Fabulous Five 026 - Laura's Secret (5 page)

"Laura McCall
,
I have something to say to
you!"

Laura was walking down the hall with Tammy, Funny, and
Melissa after school the next day when a voice stopped her in her tracks. She
knew immediately whose it was.

Laura took a deep breath, as if she were trying very hard to
be patient. "Is there a problem, Alexis? What is it this time?"

Already some kids in the hall had stopped to hear what would
certainly be another terrific argument between the two girls.

"Yesterday you said you had proof that I was a thief,"
Alexis said.

"I do," Laura replied.

"Yeah, right, that little scratch," Alexis said
scornfully.

"That proves the bracelet's mine," Laura insisted.

"Well, I'm going to give you the chance to prove
something else," Alexis told her.

"What's that?"

"Prove that you're not a liar," Alexis answered.

The crowd around them was getting bigger. Laura threw Funny
a warning look as she spotted The Fabulous Five on one side and Shane
Arrington, Paul Smoke, and Dekeisha Adams on the other side. She wished Shane
wasn't there. He was the cutest boy in seventh grade, and his presence made her
nervous.

Now she looked back at Alexis, who was staring at her, her
eyes filled with anger.

"Prove I'm not a liar?" asked Laura. "What do
you mean?"

"Prove that you have a maid," said Alexis. "If
you can, then everyone will know that you're not a liar!"

Laura gulped.

"But if you can't prove it," Alexis went on, "then
they'll know that you invented the maid story to impress everybody and that you
lied about my stealing your bracelet."

Laura heard a murmur run through the crowd.
Everybody
was obviously waiting for her answer.

"I'd prove it if I could," Laura announced, trying
to sound confident, "but the maid comes in the mornings when we're all at
school." Then she had an idea. "I could have her write you a note."

Alexis laughed sarcastically. "Oh, that would be great
proof! After you wrote the note yourself."

Laughter rippled from the kids surrounding them.

That was a stupid mistake, Laura realized. She caught a
glimpse of her three best friends standing stiffly beside her, silent as usual.

"Okay," Laura said boldly. "Then why don't
you skip school with me—any day you choose—and come to my apartment? You can
meet the maid yourself."

There were more murmurs in the crowd.

Laura looked around at the kids. "In fact, any of you
who want to can come," she invited. "I'll prove I have a maid!"

She wondered briefly what she would do if anyone agreed to
come to her apartment to see the maid. She searched the faces. They looked
impressed with her offer, but no one seemed ready to skip school. That was
good. Her courage was growing.

Laura looked directly at Alexis. "Come on, Duvall,"
she challenged. "How about tomorrow? Come to my apartment!"

Alexis's eyes narrowed. "You know I don't skip school,
Laura."

Laura shrugged. "Too bad. I could have proved to you
once and for all—"

"What's your maid's name?" Alexis interrupted.

"Chantal," Laura said. "She's French."

"Chantal?" Alexis asked. "What's her last
name?"

Laura's mind raced. "Uh, DuBois. Chantal DuBois, if it's
any of your business."

"Interesting," Alexis said thoughtfully. "And
where does this Chantal live?"

"Why do you want to know that?" Laura asked
carefully.

"Well," Alexis answered. "I just thought we
could find her and clear this up, once and for all."

"Find her?" Laura asked in a small voice.

"Sure," explained Alexis. "There are only two
employment agencies in town that represent maids."

"Oh?" asked Laura, her legs feeling weak.

"Well, since we have a maid," Alexis went on, "I
asked my parents for the names of both agencies. Now I can call them and ask
about a Chantal DuBois. I'll see if they know her."

"Oh," said Laura, grabbing for the first idea that
came to mind, "well, that wouldn't help you, anyway. My dad got her
through a private ad in the paper."

Alexis smiled. She wasn't defeated. "Well, let's just
look in the phone book. There couldn't be more than one Chantal DuBois in town."

"Good idea!" someone from the crowd shouted. "That's
a weird name!"

"Oh, but she doesn't live here." Laura was
thinking fast. "She lives in some little town a few miles from here."

"Which one?" Alexis demanded.

Laura shrugged. "I have no idea." She smiled. "Sorry."

