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“We better pretend to work,” Ivy said, “or Mr. Wolff will get suspicious. What I should do is fill in everything and let you copy off me since that's what I did in reverse last year. I was so lame. Wasn't I?”

“You and the drones,” Madison said without realizing it.

“Huh? Drones?” Ivy nodded. “Oh wait. Rose and Joan, right? Yeah, I remember when you called us that. I also remember ignoring you.” Madison had never told Ivy about the horrible nicknames they'd given to Ivy's pals the prior year, but somehow Ivy found out. There had been so much animosity between the two of them for so long, the snarky comments were on autopilot. Madison bit her tongue so she wouldn't let anything else hurtful slip out today.

She and Ivy were friends now, even if it was a different category of friendship than she was used to.

“Attention!” Mr. Wolff banged his hand on the SMART board. “Eyes up here, ladies and gentlemen. The lab instructions are on the sheets that Vanya passed around. I see some of you getting to work, but please read them carefully first. You can work independently today. You should use this time wisely.”

“Let's just do the lab,” Ivy groaned. “We can continue the heartfelt talk later, okay? I don't wanna be mean, but—”

Madison laughed. “Butt!”

Ivy snickered and then held it in. “What are you, like six?”

Ivy grabbed the question sheet. Madison fished in her bag for a pencil. They put their heads down and tried to work.

“I need to get a good grade. Eighth grade Ivy wants an A. And I want to get it on my own this year, with no help. No offense.”

Madison kept quiet. This was no ordinary Monday science lab. This had turned into a lab in the science of friendship. Now she and Ivy were friends enough to make sense of what had gone on between them—and to make sense of Mr. Wolff's confusing-as-ever lab directions.

 

Mr. Wolff — Earth Science Lab #6

Essential Question: How do scientists use the different types of fossils to explain Earth's past?

 

1. Each group examines the following items: trilobite, brachiopod, pelecypod, horn coral, blastoid, shark's tooth, gastropod, cephalopod, sea urchin, and starfish.

 

2. Review separate question sheet.

• The trilobites were marine animals in what era?

• How do brachiopods and pelecypods differ?

• Why are teeth the most common fossil of a shark?

• Why is it important to learn about fossils of ancient animals?

 

3. Create your own fossil together for the lab. Mold and cast fossil, plus write lab per usual format, using all evidence that is gathered to answer the essential question.

 

“Ugh, maybe we do need to help each other. He has a terrible rubric, doesn't he?” Ivy groaned. “I always lose random points for spelling or missing part of a sentence.”

“Well, we won't miss anything on our lab this time,” Madison said. “We're in this thing together, and I want an A, too.”

Ivy feigned a look of annoyance then smiled.

“The only fossilized thing we should really think about is our bad relationship,” Madison joked. “We've unearthed it, chipped away the dirt, and found it again.”

Ivy's jaw dropped. “That is way too
deep
for me.”

“Ha!” Madison giggled. “Deep. I get it!”

Ivy leaned in and whispered, “Just keep me posted on that thing we talked about. You're the one who knows what's right for you.”

“Yeah,” Madison said.

“And I'll totally tease you like crazy when you make up with Hart and start going out again, 'kay?”

“I am not going to go out with Hart again.”

“You're not?” Ivy smiled. “Good for you.”

“Why is that good? You're still going to go after him, aren't you?” Madison asked.

“No, Maddie! Stop!” Ivy yelped. “Look, you want the truth,” she whispered now so it didn't look like they were yelling and making a scene.

“I want the truth.”

“Hart … he's
okay
. But I did a lot of thinking after I totally embarrassed myself. I need someone who makes me laugh all the time. And you need someone who says things to you like, ‘I've liked you ever since I met you,' or someone who laughs at all those incredibly lame jokes you tell. A weirdo like you, basically.”

When the bell rang, Madison said good-bye to Poison Ivy and zipped to eighth period. Mrs. Wing had swapped sections so she could have an extra tech class this week. Normally, Tuesdays were reserved for American cinema.

Egg and Drew corralled Madison as soon as she walked into the room.

“What is your problem?” Egg asked.

“What?” Madison was confused. “What problem?”

