Part 9 (2/2)
”Why didn't she just talk to us?” Jeri asked. ”We could've .gured something out. I guess wiping out the compet.i.tion was her shortcut to winning.”
”While others, like Sierra, cheat to win,” Rosa said. She was quiet for a long time. ”Well, if you don't have G.o.d in your life to help you, you're kind of stuck trying to get things to happen your own way.” Rosa smiled with a lop-sided grin. ”I don't have their excuse though.”
”What do you mean? Excuse for what?”
Rosa sat up and wrapped her arms around her bent knees. ”Instead of being friends with guys-like you are-I take shortcuts of my own to get attention.”
”It takes guts to admit that,” Jeri said. ”I've noticed the changes you've made already. My mom says G.o.d will give us boyfriends when the time is right-someday.”
”Ya think?” Rosa hopped off the bed. ”I just hope he doesn't take too long!” Grinning, she .ounced out of the room.
Laughing to herself, Jeri turned back to her article. Now, where was she? Oh, yes, the news about Brooke. What should she do with the information? Brooke getting expelled was news. Could she include it at the end of the article? It seemed mean and unkind-but reporters had to tell the truth.
Jeri leaned back in her chair. Maybe she wasn't cut out to be a news reporter after all. It had been her dream all year, but when her friends were involved, it put her in a tough spot. Should she tell the whole truth or not? If she left out parts that might embarra.s.s her friends, was she a real reporter? Somehow she didn't think so.
Whatever she decided to do, the project was due . rst thing Monday morning. She'd better decide soon.
Sighing, Jeri wondered why she was making such a big deal out of it anyway. Sierra would probably win with her stunning photo-essay book. Especially if Rosa was right and it really was her dad's stunning photo book.
Jeri was up till midnight .nis.h.i.+ng her front-page article and the .nal formatting of her newspaper. Back aching, Jeri stretched and rubbed her neck. For better or for worse, the article was done. She'd been as honest as she knew how to be. She only hoped it didn't get her disquali. ed.
Monday night's media fair found the group of school friends together again, this time lined up in the front row of the auditorium. Jeri was glad Ms. Carter said Dallas could join them-just in case she won! Five . nalists would be called up to sit in the .ve empty chairs on the stage. Mrs. Gludell, the Lightning Bolt's sponsoring teacher, and Headmistress Long were already onstage, waiting to do the honors.
Mrs. Gludell cleared her throat. ”And now the moment we're all waiting for,” she said, smiling down at the audience. ”This was an extremely dif.cult decision to make this year. Several projects were worthy of winning full scholars.h.i.+ps.” She turned to The Head, who nodded her agreement. ”Unfortunately, that's not an option. So . . . the other judges and I chose the one girl we felt was most deserving.”
Head Long stepped to the mike then. ”I will read off four .nalists' names. Would those girls please come up onstage at this time?”
Jeri blinked in surprise and glanced at Rosa. Four? Why only four? There were .ve empty chairs onstage. She held her breath as The Head read off the names: ”Cara Thompson, Andrea Williams, Deedee Jones . . . and Jeri McKane.” Her friends broke into applause as Jeri hurried forward and climbed the stairs to the stage.
Jeri sat between Cara and the empty chair. While people were still applauding, Jeri whispered to Cara, ”Where's Sierra Sedgewick? I heard she was probably getting the scholars.h.i.+p.”
”Don't you know? She got disquali.ed!” Cara whis-pered behind her cupped hand. ”Head Long saw some of her photos in a copy of Photography Today - with her dad's name on them. She didn't take those pictures in her media project!”
Jeri sat back, mixed feelings .ghting inside her. She was horri.ed for Sierra. She couldn't imagine being con-fronted by The Head and accused of cheating. But part of her surged with sudden hope too. Maybe her own project had a .ghting chance now!
Jeri sat perfectly still and made herself breathe deeply and slowly. G.o.d, I want your will, she prayed. If I still don't win, help me be happy for the winner.
”May I have everyone's attention, please?” Head Long said, silencing the chattering crowd with ”the look.” ”It gives me great pleasure to award the scholars.h.i.+p to a very commendable young woman.” She opened a folder. ”The winning student put together a newspaper, complete with an article based on her own investigation of a recent crime on campus. The article ends with some thought-provoking ideas about the pressure students feel to win s cholas.h.i.+ps -and the lengths some are willing to go to win.”
Jeri felt the heat rising from her neck to her face, and she knew she was blus.h.i.+ng furiously. She didn't dare look at Rosa or Dallas or any of her friends.