Alexis glared at Laura. Then she glanced helplessly around. "Don't
you all think it's pretty convenient that everything I suggest won't work?"
she asked, loudly enough for everyone in the crowd to hear. "There doesn't
seem to be any way that Laura can possibly prove her maid story."

"Except if you come to my apartment tomorrow morning,"
Laura said with a small, triumphant smile.

Once again she glanced around to see if anyone would take
her up on her offer. There were still no takers. She breathed a silent sigh of
relief.

Alexis took a step backward, then whirled around and marched
away down the hall. A large group of kids followed her, among them The Fabulous
Five, Laura noticed. She watched them go. She was pretty sure she had won the
battle.

Then she looked at the few kids still hanging around. Thank
goodness Shane was gone—and she didn't think he had followed Alexis. Some kids
were starting to leave now, but others were glancing sideways at her.
They
still didn't believe her!

Maybe she hadn't won the battle after all.

Laura turned to Tammy, Funny, and Melissa. "I guess I
settled that," she declared, watching her friends' faces carefully.

Tammy stared at Laura as if she were searching for the truth
in Laura's face. Funny and Melissa looked at the floor.

"What's the matter with you guys?" Laura demanded.

Funny finally looked up at Laura. "Laura," she
said evenly, "
we
haven't even seen your maid—and we're your best
friends."

"So you have to see my maid before you believe me?"
Laura huffed. "Some friends!"

Tammy gasped. "But we
are
your friends!"

"Real friends stand by each other," Laura said. "They
don't doubt each other's honesty."

"I don't doubt you," Tammy insisted. "Can't
you believe that?"

Laura turned away.

"What can I do to prove I'm your friend?" Tammy asked.

Laura thought she could detect desperation in Tammy's voice.
She was glad that
someone
felt desperate about being her friend.

"We're your friends, too," Funny said softly. "But
it would be fun to see Chantal sometime."

"Because you really want to meet her?" asked
Laura, "or so that you can know I'm not lying?"

There was a long pause.

"I'd like to meet her," Funny said, staring Laura
right in the eyes.

"Did you notice that The Fabulous Five left with
Alexis?" asked Laura abruptly, changing the subject.

"Yeah," the girls mumbled.

"They're on Alexis's side, you know," Laura
warned. ""That could mean big trouble for The Fantastic Foursome if
they talk the rest of the kids into siding with her. Our group could be
history."

"That's true," agreed Melissa.

"We've got to stick together," Tammy added. "Through
thick and thin."

"We
will
stick together," said Laura, "if
you help me and stick up for me."

"Don't worry," Tammy assured her. "We won't
let you down again."

"Can I depend on you two?" Laura asked Funny and
Melissa.

"You can depend on me," Melissa answered.

"How about you, Funny?"

Funny nodded, not looking at Laura. "I'm with you,"
she said softly.

Laura felt a little better, but not a lot. Somehow she wasn't
completely convinced.

"
G
one With the Wind
is my all-time
favorite movie," said Tammy, plopping onto the floor in front of the
television set. "Don't you think Vivien Leigh is
gorgeous
?
"

Laura set a huge bowl of popcorn down in front of Funny and
Melissa. "I like Clark Gable, myself."

"Well, I wish you'd gotten
Bill and Ted's Excellent
Adventure
,
" said Funny. "It's the most hilarious movie I've
ever seen."

"Can't you ever be serious?" Melissa grumbled.

Funny gave her a pained look.

"All the copies were checked out, anyway," said
Laura before Funny could fire back an angry response. She had invited the girls
to come over on Friday evening to watch the rented movie. She needed the time
alone with them to work on their friendship—and their loyalty. The last thing
she needed was Funny and Melissa squabbling among themselves.

She had scrubbed the apartment last night and baked more
cookies. She'd dug into her wallet and bought three six-packs of soda, lots of
popcorn, and real butter to drizzle over the hot popcorn. This time she made
sure to check her bureau mirror for any notes from her father as soon as she
got home. There weren't any.

So far everything seemed to be going pretty well. Funny and
Melissa were a little quiet, but they were smiling. Laura thought that things
might just be getting back to normal.

Tonight her friends didn't mention the maid or how great the
apartment looked. Laura had gone to a lot of trouble, but she didn't mind when
no one gushed over how clean the place was or how good the cookies tasted. She
had more important things on her mind.