“You dissed Hart,” Drew said. “What's that about?”

“I did not diss him. I didn't diss anyone. Back off.”

“You totally dissed him!” Egg said. “Someone saw you do it.”

“Prove it,” Madison said.

When the second bell rang, Dan entered and took a seat near Madison and the other guys. But he didn't say much.

“Madison,” Mrs. Wing cooed as she strolled by, her bracelets jangling as always. “I heard about Phinnie and I'm sorry.”

Madison's face went white. “What do you mean? Is there something I don't know?”

“Oh, my,
no
!” Mrs. Wing quickly added. “No, of course not! I meant simply that I'm sorry that he relapsed and had to visit the clinic again. Dr. Wing told me.”

“But he's awesome now!” Dan piped up. “My mom and I fed him this morning.”

“That's a very nice update,” Mrs. Wing said to Dan.

“Except I left out the part where he farted a lot,” Dan added.

Madison blushed, even though Dan wasn't talking about
her
. Maybe it was just the word,
fart
. He was giving her a lot of attention.

“You're annoying, aren't you?” Madison said.

For the rest of class, she tried to keep her focus on technology, but her brain kept buzzing with other stuff: Phinnie, Hart, and even Dad. By the time class ended, Madison leaped out of her seat in total go-mode. She hurried out of the room and headed for her locker. Of course, she had to hurry. Dad and Stephanie were taking Madison out to dinner, and she needed to get home and change into something dressier.

“Wait up! Maddie! Wait up!” Dan called out.

Madison turned. “I'm sort of in a rush,” she said.

“I should have just talked to you at lunch,” Dan said. “But I looked everywhere and …”

“Huh? Did you want to steal my brownie or something?” Madison quipped. “Look, Dan, I know you want to talk but I really have to—”

“Madison,” Dan got this serious look on his face.

Madison paused. “Dan? Is everything okay?”

But then he just shook his head. “Aw, forget it. I'm such a weirdo. …”

“You're a weirdo? Ha! Like me?” Madison laughed.

And then she remembered what Ivy had said.

“You need someone who says things to you like, ‘I've liked you ever since I met you,' or someone who laughs at all those incredibly lame jokes you tell. A weirdo like you, basically.”

Dan.

He stood there, slumped over, looking at his feet, mumbling to himself.

A weirdo like her, basically.

Madison sighed. There was no way around this.

She liked
this
weirdo very much, didn't she?

Chapter Ten

A tall, dark-haired waiter came to the table at Le Poisson, where Dad and Stephanie had taken Madison for dinner. The place was pretty dead, but then again, it was only Tuesday night.

“May I share with you zee specials?” he offered. His hair was slicked back like he'd been to a salon. Madison scanned the menu. Fancy restaurants gave her hungry rumbles. There were too many good things to choose from.

Things had settled down a lot since the apartment incident, as Madison referred to it inside her own head. They hadn't spoken again about babies, and Madison was more than happy to avoid the awkward subject. She wasn't about to introduce her boy drama, either, even though she had some major Dan on the brain.

Tonight, Stephanie glowed. Her hair was swept up, and she had on an angora shrug over a silky white blouse. Madison felt honored to have a stepmother like Steph. She was no wicked stepmom from
Cinderella
. Although she felt guilty about it, sometimes she thought Steph was a more nurturing mother than Francine Finn.

Dad was acting all goo-goo eyed, so Madison guessed something was about to be announced. Dad had gone through every mood known to man in just a few days. Maybe he would make up for some of those harsh things he'd said.

“We have news, Maddie,” Dad announced as the salad course was placed on the table.

Madison speared a tomato and listened closely. Dad had his I'm-about-to-say-something-important face. Dad and Stephanie grabbed hands and squeezed.

Dad was going to apologize, Madison was sure of it.

But then Stephanie started to talk.

“We got some very big news last night,” Stephanie said slowly, deliberately.

“We wanted you to be the first to know,” Dad said.

Madison crinkled her brow.
This was no apology.
What was going on? Know what?

Stephanie leaned into Dad's shoulder. “Madison, our application for adoption was approved. We may have a baby within a year. A new baby! Our baby!”