Ms. Long turned and smiled at Jeri, then added, ”I would love to read the article aloud right now, but I can't. A police investigation is underway, and they don't want certain information made public. However, I can a.s.sure the audience that the article-the whole newspaper-is excellent writing. You'll read it some day. We look forward to Jeri McKane's return next year and her work as a Light-ning Bolt staff member.”
Applause broke out then, and Ms. Long motioned for Jeri to come forward.
Jeri looked down at the front row of chairs as she walked across the stage. On one end waving wildly was Rosa, dressed in a cute skirt that even Jeri's mom would ap-prove of. Emily was next to her, dividing her time between watching the stage and grinning at Dallas, who sat on her other side. Jeri felt a twinge of envy there, but she couldn't blame Emily for liking him.
Jeri did too-and she hoped one day that Dallas would like her back even more. In the meantime, she'd pray about growing into the kind of girl that someone like him would want for a girlfriend. Someday.
We're all just friends, she reminded herself. For now, that's enough.
A New Series from Faithgirlz!
The Boarding School Mysteries series challenges twelve-year-old Jeri McKane, a sixth grader at the private Landmark School for Girls, to trust G.o.d's Word and direction as this amateur sleuth searches for clues in the midst of danger.
Fading Tracks Socover * ISBN 9780310714293 On the way home from a .eld trip, the Landmark School for Girls van, with the driver and six girls, disappears somewhere along the Two-Mile Stretch leading into town. Jeri McKane desperately searches for her missing friends, including her roommate Rosa.
Secrets For Sale Socover * ISBN 9780310714309 A blackmailer is victimizing Jeri McKane's best friend, so Jeri uses her investigative abilities to discover who and why. As the threats become more serious-to her friend as well as herself- Jeri dares to confront real danger face-to-face.
Smoke Screen Socover * ISBN 9780310714316 When an ”accidental' .re at Landmark School turns out to be arson, Jeri Mckane is determined to discover who is se ing . res-and why.
A New Series from Faithgirlz!
Meet Morgan, Amy, Carlie, and Emily. They all live in the trailer park at 622 Harbor View in tiny Boscoe Bay, Oregon. Proximity made them friends, but a desire to make the world a better place-and a willingness to work at it-keeps them together.
Project: Girl Power Book One * Softcover * ISBN 9780310711865 After a face-off with a group of bullies, Morgan, Amy, Carlie, and Emily decide to walk to and from school together. There's safety in numbers. Then the girls notice how ugly their mobile home park looks. With help from other people in the park, they beautify Harbor View, which brings surprising consequences.
Project: Mystery Bus Book Two * Softcover * ISBN 9780310711872 The girls of 622 Harbor View begin summer by working to clean and restore their bus to use as a clubhouse. As they work on the bus, they discover clues that suggest someone who lived in the bus during the late '70s had a mysterious past and is somehow connected with grumpy Mr. Greeley, the manager.
Project: Rescue Chelsea Book Three * Softcover * ISBN 9780310711889 Carlie makes a new friend. Chelsea Landers lives in a mansion and isn't always very kind. Carlie would like a best friend, but will Chelsea fit in with her other friends? When Carlie is betrayed by Chelsea, will she learn to forgive?
Project: Take Charge Book Four * Softcover * ISBN 9780310711896 The girls of 622 Harbor View find out their town's only city park has been vandalized and may soon be turned into a parking lot. They group together to save their beloved park and soon meet an elderly woman with the power to help their cause, or stop it before it even starts. But will they be able to convince her to help before it's too late?
Project: Raising Faith Book Five * Softcover * ISBN 9780310713494 When the girls set out to raise the money to go on a three-day ski trip with the church youth group, Morgan is confident that G.o.d will provide the funds. But while everyone else finds a way to afford the trip, Morgan's plans are derailed by her grandmother's illness, school, Christmas activities, even jealousy ... and when Grandma suffers a heart attack, Morgan's faith is severely tested. Will G.o.d provide what's really important?
Project: Run Away Book Six * Softcover * ISBN 9780310713500 Shortly before Christmas, Emily's family must flee when her abusive father uncovers them in Boscoe Bay. But Emily's friends rally to help get them safely back home, where Emily discovers that forgiveness doesn't always come easily.
Bibles
Every girl wants to know she's totally unique and special. This Bible says that with Faithgirlz! sparkle! Now girls can grow closer to G.o.d as they discover the journey of a lifetime, in their language, for their world.
The NIV Faithgirlz! Bible Hardcover ISBN 9780310715818 So cover ISBN 9780310715825
The NIV Faithgirlz! Bible Italian Duo-Tone ISBN 9780310715832
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