The Secret Crush (9 page)

W
hile Zee and Chloe finished changing into their gym clothes, Kathi, Jen, and Missy were practicing dance steps for the musical in the locker room. Jen kicked her leg up high, then arched her back.

“Oh, that's so cool,” Missy said. “Then we can do this.” She reached out, first with her right hand, then with her left.

Zee pulled her gym shirt over her head. “Cool beans!” she said.

“Let's go practice it in the gym,” Kathi suggested. “There's more room.”

“All right!” Jen bounced excitedly.

“My parents said I can have a sleepover on Friday night,” Missy told the others as they headed out of the locker room. “You guys are all invited.”

Kathi clapped. “Excellent! I love snooping inside other people's houses.”

Chloe turned to her. “You know you said that out loud, don't you?”

“Oh, is there something wrong with that?” Kathi asked.

“My dad said he'd take us all to the International Skate Center,” Missy went on.

Tweet!
Mr. Lieberman, the gym teacher, blew the whistle hanging from the string around his neck.

“Line up in squads, everyone!” Mr. Lieberman's voice bounced off the gym walls. “Pronto!”

“Oh, joy,” Zee said sarcastically. “Gym is starting.”

“I guess we'll have to learn the choreography later,” Chloe said.

“At the sleepover. I'll email you guys the details,” Missy said while they walked across the polished wood floor to their places under the basketball hoop.

“Details for what?” Conrad asked.

“Missy's having a slumber party,” Jen explained.

Conrad held out his arms to indicate the other boys. “Are we invited?”

Missy blushed. “My parents would never let me have boys at a sleepover.”

“You'll have to have your own party,” Jen said.

“That's what I'll do! But, I don't have parties,” Conrad said. “I have par-
tays.
” Conrad turned to Marcus, Jasper, and Landon. “Are you guys in?” he half shouted, holding up his palms for high fives.

With a running start, Marcus rushed him and slapped Conrad's palm. Then Conrad held his hands in front of Jasper and Landon, who each gave him a high five. When Jasper and Landon faced each other, they let their arms drop and turned away.

 

The next day was a big one for Kathi and Missy. They were competing for the violin solo—and Zee knew Kathi was counting on winning. If Missy had never shown up, the part would definitely be Kathi's. But now there were two amazing violinists in the Beans. Kathi had already lost the lead role to Zee, so getting the solo was especially important.

“Kathi and Missy, bring your instruments and come with me, please,” Mr. P said after he took roll.

Kathi batted her eyelashes. “Are you going to pick the winner, Mr. P?” she asked.

“No, I've asked Mrs. Zolotow, the choral director, to be the judge,” Mr. P explained. “You'll be behind a panel, though, so she won't know who's performing. That will keep it fair.”

Kathi looked disappointed, but she and Missy picked up their violins and walked toward their teacher.

“Everyone else should find a partner to work with on the script, songs, or your stage crew committee,” Mr. P told the rest of the class. “Mrs. Carmichael is in charge, so please listen to her.”

Zee turned around to Landon, who was staring at her mother. “Hey, Landon, do you—” she began.

“Want to work on props with me?” Landon quickly asked Jen.

“Sure,” Jen said.

Mom strikes again!
Zee told herself, disappointed.

Kathi was the first to return from the audition. “How'd it go?” Zee asked.

“Whatev,” Kathi said, putting her violin in its case. “I didn't really care about it. I have all those lines to memorize already.” When she turned her face away, Zee was sure she heard a sniffle.

Then Missy walked in with a big smile on her face. Zee couldn't believe Kathi had lost the violin solo. Was her reign finally over?

 

After school, Zee changed into a pair of shorts and a gray camisole, and laced up her white Converse high-tops.
The perfect costume-hunting outfit!
she thought. She and Kathi were going to the thrift shop to buy costumes for the musical. Zee hopped on her bike and pedaled to Kathi's house.

Zee rang the Barneys' bell, and Kathi answered right away.

“Perfect timing,” Kathi said. “My sister was just about to leave. She can drive us to the store now.”

