Part 7 (2/2)
Jeri laughed. ”Thanks for sticking up for me.”
Rosa dug in her closet, found her heating pad, and plugged it in. After turning it on, she placed it on Jeri's stomach. ”I know we don't agree on everything, but you wouldn't hurt anyone. That much I know after living with you all year.”
”I'm sorry for bugging you about your clothes lately,” Jeri said.
”It's okay.” Rosa sat cross-legged on her own bed and faced her. ”I've been thinking about the clothes I've been wearing lately. You know those boys at the pizza place? I didn't make them act like jerks, but I can see why they might think I wanted attention.” She sighed. ”I think I'm going to return some of the out.ts I bought online.”
”Really?” Jeri pressed the heating pad against her stomach, relaxing in its warmth.
”Yeah. I think . . . maybe . . . I've worried too much about clothes lately. I read a magazine today in the li-brary, and it had this huge survey somebody did.”
”What kind?”
”About friends.h.i.+p. They gave the survey to a thousand girls, asking them what they valued in a friend.” She wrapped her arms around her bent knees. ” 'Somebody who wears cool clothes wasn't even on the list.”
Jeri grinned. She wasn't surprised. ”Do you remember what ranked the highest?”
”Um, loyalty and kindness and a good smile. Being fun with a good sense of humor ranked real high too.”
”That's you exactly! Hampton House would vote you as the girl with the best smile who's the most fun,” Jeri said. ”Where did a girl's looks rank on the list?”
”Appearance was close to the bottom, but it was about being clean and neat, not about wearing hot clothes.”
Jeri cupped her hands under her head and stared at the ceiling. ”That survey's right,” she said. ”I needed a friend when Brooke was accusing me. And I cared a lot more that you were loyal than what kind of jeans you had on.”
Rosa grinned. ”Okay, so remember that the next time you get ants in your pants.”
On Sat.u.r.day morning, Jeri woke up before six a.m. Rosa was still asleep, and from the stillness of the dorm, so were most other girls. Between the mockingbird outside their window and her worries over the poisoning, there was no chance of going back to sleep. Jeri gave up and crawled out of bed. She went downstairs for a while, but she felt antsy and cooped up. Maybe getting out and walking would help her think.
Outside ten minutes later, she strolled toward the bell tower, her mind skipping from one problem to another.
G.o.d, I can't make sense out of anything. What am I missing?
She went around the corner of the bell tower and almost b.u.mped into Sierra Sedgwick.
”Hey, Jeri!” Dressed in pink and white jogging shorts and a tank, Sierra had her long hair up tight in a ponytail. She stopped in front of Jeri and jogged in place.
”Hi, Sierra.” Sierra looked perfect, as always. And there wasn't any sweat on Sierra's face, neck, or s.h.i.+rt. ”So, I heard you're entering a photo book for the media fair.”
”You heard right.” Sierra's smile was bright, her teeth perfect. Rosa claimed she wore whitening strips to bed ev-ery night. Then Sierra's face clouded over. ”At least, I hope I am. I'm still waiting for something to come in the mail for it.” She caught her lower lip between her teeth. ”It just has to get here today.”
”What is it?”
”Um, some material for the book cover.”
Jeri c.o.c.ked her head to one side. That sounded odd. Why would material come in the mail? Jeri wondered. Was it possible that Rosa was right, and Sierra's dad was send-ing his photos for her project? Maybe they were late. Hope surged in Jeri. If the package of pictures didn't arrive by Monday, Sierra would be out of the compet.i.tion!
”Don't jog too hard,” Jeri said. ”See you Monday night.”
When Jeri got back to the dorm, the hallway just inside the front door was jammed with bags and boxes and posters. Abby, Emily, and Brooke were getting their displays for the science fair ready to set up at the Sports Center gym today. That evening from seven to ten, each student would give a ten-minute presentation for the judges.
Upstairs, Rosa was still in bed, reading a magazine and eating a package of cheesy crackers. ”Boy, you were up early.”
”Went for a walk.” Jeri dropped onto her desk chair and straddled it backwards to look at Rosa. ”I have to . n-ish my article today. Want to walk over to the greenhouse with me? I want to borrow another book.”
”Sure.” Rosa hopped off her bed, tossed aside her magazine, and slipped on her . ip-.ops. Jeri didn't comment on it, but she noticed that today Rosa was dressed in a looser T-s.h.i.+rt and denim capris. She still looked totally cool.
It was warming up already, and Jeri and Rosa strolled along, talking about summer plans. It was a relief to Jeri to think about something besides poison for a while. Circling around the statue in front of Herald Hall, they b.u.mped into Sierra.
”Wow! Two times in one morning,” Sierra drawled. ”Are you following me?” Her smile was blinding now.
What's with her? Jeri wondered. Earlier she'd seemed anxious.
”What's that?” Rosa asked, poking a large envelope sticking out of Sierra's backpack. It was an express mailer - the kind rush-rush mail came in.
”Something I needed for my media fair project,” Sierra said, dimpling. ”It just came.”
Jeri's hope de.ated like a leaky balloon. That size mailer could de.nitely hold a dozen 8” x 10” photos.
”Well, good luck on Monday,” Jeri forced herself to say.
”May the best girl win,” Rosa added brightly. When they were out of earshot, she whispered to Jeri, ”And that's you. I bet that package was photos from her dad. There's no point in working so hard when there're girls like Sierra in the world.”
Jeri didn't reply. She could only hope Rosa was wrong.
At the next fork in the sidewalk, they turned left toward the Sports Center. People were still carrying in posters and displays for the science fair. Coming toward them, head down, was Brooke. She was dressed in jeans so tight Jeri could see a rock or something in her front pocket. Deep in thought, Brooke barely noticed them.
They continued down the rock path to the greenhouse and stepped inside the dim front building. Jeri called to Mr. Petrie, but there was no answer. ”His bookshelf is in an of.ce at the back. I think it'd be okay to get another book and leave him a note.”
In the of.ce Jeri studied the t.i.tles on the shelves. Rosa strolled around the little room, reading the notes tacked to the various bulletin boards. Framed certi. cates, awards, and newspaper articles lined one whole wall. Jeri had just found two books when Rosa whistled shrilly.
”Look what I found.” She was standing by Mr. Petrie's open desk drawer, waving a paper.
”What is it?”
”A warning. Look!”
”You shouldn't be in his desk!” Jeri glanced over her shoulder to make sure Mr. Petrie wasn't coming. Then curi-osity got the best of her. ”Warning for what?”
”It's a report from The Head,” Rosa said. ”It says here that 'Yelling at a student is conduct unbecoming to a staff member of Landmark School for Girls.'”
”I wonder who he yelled at.”
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