Hailey Twitch Is Not a Snitch (7 page)

“Hailey, is that true?” Miss Stephanie asks.

I want to say no. Because I did not throw that list in the garbage, Maybelle did. But then I see Natalie and she still looks mad, mad, mad. And I know that if I do not take the blame, Natalie will tell on me.

And so I say, “Yes, Miss Stephanie, I did throw that list in the garbage.”

“That wasn’t nice, Hailey,” she says. “You know that is against the rules.”

“I know,” I say. “I am very sorry and it will not happen again.” I try to look very sorry about my rule breaking. But I know what is going to happen now. I am going to get a punishment. And it will be to leave our party.

But Miss Stephanie only says, “We will talk about this later, Hailey.” And I am not sure, but I think she might be smiling.

She is going to let me stay at the party! “Will we have to,” I ask, crossing my fingers, “tell my parents about this?”

“I don’t think so,” Miss Stephanie says. “I am very happy you came out and admitted what you did. It is very grown up. But please be on your best behavior from now on.”

Yay! This is turning into the best day ever! I go over to a new table and sit down with Addie Jokobeck.

“Have you ever heard about a plan to dig a hole all the way to Antarctica?” I ask her.

“No,” she says, “but that sounds like a very fun adventure.”

I give Addie Jokobeck a very, very big smile. And she gives me one too. And I feel very hap, hap, happy!

“Thank you, Hailey,” Addie says. She takes a bite of a very delicious-looking cupcake.

“You’re welcome,” I say. And then I think about something. “Addie,” I say, “I am sorry if I was mean to you about being friends with Natalie Brice.” I take another French fry off my plate. “Even if she is a mean one. And I am sorry if I got you in trouble.”

“It’s okay,” Addie says. “I know you didn’t mean it.”

“Can we sit with you?” Antonio Fuerte asks. He is standing by our table with Russ Robertson.

“Yes,” I say. I turn back to Addie. “I think it is okay for us to have other friends.”

“Yes,” she says, “I think you are right.”

And then me and Russ and Addie and Antonio all talk about how to dig a big hole to Antarctica.

Mr. Tuttle and the
Department of Magic

We are just getting to the good part about digging the hole and figuring out the shovels when Maybelle poofs right back up!

“HAILEY!” she says. “I NEED YOU RIGHT NOW!”

“No,” I whisper.

“YES,” she says. And then I notice she is all done up. She is wearing a new purple dress and neon pink shoes. I will have to ask Kaitlyn about that, because I do not think it matches.

“I cannot,” I say. “I am already on thin ice here.” Being on thin ice is when you are almost in trouble but not quite.

“Hailey, PLEASE,” she says. “This is a very big emergency.” And then I realize she means business.

“Excuse me, please,” I say politely to Russ and Addie. And then I ask Miss Stephanie if I can please go to the bathroom.

“What?” I ask Maybelle once we are in the bathroom. I check all the stalls first to make sure no one is listening in. Like being a spy.

“We have a bit of a…problem,” she says. And then poof! Another person poofs up! A little man with a mustache and a weird tan coat and big huge glasses!

“Hello,” he says. “Are you Hailey Twitch?”

“Well,” I say. I think about this. “That depends on whether or not she’s in trouble.”

“No,” he says, “she’s not in trouble.”

“Then, yes,” I say, “I am Hailey Twitch.” And then I remember my manners. “I am pleased to meet you, Mr.…?”

“Mr. Tuttle,” he says. “Department of Magic.”

“Department of Magic?” I ask. “Magic does not sound like it should have a department.” A department sounds very serious and dark. Which is not very fun at all.

“No time for small talk,” he says. Then he pushes up his glasses and looks at me kind of seriously. “We need,” he says, “to talk about Maybelle. And it is
very
important.”

Yikes. I am not so sure about this. Usually when a grown-up wants to have an important talk with you, it means it might be time for a punishment. I think it over very, very careful.

“Fine,” I say, “I will talk to you about Maybelle, Mr. Tuttle. But make it quick please, since there is a very big party going on in the other room.”

Mr. Tuttle looks down at his clipboard. And then he starts to tell me that important thing about Maybelle. I listen real close, and my jaw goes drop, drop, dropping right to the ground. As if getting a magic sprite wasn’t enough for one girl to handle! How am I going to deal with this? I guess we will just have to wait and see…

Thank you so, so much to:

Daniel Ehrenhaft, my fab editor, for taking over with such enthusiasm, and making this book a million times better.

Lyron Bennett for believing in Hailey from the beginning.

Dominique Raccah, Kelly Barrales-Saylor, and everyone at Sourcebooks for all their hard work.

Suzanne Beaky for bringing Hailey and Maybelle alive and making them look better than I ever could have imagined.

My mom, my dad, and my sisters for all their support.

Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Jackson Pearce, Jessica Burkhart, Mandy Hubbard, and Diana Peterfreund for answering my “OMG, I’m freaking out” email.

Kevin Cregg, Scott Neumyer, and Jodi Yanarella for just being great.

And most of all, my husband, Aaron, for everything.

Lauren Barnholdt loves reading, writing, and anything pink and sparkly. She’s never had a magic sprite, but she
does
have four guinea pigs. She lives outside of Boston with her husband. Visit her website and say hello at www.laurenbarnholdt.com.

Suzanne Beaky grew up in Gahanna, Ohio, and studied illustration at Columbus College of Art and Design. Her expressive illustrations are commissioned by children’s book, magazine, and educational publishers worldwide. She now lives with her husband and their cats, who insist on sitting in her lap while she works and often step in her paint, in Kirksville, Missouri.