The movie started, and Scarlett O'Hara was surrounded by
handsome Southern gentlemen, talking and flirting with her on the veranda of
her sprawling plantation home.

Tammy sighed. "Imagine being surrounded by
good-looking, rich guys who all want you! Can you think of anything more
wonderful?"

Laura grinned. "It's fun, all right."

Melissa shot her a mean look. "Yeah, right, McCall.
Tell us all about it."

Laura was startled. What was wrong? In her mind she played
back what she'd just said.

I get it, she thought. Melissa must be jealous.

Ordinarily, Melissa's sarcastic remark would have prompted
her to make a nasty retort. But she couldn't afford to do that right now. She
had to get The Fantastic Foursome on her side. Her future at Wakeman was riding
on the next few days.

"I mean," Laura said, trying to smooth things
over, "I mean, it must be fun to have that much attention from cute guys."

No one said anything.

Hmph, Laura thought. I could have told them about the time
at the swimming pool when I was visiting my cousin in Minneapolis. Within
twenty minutes we were surrounded by six cute boys who were all flirting with
us. One of them was in high school!

But they wouldn't appreciate the story tonight, she decided.
Maybe another time.

She heard a key in the lock, and in walked her father and
Trudy.

"Hi, everyone!" Mr. McCall said.

"Hi, Daddy," said Laura.

"Hi, Mr. McCall," the other three girls chorused.

"Trudy," Laura said, "these are my friends,
Funny, Melissa, and Tammy. Guys, this is Trudy Dwyer."

The three girls and Trudy exchanged hellos.

Trudy looked great again. She was wearing a short black
skirt, black textured hose and a yellow tank top with a blouse over that.

"Hey, Trudy," said Laura. "I like your
outfit."

Trudy looked pleased. "Thanks, Laura. I like yours—this
time."

"Dad, isn't Trudy's skirt cute?" Laura asked.

"Certainly is," her dad said.

"Good, I'm glad you like it." Laura grinned. "Because
it's exactly like my black one—the one you made me change last week."

Mr. McCall rolled his eyes. "I should have guessed."

Trudy laughed and playfully socked him in the arm. "She's
too smart for you, Walker," she said.

Laura smiled triumphantly and turned back to the movie.

"Thanks for letting us come over tonight," Tammy
said to Laura's father. "I just love this movie."

"Sure thing," Mr. McCall replied. "You girls
are welcome any time."

Tammy sighed. "If only my parents would say things like
that." She stared off into the distance. "I guess when you have a
maid, you aren't so uptight about having guests."

Laura almost rocketed out of her chair.
Did Tammy say
what I thought she said?

"If you have a what?" asked Mr. McCall.

"A mai—"

"I know!" Laura interrupted frantically. "Let's
play cards while we watch the movie!"

She jumped up and ran to the small desk next to the window.
Opening the drawer, she grabbed the cards, then slammed the drawer shut again
and ran back to where the girls were sitting.

"How about hearts?" Laura asked in a loud voice. "Know
how to play that? Or rummy? How about gin rummy?" She looked around the
room wildly.

Tammy, Melissa, Funny, her father, and Trudy were all
staring at her, their mouths open.

Trudy leaned toward Laura's father and spoke in a low voice,
but Laura heard what she said. "Is she always this hyper?"

Laura forced a laugh. "Oh, it just seemed to be time
for a game. Anybody want to play?"

"I do!" Tammy spoke up. She still sounded
desperate to please Laura.

"How about you guys?" she asked Funny and Melissa.

"No thanks," Funny answered. "I want to
concentrate on the movie."

"Me, too," said Melissa.

Laura pretended not to care. At least she had Tammy's
attention. Now Tammy wouldn't make any more dumb remarks to her father about
having a maid and blow everything. She shrugged. "Suits me fine."

"We just came home to get the theater tickets,"
her father explained. "I forgot them."

"Okay," said Laura. "See you later."

Laura and Tammy spent most of the rest of the evening
playing cards while Funny and Melissa watched the movie.

This isn't going the way I'd planned, Laura said to herself.
I wanted the four of us to have fun together, the way we used to, so everyone
would remember how much our friendship means. If only Tammy hadn't made that
stupid comment to Dad about the maid.

The movie was almost over, and Laura picked up the cards and
put them away.

