of Aimee’s brother’s girlfriends.

  “Dean has like ten different girlfriends,” Aimee said. “He’s so hideous. Who would date him? Someone else hideous, I guess.”

  Madison giggled. “Doug’s still a hottie!”

  Aimee lightly punched Madison’s shoulder. “Get OUT! Quit looking at my brothers! That’s like … you shouldn’t even joke about that kind of stuff.” She was half-yelling and half-laughing. “Oh-em-gee, can you imagine?”

  Madison teased, “Maybe I’ll marry one of them, Aimee, and we could be sisters for real. What do you think?”

  Aimee made a face like she would throw up. “I think I’d rather be friends.”

  As they turned off the light to sleep, Madison imagined a day when she would be the one getting a late-night call from a boyfriend. Maybe boys weren’t so terrible.

  “Aimee?” Madison whispered after a few minutes in the darkness.

  There was no answer.

  “Aimee, are you there?” Madison asked again. She wanted to talk about boys and parents and family and the Far Hills elections for just a little bit longer.

  But Aimee was already fast asleep.

  Madison wished talking in your sleep meant having real conversations with each other. That way she and Aimee could keep on talking until the sun came up again.

  She reached over the edge of the bed and placed her hand on Phin’s back. His side heaved with little, fast breaths, like the kind you have when you’re in the middle of a doggy dream.

  Chapter 6

  DAD

  DAD CALLED THIS MORNING. He and I are ON for dinner tonight and I cannot wait. I can’t wait for so many reasons. First, because I want to see my dad of course. Then, because I want to eat meat or something that isn’t sand. And also because I just want to be somewhere that really is my family. Even though the Gillespies are the best and they take good care of me it’s not the same.