by Laura Dower
Lindsay wasn’t the only one with a major dilemma. Madison had one of her own.
What was more important: a best friend’s birthday party or a real date with the one boy she had ever loved?
Chapter 5
MADISON MOVED HER CURSOR across the home page of the TweenBlurt.com website. She checked the site’s main bulletin board for new postings. Lately, the Webmaster had been adding a lot of graphics and features to the site, and Madison liked to keep on top of the changes.
Egg always challenged Madison to see if she knew as much as he did about what was on the site. He was obnoxious about it, but of course he was obnoxious about everything. He’d been competing with Madison since they had been young. It was practically like having a brother, Madison thought. But unlike Fiona, who had one annoying twin brother named Chet, and Aimee, who had four annoying brothers named Roger, Billy, Dean, and Doug, Madison didn’t have to share toys or fight for the remote control. She wouldn’t have to see Egg if she didn’t want to.
Madison had to reenter her password to enter the Members Only area. Madison always wondered what that meant, since anyone could be a member. It was free. The site recommended that users change their passwords every few weeks for security purposes. Madison spelled out her latest:
IHEARTHART
She laughed to herself. It was such a ridiculous password (so-o-o-o-o ridiculous!) and yet she loved it all the same—even now.
The screen buzzed and glowed a shade of lime green. She clicked her keypad to enter the BloggerBlurt section. This was the fastest growing area. The screen flashed a few times as the blogger welcome greeting popped up.
Welcome to BLOGGERBLURT!
Although she didn’t have a blog of her own, Madison visited to check out her keypal Bigwheels’s blog. She scrolled down the list of bloggers until she came across the right one.
Don’t Ask: The Whole Truth
A blog by Vicki (aka Bigwheels)
Madison selected the blog name and clicked. A separate screen opened with her online friend’s latest entry.
School is a big drag & I haven’t been feeling right these days. First off my BFF Lainie has been out sick and that bums me out when she’s not around to talk :>( The other big news is that the doctors keep changing the diagnosis on my little bro. Mom always tells me these things about his autism but I forget most of it. All I know is that he looks like he’s staring into space sometimes and I never know when he’s going to throw his toys around. It’s weird. My mom spends most of the time trying to keep him away from my younger sister. He almost pushed her down the basement stairs by accident. But she’s ok. N e way, M & D say I need to try to understand more but the thing is I am trying--hard. Maybe I need to try harder. I made a list of all the websites where I can get info. One very, VERY good thing this week is that I aced my American history report (finally) and I got a really good score on the standardized test they had in our district. So many people failed or did really badly. AND I saved up some money I got babysitting 2 get this amazing purple sweater set that makes me look skinny. I think I will wear it to the school dance if Reggie asks me. I just need a pair of earrings 2 go w/it. BLOGYL!
Madison opened a new window on her screen and up popped her e-mailbox. She needed to talk to Bigwheels. There was so much going on in both their worlds.
But before she could hit NEW MAIL, her laptop beeped. A message appeared in another new window on the screen.
Madison explained to Bigwheels about the party with Lindsay in New York and how all her BFFs were going to be there and how she had made a decision to tell Hart no because of the birthday bash.
“Are you packed yet?” Mom shouted upstairs. Madison snapped her laptop shut and raced over to the door.
“Not yet!” Madison called back.
Mom appeared at the bottom of the stairs with Phin in her arms. She was scratching the scruff of his neck, and he loved it. He stretched his furry little neck to the side and let out a low doggy moan.
“Maddie, I’m still a little nervous about your being in the city by yourself,” Mom said with a serious look.
Madison laughed. “Mom, you know we’ll be fine.”
“I know, I know,” Mom said.
Madison made a confused face. “So what do I pack?”
“Maddie! Don’t make it such a production! It’s only two nights. Bring your nice pants, a sweater, a couple of T-shirts, your boots, in case the weather changes. I heard it might rain tomorrow.”
“Rain?” Madison grimaced. “Oh, no. Then we won’t be able to walk around.”
“You can still walk. Just bring your rain gear and that yellow pocket umbrella in the hall closet.”
“I guess,” Madison grumbled. As she turned back toward her room, Phinnie leaped from Mom’s arms and scooted up the stairs.
“It’s your turn to walk the dog tonight. Don’t forget,” Mom said.
Madison’s head raced. She had a lot to do before school tomorrow and no time to do it. And she hadn’t even thought much about studying for the standardized test. She assumed that Lindsay would bring study materials along on the weekend in the city. Even if they didn’t have much time to look over vocabulary and math problems and whatever else was going to be on the test, Lindsay would take comfort in the fact that she had all of her study guides close at hand.