"This was really fun, Laura." Tammy sounded
enthusiastic. "Thanks for inviting us."

"Sure," said Laura.

She noticed that Melissa and Funny didn't add their thanks.

When the movie was over, Tammy called her parents to pick
her up. "Want a ride home?" she asked Melissa and Funny.

"No, thanks," Funny said, and shot Melissa a
warning look.

What's this all about? Laura wondered. They always go home
together.

In twenty minutes Tammy's father arrived. Tammy threw on her
coat. "Sure we can't drop you guys oft?"

"No, thanks," Funny repeated.

"Okay," said Tammy. She turned to go, then turned
back. "Hey, tomorrow's Saturday. Are you going to the mall?"

"I'm going to sleep in," Laura told her. "But
I'll probably get there by noon."

"Great," said Tammy. "See you tomorrow."

She disappeared out the door.

Laura looked questioningly at Funny and Melissa, who were
standing awkwardly in the middle of the living room.

"Thanks for the movie," Funny said.

"Sure," replied Laura.

"Uh, can we talk to you?" asked Funny.

Laura's stomach tightened. "What about?"

"About Tammy," Melissa answered.

Laura immediately relaxed. For an instant she had been
afraid they would bring up the maid story.

"Sure," she said. "What about Tammy?"

Funny shifted her weight over to one foot and glanced at
Melissa.

"What's the matter?" Laura insisted.

"Well," Melissa began, "Tammy has started
another rumor."

Alarms went off inside Laura. "What rumor?" she
demanded.

"About Alexis," said Funny.

Laura frowned. "What's she saying now?"

"Tammy is telling everyone that she glanced into your
room that day at the party—" Funny began, and paused.

"She's telling everybody that she saw Alexis's
reflection in the mirror over your bureau," Melissa finished for her.

"Go on," Laura pressed.

"Well, Tammy is saying that she wasn't sure what Alexis
was up to," Funny said, "so she signaled
you
to check it out."

"And that was when you caught Alexis going through your
things," Melissa put in.

There was a moment of silence.

"And, of course, you know that's not true," Funny
concluded in a little voice. "Tammy was out in the living room the whole
time. She couldn't possibly have seen down the hall and into your room."

"She just made up the story," Melissa said.

Laura gulped. "But why?"

Melissa looked Laura straight in the eyes. "Because she
really likes you, Laura. She would do almost anything for you. Even lie."

There was another awkward silence.

"Well, I still don't see why Tammy would do that,"
said Laura.

"Don't you get it?" Funny asked in astonishment. "People
are more likely to believe your story if it's two people against one. Tammy did
it so that everyone would believe that Alexis is lying."

Laura's stomach felt tied in knots. It was obvious that
Funny and Melissa still didn't believe her.

"Maybe you'll give some thought to Alexis and this
whole situation over the weekend," Funny suggested hopefully.

Laura's eyes narrowed. "And why would I want to waste a
perfectly good weekend thinking about Alexis? She accused me in public of
lying!"

"Alexis has a very good reputation," Funny said
gently. "Everybody likes her."

"Just what are you trying to say?" asked Laura,
her voice rising in anger.

"Just that—" Funny stammered a little, "just
that I like her, too."

"And you believe her and not me?" Laura demanded,
her teeth clenched tightly and her eyes blazing.

"I didn't say that," Funny replied. "I just
like her."

"So do I," Melissa offered.

"More than you like The Fantastic Foursome?" asked
Laura. "If The Fantastic Foursome means
anything
to you, you'd
better be careful! You'd better choose sides very carefully, do you hear me?"

Funny gazed at Laura calmly. "I don't think I want to
choose sides. I think I'd like to have lots of friends." Turning to
Melissa, she added, "I think we'd better go now."

"Good idea," said Melissa.

Laura's mouth dropped open.
Never
had the other girls
in The Fantastic Foursome doubted her,
never
had any of them walked away
from her when she was angry.
And Funny and Melissa looked so calm! They were
practically breaking up The Fantastic Foursome
,
and they didn't even
look upset!

"We'll be at the mall tomorrow," Funny told her. "If
you feel like coming, we'll see you there."

The two girls disappeared through the door. Laura stood
stiffly in the middle of the living room and listened to their footsteps disappear
down the hall.

She felt completely and utterly alone.