“Why don't we just ride bikes?” Zee suggested. “It's really close.”

“Can't,” Kathi told her.

“Isn't that your bike right there?” Zee said, pointing to a red-and-blue bike she could see inside the open garage.

“Yes, but I'm not supposed to ride it.”

“Why do you have it then?”

“'Cause it's the best one available,” Kathi said. “But if I ride it, I might ruin it. Then it would just be a used bike.”

“Doesn't it bother your parents that they paid for a bike that you never ride?”

“It's their idea,” Kathi said. “They like for things to look perfect.”

Zee looked at her own bike and thought about all of the bike rides her family took together. She had a memory for every ding and scratch.

“Let's just walk,” Zee suggested.

Kathi's phone rang as the girls headed toward the thrift shop. “Hi, Mom,” she answered. “No, I didn't get the solo.” Zee heard a weird noise come through the phone—like a howl—then words she didn't understand. “I guess Missy just played better,” Kathi said. A pause. “I don't know, Mom.” Another pause. “Do you really think Mr. P likes her better?” More inaudible squeaking came through Kathi's cell phone. “Well, no, you definitely shouldn't blame me.” Kathi listened. “You're right—the audition was fixed.”

After Kathi hung up, Zee stayed silent.

“I'm just glad I didn't have to tell my mom to her face,” Kathi said. “I so didn't want to see her disappointed look.” She furrowed her brows and frowned to mimic her mother.

“I don't think Mr. P would play favorites,” Zee said. “Do you?”

“Of course I do!” Kathi said. “But if he did choose a favorite, I'm sure it would be me. That's why I think somehow Missy cheated to get the part.”

“How?” Zee asked. Did Kathi think
Zee
cheated to get the lead?

“I don't know how—maybe Mrs. Zolotow was in on it—but Missy's sweet routine is definitely just an act,” Kathi said. “No one that pretty needs to be that nice.”

Even though Kathi's logic seemed kind of strange, Zee agreed that Missy was a mystery. “We really don't know much about her,” Zee said.

“No, we don't,” Kathi said. “But I think she's the kind of person who doesn't care who she hurts to get what she wants.”

Does Missy want Landon?
Zee wondered. Was she going to try to take him away from Zee?

The girls soon arrived at a strip mall that included an antiques store, a framing shop, and a barbershop as
well as the thrift shop.

Kathi looked around at the racks of clothes that were crammed with jeans, shirts, jackets, and dresses. “So, what exactly is a thrift shop?” she asked, rushing to the bookcases that lined the sides of the room and were stacked with folded sweaters.

Zee looked at Kathi's orange Gucci stretch jeans and Versace T-shirt. She guessed that the clothes Kathi was wearing cost her at least $500. The sneakers were another $150. She wasn't surprised Kathi didn't know what a thrift shop was.

“It's a place where people donate clothes they don't want anymore. Then the store resells them.”

“You mean, it's used stuff—like hand-me-downs?” Kathi crinkled her nose and frowned.

Zee nodded. Kathi rushed away, but instead of going right back out the front door, as Zee expected, she hurried over to a rack of jeans, nearly tripping over a basket of belts that was sitting on the floor.

“Awesome!” Kathi exclaimed. After frantically pushing hangers along the metal bar, she grabbed a pair of jeans and held them up. “I love these. My parents would never let me wear them—but for the musical, I could get away with it.” A wild, mischievous smile spread across her face.

“Now all you need is a shirt, and your costume's done,” Zee said. “How much are the jeans?”

Kathi checked the tag. “Only a hundred dollars.”

“A hundred dollars?” Zee looked for herself. Someone had neatly written $1.00 in blue ink.
Ohmylanta!
Zee silently groaned. “You've definitely never been to a thrift shop. It's only a dollar.”

Kathi laughed at her mistake. “Thank goodness you're here to help me with this!” she said, crushing Zee in a hug.

 

It was good to talk to Ally. She knew Kathi as well as Zee did—almost. Still, Zee wasn't sure if Ally was right about Kathi or not.