Luckily, the packing went quicker than quick. She stuffed two different dress-up tops and skirts into the bag just in case she needed options. Aimee was always saying that the key to being a fashion diva was options, which was funny, considering the fact that sometimes Aimee would wear the same ballet tights and shoes for four days in a row.
Madison had no idea what kind of special restaurant Lindsay’s Aunt Mimi would be taking them to, but she assumed it would be fancy-schmancy. That was what Madison’s Gramma Helen always called places where they had a special waiter just for pouring water and refilling the bread basket, and at least three diff
erent forks per place setting. With this in mind, Madison packed a couple of pairs of earrings, including a moonstone pair that matched her favorite moonstone ring, the one that Dad had bought her.
Dad liked to buy Madison presents for no reason. He called them “little kisses, all wrapped up.” Sometimes when they were out together, he would stop in front of a jewelry store and make Madison choose the top five things she would have purchased if she had been a multimillionaire. They always played games like that when they shopped. And without fail (and just as a joke) Madison would select the most expensive item—for example, a diamond necklace. Of course, Madison didn’t really like flashy pieces like that. She liked jewelry that looked as though it told a story: necklaces with lots of beads, or earrings with oddly shaped opalescent stones.
This week, with the trip into the city for Lindsay’s party, Madison would be missing her weekend visit with Dad. She’d almost forgotten, because she had been so focused on missing the date with Hart. Dad would have to wait, just like her crush. Madison couldn’t ever remember having so many choices—and being less sure of which was the right one.
But the party was the number-one pick. And tomorrow after school, Madison, Aimee, Fiona, and Lindsay would be driven to the train station by Lindsay’s mother. They would board the four o’clock train into New York City, loaded down with duffel bags and backpacks, their heads filled with big ideas about skyscrapers and shopping.
Madison zipped her suitcase shut and clapped her hands to get Phinnie’s attention. At last, she was ready to walk the dog.
She was ready for anything.
Chapter 6
BEFORE THE RENOVATION, THE elevator of the Far Hills train station had been out of order, on and off, for at least a year. There was only one small ticket window and one crabby ticket agent. Madison had been there a few times to take trains into the city with Mom or Dad or her stepmother, Stephanie. She remembered a funny smell coming from the waiting area, where the benches were covered with old newspapers and graffiti.
But today, as the girls arrived at the station, there was a completely different sight to behold. Everything gleamed. The elevator had been overhauled and the benches replaced. The lone ticket agent had been replaced, too, by three shiny machines where tickets could be purchased automatically.
Madison took the renovation as a good omen for the weekend. She believed that the sight of the bright stairs and seats inside the station meant one thing: she had made the correct decision about Lindsay’s party. Hart could wait. Dad could wait. She was doing the one thing that couldn’t wait—and that she couldn’t possibly miss. As Bigwheels said, FCF (friends come first)!
“I can’t believe this place.” Madison’s eyes widened as the group ambled into the main part of the station.
But no one else was particularly surprised. Madison was the only one who hadn’t taken the train into the city lately. Aimee often took the train into New York to see a ballet performance and meet up with one of her friends from ballet camp. Fiona and Chet sometimes traveled into Manhattan with their dad. And Lindsay was always shuttling back and forth into the city to see Aunt Mimi or to dine with one of her parents at some trendy spot.
Madison headed for the ticket machine, but Lindsay grabbed her arm.
“We can chill out until the train comes. I already have our tickets,” Lindsay announced.
“You are such a rock star,” Aimee said. “This is like some kind of glam weekend, with all expenses paid, like we won a game show.”
Lindsay laughed. “You think?”
“Yeah,” Madison added, heaving her too-heavy bag over her shoulder. “Thanks, Lindsay—for everything.”
“Why did you bring such a big bag, Maddie?” Fiona asked when she spotted Madison heaving the overstuffed duffel.
Madison shrugged. “I don’t know. Because I couldn’t pick just one thing to wear?”
“Are you feeling fashion-challenged again?” Aimee cracked. “Maddie, you should go on one of those makeover shows.”
“I wish. They don’t have them for kids our age,” Madison moaned.
“They don’t?” Fiona asked. She paused thoughtfully. “I don’t know why you guys obsess about clothes. Who cares what we wear, as long as we have fun?”
“Are you kidding?” Aimee exclaimed. “Clothes are key.”
“No, I think Fiona’s probably right,” Madison said with a wide smile. It had seemed easier to bring everything along rather than face the prospect of getting caught without the right color top or the right pair of shoes. But after hearing Fiona speak, Madison wished that she could dump half her bag right there on the ground and return to her closet for a re-pack. If only there were a rewind button for life.