“Baby? What?” Madison slurped her ginger ale. “A year?”

“Or sooner,” Stephanie said.

“But wait,” Madison went on. “You just told me last week you lost a baby and now this happens? I mean … huh?”

“That's how the process works sometimes,” Dad explained.

“I don't get it, Dad. I'm gonna have a brother or sister for real?” Madison asked.

Dad and Stephanie nodded.

“Most likely, yes. For real,” Stephanie said. “Isn't it wonderful?”

Madison took a breath. After all the piled-on crazy that she'd had in school and at home today, discovering that she also might get a sibling was like hot fudge, whipped cream,
and
the cherry on top of it all.

“So what now?” Madison asked. “I mean, what are you thinking about? Can you name her Elizabeth? That's one of my favorite names ever.”

“Maybe.” Stephanie got all weepy. “It depends on the baby. If it's a boy, that may not work as well, right?”

Dad chuckled.

“Can I help you pick out the nursery wallpaper?” Madison asked.

The three of them laughed.

“Of course you can,” Dad said.

“You'll be involved in everything we do,” Stephanie said.

During dinner, Madison didn't have much time to process what everyone was saying. Although the restaurant was only a block from the Finn loft, the short walk home allowed her to think more clearly. This news changed everything. She was about to get a sibling!

When they reached the lobby at Dad's apartment building, Madison noticed how it had been decorated with huge paintings. Madison stopped in front of the largest one. It depicted a little rowboat on a giant wave.

“You're the wave, Maddie,” Stephanie said, coming up behind Madison.

Madison turned and looked at her stepmom. “I was just thinking that I was the rowboat and everything was crashing down onto me. …”

“Nope,” Steph said. “You're the wave. You're beautiful, strong, in charge. You are the one who knows what's right for you.”

“Someone else told me something like that today,” Madison said.

“Hmmm,” Steph said. “Sounds like someone smart. Your mom?”

“Not exactly. A friend. Well, I think she's a friend.”

“Sounds like the kind of friend you keep.”

“Yeah.” Madison nodded. “I guess you're right.”

They got onto a sleek brass elevator and pressed Dad's floor.

“I'm really excited about the baby, Dad,” Madison said as they watched the numbers count up.

“I know, Maddie,” Dad said. “We'll all be one big family.”

After the special dinner, Madison had decided she wanted another sleepover at the loft. She liked her room here now. It felt more like a real home. And soon, with a baby coming, she'd probably come over even more.

Phinnie was still recuperating at the clinic. Dad would take Madison to meet Mom there tomorrow. Hopefully all of Phin's ailments would be cured, and all would be right with the world.

Madison went straight to her laptop when they got inside. She popped online and checked her email. She hoped there would be a note from Dan. Instead, she found several that were not from Dan. They were from Hart Jones. To be exact, there were
three
emails to Madison from Hart Jones.

What was his problem?

From: Sk8ingboy


To: MadFinn


Subject: FALL FEST


Date: Tues 17 Oct 4:56 PM


I am still in Far Hills at Drew's. I'm here for two more days and I would like to see you. Please e-me back.


Madison sighed. She went to the next one.

From: Sk8ingboy


To: MadFinn


Subject: FW: FALL FEST


Date: Tues 17 Oct 6:03 PM


Did you get my other email? I am staying with Drew you can e-me or call his house. I will only be here for another two days and I want to see you again. Can we go to Freeze Palace or something please?


And the next one.

From: Sk8ingboy


To: MadFinn


Subject: FW: FW: FALL FEST


Date: Tues 17 Oct 7:44 PM


I wonder if you are getting these. I will keep trying. There is no answer at ur house. Drew said you were in school. Write back. Are you mad at me? BFN.


Madison moved all the emails into a folder called HART and then logged onto tweenblurt.com. She
had
to tell someone about the emails. And about other feelings she'd been having that week.

Where was everyone? Madison skipped around on the site.

She knew Aimee was probably at dance because she had class very late on Tuesday nights. Fiona wasn't answering her cell phone. Madison knew Leyli was leaving tonight for a weeklong major gymnastics tournament.

