Monkey Business (3 page)

“Excellent!” I said. “And what about the trampoline?”

Ted grinned at my mom. “I thought the trampoline was going to be a surprise,” he said.

My mom turned bright red. “It was,” she said carefully. “Hmm. I wonder who told her.”

We all laughed because the answer was obvious. Anyone who knows my mom knows that she's terrible at keeping secrets.

“I was surprised when I found out you were getting me a trampoline,” I said as diplomatically as possible. “And I'll be thrilled once it's here. You guys are amazing parents!”

“Spoken like someone who really wants a trampoline,” said Ted.

“We'll order it as soon as we unpack the house,” my mom promised.

“My room is done,” I said. “Remember?”

“I guess that means you can invite your friends over,” said my mom.

“Oh, I already texted them twenty minutes ago,” I said. “As soon as I started on my last box.”

“You are exceedingly efficient,” said Ted.

I stood up and looked out at our backyard. “I was hoping the trampoline would be set up already so we
could bounce tonight. And I know just the spot for it—at the deep end of the pool. I'll bet I can figure out how to do a reverse flip into the water.”

“Um, having you fall off the trampoline and crack your head open is my biggest nightmare,” said my mom. “So keep talking like that and the trampoline may never arrive.”

“Sorry. Never mind,” I said quickly.

The doorbell rang as I was finishing my sandwich. “I'll get it,” I said, jumping up and then moving my dishes into the sink.

Pepper beat me to the entryway and barked like crazy. He always went nuts when someone came over—don't ask me why.

I raced toward the door and tried to stop short but ended up skidding in my socks halfway across the entryway. “Yikes, our new floors are slippery,” I called to no one in particular.

Through the stained glass window in the middle of our door I spied three figures: a tall blurry person with long red hair who could only be Claire; a short blurry person in a blue Dodgers cap with short black braids sticking out on either side who had to be Yumi; and a medium-size, slightly slouchy person with long brown hair parted in the middle who had to be Emma.

I opened the door with a big grin on my face. “Hey, guys!” I said. “You're right on time. Welcome to my new house!”

“Thanks for having us over!” said Claire, coming in and giving me a big hug. “This is so exciting.”

“I'm missing the second half of the Dodgers game for this,” said Yumi. “But it's totally worth it.”

My friends all dropped their stuff inside and then looked around.

“Your entryway is so fancy,” Yumi said, gazing up at the crystal chandelier overhead.

“I'm so happy we live closer now,” said Emma, flashing me the screen of her phone, which was on its timer setting. “It took me ninety-five seconds to walk here, and I wasn't even hurrying.”

“That's great! Let's go upstairs and I'll show you my room,” I said, grabbing one of Claire's suitcases. She'd brought two, which was so Claire. She changed outfits at least three times a day. At the moment she had on a purple-and-blue paisley long-sleeved shirt and cutoff jean shorts with a rainbow peace sign embroidered on both front pockets. Most likely she'd done the embroidery work herself.

“Rachel texted to tell me she'd be late,” said Yumi. “She's stuck at her grandparents' house for dinner tonight and she couldn't get out of it.”

“No worries,” I said, leading them upstairs and into my brand-new bedroom. “I haven't had a chance to put up my posters yet, but here we are. …” I spread out my arms.

“Wow, your room is huge,” said Claire as she
looked around. “And check out your closet! I dream of having a walk-in closet!”

“You do,” said Emma.

“I mean one of my own—and a room that I don't have to share with Olivia.”

Claire has an older brother and sister. They're eighth-graders and twins named Olivia and Charlie.

“I like Olivia,” I said. “She's cool and super-sweet.”

“She is,” said Claire. “As far as sisters go, I'm lucky. She never minds when I borrow her clothes and she doesn't hide her diary that well, so I always know what's going on with her.”

“You read her diary?” I asked, shocked.

“Shh!” Claire said, raising her finger to her lips. “Let's not publicize that fact.”

“You kind of just did,” said Emma.

“Right—but I'm trusting that the information won't leave this room,” said Claire.

“Got it,” I said with a nod. Then I thought about this for a moment. “Do you think my future baby brother or sister is going to read my diary?” I wondered.

“Probably,” said Claire, wiggling her eyebrows. “So consider yourself warned.”

“That's going to be so annoying!” I cried. Then I thought about it for a minute. “Oh, wait. Except I don't actually have a diary.”

Everybody laughed, and Emma said, “Make sure you don't start one now.”

Then Claire unzipped her orange duffel bag and pulled out a pair of white Converse sneakers. On each side were hand-painted little black-and-white dogs. They looked sort of like Pepper in miniature.

“Those are so cute!” I said.

“Glad you like them because I made them for you,” Claire said.

I gasped. “This day keeps getting better and better and it's not even my birthday!”

“This is your housewarming present,” said Claire. “You'll need the new shoes because you'll be walking farther to get to and from school from now on.”

“True,” I said, giving Claire a quick hug. “Thank you. You're the best.”

Then I looked more closely at the sneakers and said, “You did an amazing job!”

“Thanks. It was easy,” Claire said proudly as she tucked her hair behind her ears. “Fun, too, since Pepper is the most adorable puppy.”

Right when she said his name, Pepper hopped into her lap. Claire giggled and scratched him behind his ears. “Hi, cute guy!”

He licked her face in response.

“Thanks for making me look bad,” said Yumi. “I didn't bring a thing!”

“Neither did I—except for my sparkling personality,” said Emma as she batted her eyelashes at us.

We all giggled.

“Oh yeah, I have that too,” said Yumi.

“That's certainly enough,” I assured them as I stepped out of my flip-flops and then sat down to try on the new high-tops.

“They fit perfectly,” I said.