“What about you, Lindsay?” Fiona asked.
“I didn’t bring that many clothes, but I did bring books for that test on Monday,” Lindsay said.
“I knew you would bring something to study!” Aimee said.
Madison chuckled. “Me, too.”
“Me three,” Fiona said. “Or at least I was hoping you would. I’m worried about spending all weekend shopping and not studying. Um…is anyone else worried?”
Madison shrugged, but Lindsay nodded emphatically. “Are you kidding? I’m so-o-o-o worried. Aunt Mimi told me that I can’t study on my birthday. But we can find the time. I know it.”
“Come on. I refuse to worry about something I don’t even get,” Aimee said. “There are only three things I worry about: ballet recitals, my brothers throwing me in the pool in the summer, and Ben Buckley liking me.” She giggled out loud, and her friends giggled, too.
“Ben?” Fiona exclaimed.
“Gee, you haven’t talked about Ben in a while,” Lindsay said.
Madison rolled her eyes. “Don’t encourage her.”
Madison always found it strange that Aimee, who was definitely one of the prettiest girls in the class, didn’t go for any of the most popular—or cutest—boys. Instead, Aimee decided to like one of the shyest—and smartest—kids in the seventh grade, Benjamin Buckley III.
“Yeah, too bad Ben isn’t here,” Madison quipped. “Then he could help us study for the test. Mr. IQ could take one of these tests with his eyes shut.”
The train was due in the station in only a few minutes, so the girls dragged their stuff out onto the platform to wait. The air was brisk. Everyone bundled up in scarves and gloves or shoved their hands into their pockets. Madison inhaled deeply. She loved the way cold air felt when she breathed it into her lungs. It was almost minty.
Across the platform, the girls watched as a trainload of people disembarked. They had come from the direction of the city, and many of them carried briefcases and laptop computers. Madison smiled at the thought that she had her own laptop tucked neatly inside her orange bag.
A loud whistle blew, and the girls jumped.
North of where they stood, the bright white lights of a train could be seen in the distance. A low clattering grew louder as the train approached.
“I can’t believe we’re going to the city together,” Lindsay said excitedly.
The four friends bobbed up and down, partly from excitement and partly because they were getting cold.
“I can’t believe we didn’t do this sooner,” Aimee said.
As soon as the train stopped, the doors opened with a loud ping. Madison and the others quickly shuffled inside. Although it was an express train, there were many seats open. Lindsay found two double seats facing each other for the four of them. They placed their bags in the open rack above the seats, hauling them up carefully one by one so nothing would crash to the floor during the ride.
Madison settled into her leather-upholstered seat near the window just as the train lurched and started back on its route. As she leaned close to the window, she could feel the cold through the glass. Outside, rows of trees lined the tracks. The trees were bare, and the houses behind them were visible. Madison could see inside some of the kitchens and bedrooms as the train rushed past.
Lindsay pulled out three small, flat, rectangular packages from her knapsack and handed them to the other girls.
“What is this?” Fiona asked.
“Something silly,” Lindsay said, eyes twinkling.
“Get out of here!” Aimee said. “What is this?”
Madison shook her little package. “It doesn’t rattle or anything. Hmmm…”
Lindsay tilted her head to one side. “Well, it’s not anything big. Aunt Mimi had this idea, since we’re together all weekend. Oh, just open it.”
Madison, Aimee, and Fiona ripped at the wrapping paper at the same time. Fiona was the first to reveal the gift. Inside each package was a laminated card marked LINDSAY’S BIRTHDAY PASS, with a photo of the recipient at the center. Each pass was attached to a long pink glitter cord, recalling the pink glitter on the last-minute invitations. On the back was a list of interesting things: Frrrozen hot chocolate, constellations, and fashion shows.
“Huh?” Aimee said, trying to figure out what exactly it was all supposed to mean.
Lindsay wrinkled her nose. “It was Aunt Mimi’s idea. She made me send her photos of each of you, and she had someone make these up. Please don’t laugh. You can throw it out if you want.”
“Throw it out? What are you talking about?” Aimee declared. “It’s like a backstage pass. This is totally cool.”
Madison nodded. “Cooler than cool.”
“What an incredible weekend,” Fiona said. “Special passes? Where are we going to go?”
“I told you. I’m not sure,” Lindsay said.
When the conductor passed through the train car to collect the fares, Lindsay reached into her bag for the tickets.
Fiona jokingly held up her party pass and smiled.
“Excuse me, ma’am, but I think these passes should be good enough to get us to New York, right?”
The conductor squinted and tried to read Fiona’s pass. “Huh? What is this thing? I don’t accept these. Where is your ticket?”
