What Emma Left Behind
Page 48
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Caera was filled with Friday morning excitement as she dodged and steered her way through the halls to history class and the pizza party that awaited her. Apart from being followed by Marie Summit twice already, once before school and once between first and second period, her day had been a flawless precursor to a fabulous weekend to come.
She hastened towards the origin of the familiarly irresistible aroma, spurred on by hunger since she'd had to skip breakfast to enjoy the occasion to its utmost. What, she asked herself, would have been the point if she didn't take advantage of the present opportunity? This food was free and greasy...
The pizzas arrived just as history began. Caera came in, dropped her books on the floor, and joined the throng in pushing the desks against the wall. Corey Richardson and Justin Porter shoved in the long, chipboard tables, and the hot pizzas were put down on them until the punch, cups, plates, and napkins were brought in.
Once the table was all set up, the lining up began. Corey Richardson made away with a whole pizza in his hands, balancing it on his head and dodging people until he found a private corner in the room. Caera watched him brush past her in amazement. She couldn't believe he was planning on eating the entire thing; most boys could only manage about six slices tops, most girls only four or five. But she only shrugged and followed as the line moved up.
Caera took two deep dish slices and one thin n' crispy and made her way to the back of the room where other students were sitting on top of their desks. Claudia was still in line getting some grub; Caera wondered why she hadn't gotten to the table earlier when the getting was good. If she didn't hurry, all of the pepperoni and Italian sausage pizzas would be gone, Caera thought to herself, now halfway into her second slice. She needn't have worried, though. Claudia approached a few minutes later, having chosen the exact same slices as her sister.
"What took you so long?" Caera demanded.
"It's a funny thing you should ask that." Claudia's eyes shone brightly. "I was on my way over here, when all of a sudden, Corey Richardson jumped up out of nowhere and asked me to next week's Valentine Dance. And I thought he was too much in love with himself and his food to think about anything else. Huh, go figure. "Claudia chuckled to herself.
"Well, didja say yes or what?"
"Of course. He just happens to be friends with the Davenports and Todd Miller, remember?" Claudia winked. "He was at their slumber party over the Christmas holidays. Besides, I figured we might just use this dance as an excuse to rub salt into the Davenports' wounds, whaddaya think?" Claudia had that rare sneaky look in her eyes, the one that Caera always loved to see.
"Gee, Claudia," Caera smiled. "I hardly knew you had it in you."
"Had what?" Caera was unexpectedly surprised by a loud, obnoxious voice in the vicinity. She looked up to meet Marie Summit's gimlet stare.
"Oh hello, Marie," she offered peacefully.
"Don't 'oh hello' me." She retorted, "as if you didn't know why I was here. I know that you two and that Robinson girl have found out more about the treasure."
"But honestly, Marie, we haven't--" Claudia started to object.
"Aw, come on, Claudia. You don't have to beat around the bush with me," Marie smirked crookedly. "Why, I heard some of the details from Ellison Davis just this morning. All I want to know is a few facts for Monday's newspaper, that's all, and I'm giving you the chance to tell me them yourself before I have to resort to other means to find them out."
"How very big of you," Caera uttered a contemptuous snort.
"Well, okay. If that's the way you feel about it," Marie proclaimed as if she'd failed to save them from themselves. "But don't say I didn't warn you," she glared hard at them before flouncing away.
"And to think we invited her to our Christmas Party this year." The girls looked at each other for a moment and couldn't help but laugh.