“You should probably wear them with socks or you'll get blisters,” Emma pointed out.

“I guess so.” I crossed my room to my dresser drawer and pulled out a pair of white tube socks with chunky red and blue stripes.

“Those are so retro,” said Claire. “Perfect for the Converse.”

“I'm glad you approve,” I said as I pulled them on. “And thanks again. I'm so excited to have another one-of-a-kind Claire original.”

“Can I commission a pair?” asked Yumi. “Maybe blue shoes that say, ‘Go Dodgers' on each side?”

“Sure,” said Claire. “I'm picturing it now—a little baseball with red stitching and letters all in silver. What size shoes do you wear?”

“Six,” said Yumi.

Claire pulled out her phone and plugged in the information.

Then suddenly Pepper shot out of the room and down the steps, barking all the way.

Seconds later the doorbell rang.

“Oh, that must be Rachel!” I said, jumping up and following Pepper to the front door. “I should lock up Pepper.”

Rachel is allergic to dogs—they give her hives.
And the only reason she was able to sleep over tonight was because I'd promised we'd keep Pepper out of my room and away from her in general.

I ran to the front door just as Ted opened it. Rachel stood in the doorway with her trusty red backpack slung over one shoulder, and her green sleeping bag tucked under her opposite arm.

“Hold on. Let me put Pepper outside,” I said, grabbing him by the collar.

“I'll take him,” said my mom. “And hi, Rachel. We'll keep him away. Don't worry.”

“Thanks,” Rachel said. Her eyes seemed red and puffy already.

“Wow, you really are allergic, huh?” I asked.

“What?” asked Rachel, blinking at me. “Oh. Yeah.”

“Hi, Rachel. Now let's see,” said Ted, counting on his fingers. “That's one, two, three, four of you. Annabelle's friends have all arrived, which means the five musketeers are together again!”

“I don't even know what that means,” I said. “But please don't say it again.”

“You've got it, boss,” Ted said with a smile and a salute.

I stared at him silently as if to say: “please don't embarrass me.” Except obviously it was too late!

“I'll take that as my cue to leave,” said Ted as he backed away. “Have fun, girls!”

“Sorry I'm late. I got stuck at dinner with my grandparents,” said Rachel as she walked inside and
readjusted her rainbow-striped ski cap. It'd been pretty hot out these days, but Rachel doesn't wear her ski cap to stay warm. She wears it to keep her curly brown hair under control because, according to her, it gets too frizzy. Especially in the spring and summer, when the humidity index increases. So yes, when winter ends and most people are putting away their jackets and boots and scarves and things, that's the exact moment when my best buddy Rachel breaks out her ski caps.

“It's okay,” I said. “You didn't miss a thing. Everyone just got here.”

“Come on upstairs, Rachel,” Yumi called from the top of the steps. “You should see Annabelle's new room!”

Rachel followed me up the steps and into my bedroom. She took one look around and exclaimed, “Wow!”

Then she dropped her backpack and sleeping bag to the ground and narrowed her eyes at me. “This whole house is ridiculous, Annabelle. Please don't tell me you're going to turn into a Canyon Ranch snob now.”

Silence fell over the room. My friends and I stared at Rachel, wide-eyed.

A Canyon Ranch snob? What was Rachel even talking about?

That silent moment between me and my friends seemed to last for a long, long time. No one seemed sure what to say or do. Moments before, we'd been having the best time. Then Rachel showed up and accused me of being a snob? Not cool! Everyone seemed too shocked to say anything, myself included.

Eventually Claire broke the silence. “Ha-ha. Very funny, Rach,” she said.

My other friends giggled too, but it all seemed forced. Like they wanted to believe Rachel was joking but they weren't quite sure.

I wished I could have joined them, but it felt too weird. Almost like I'd be laughing at myself. Because what Rachel said? Maybe she'd been
trying
to make a joke. But it wasn't funny. Not the least bit. Still, I felt like I had to say something. Plus, Rachel was staring at me, and her big brown eyes seemed colder than usual. She looked as if she wanted to pick a fight. Or was at least putting the bait out there with her comment and waiting to see if I'd take it.

Was I going to take it?

“That's a good one,” I said. Except my voice sounded harsh too. I couldn't hide my anger and I didn't want to. I was mad at Rachel for ruining my good mood and for putting me in this awkward position. It was as if we were suddenly in a showdown, but what were we fighting over, exactly?

Rachel didn't respond or even look at me, and everyone seemed to feel the tension in the room.

“Let's talk about something else,” Emma said gently. She turned to Yumi. “What's the latest with Nathan?”

“We're back together,” said Yumi.

“That's great!” said Claire, clapping her hands. She was probably happy for Yumi
and
relieved that we'd changed the subject. I know I was!

“It's great if it's what you want,” said Rachel. “Last time you guys broke up you said that was it.”

“I know,” said Yumi, sighing in a dreamy way as she stared off into the distance, probably imagining her and Nathan walking on a beach at sunset. “But he's the perfect guy. Or at least he would be if only we lived in the same time zone.”

Nathan is Yumi's on-again-off-again long-distance boyfriend. He lives in Michigan. They met in Hawaii over Christmas vacation when they were both visiting their grandmothers, who live in the same condo complex.

“And if you'd seen him in person more than once in your whole entire life,” Rachel said.

This was true, but the way Rachel said it seemed kind of harsh and overly critical. Maybe she was in that kind of mood. I watched Yumi's reaction and waited for her to say something, but she didn't even blink.

“It seems ridiculous sometimes,” said Yumi, all light and sincere. “But the thing is—we are so perfect together! We have the best Skype dates and he texts me almost every single day. Plus, we convinced our parents to take us to Hawaii at the same time this summer, so at least I'll get to see him again.”