Maybe Bigwheels was online? That was it! When in doubt, there was nothing quite like a long-distance friend. Madison could always spill her guts to Bigwheels.

Unfortunately, she wasn't anywhere to be found, either.

Now
this
was a drag.

Madison opened a new file. When all else failed, there were always her files. She could count on that.

BOYS


Rude Awakening:
Boys are harder to figure out than science equations. And I always thought I was good at science.


Leyli is leaving for Texas tonight. I actually started to cry a little teeny bit when I thought about her not being here anymore, at least for now. I am so happy she moved to our school and we became BFFs. Thankfully, she will be back and we promised we'd insta-message all the time. The last thing she said to me was “Keep an eye on Dan for me, 'kay?” OMG what am I supposed to say to her about that???


Hart sent me THREE emails and I have NO idea what to write back. My feelings for him have changed. Or have they? I don't know.


Dad is like a roller coaster. First he's crying his eyes out, and now he's waaaaay back up top because they are going to ADOPT A BABY!???? I can't keep up with all this Far Hills action. Mom jets off to Barcelona, and Phinnie has been sick. Life is CRAZY.


As of this moment, right now, I am NO LONGER going to crush on anyone or anything. I am going to focus on my schoolwork and the school website. I am not going to pay attention to ANY boys because boys are a problem and they always cause drama and they make my head spinny.


Famous last words, right?


There is only ONE awesome boy in my life: Phineas T. Finn. He makes my heart feel like the heart inside the Grinch at the end of the cartoon: It grows three sizes each day!


Maybe I'm ready for things to get back to boring.


The next day at school, Madison had no intention of talking to or about boys. But spending a full seven school hours at Far Hills Middle School made it impossible to avoid them. At lunch when Fiona insisted on talking about Egg's new haircut, Madison didn't comment. Not to mention, Lindsay was back from her trip, and all she wanted to do was show pictures of the cute boy band that played on her cruise. Madison didn't want to hear it.

Then there were the
actual
boys, making fart noises in the hallway, slamming lockers, and talking about sports. So predictable.

When lunch ended, Madison was eager to meet up with Ivy in science class to work on a few of the lab questions they hadn't finished. Ivy was in a good mood, too, cracking jokes. She even shared a bag of chocolate almonds with Madison while they worked. She obviously knew Madison was feeling anti-boy today. She didn't bring up Hart or Dan or
any
boys. Not once.

That was a first. It was Madison who introduced the subject.

“You were right,” Madison told her as they cleaned up their station.

Ivy flipped her hair dramatically. “I'm always right.” She smiled.

“Seriously,” Madison said. “You were right about Dan.”

“Pork-O?”

“You are like the only person in the whole wide world who knows.”

“Except for Dan, of course.”

“What?” Madison laughed. “Dan doesn't know I like him.”

Ivy crossed her arms. “Now he will. When I post it all over the school website.”

“What?!”

Ivy chuckled. “Get real, Maddie. I'm kidding. We're friends again. I'm cool. You really can trust me. Okay?”

After they parted ways, however, Madison began to wonder: Was Ivy just tricking her? Was she going to post something on the site or tell Dan or blurt it out one day in the cafeteria? She'd certainly done meaner things.

When Mom picked her up from school, Madison was happier than happy to see her. She was even
happier
when Mom gave her a small bag with a ribbon tied on top.

“What's this?” Madison asked, opening the bag.

“I've been waiting for a special time to give you this, but then I realized that all our times together are special,” Mom said. “It's from Spain.”

Inside the bag was turrón—an almond-paste sweet—some dark Spanish chocolate, and a small box. When Madison opened the box, she found a single Mallorcan pearl on a chain.

“I know I've been too busy these weeks … and years,” Mom began, “but you are the pearl in my life. I want you to remember that.”

Madison felt her heart swell. Yes, she knew this was another kind of “gift,” really sort of a substitute for what Mom knew she'd been missing at home. Yes, it was an apology for Mom not being there. And Madison loved Mom so much, no matter what happened. Family was everything—Mom, Dad, Stephanie, Phin, and soon a new brother or sister.

They drove to the clinic. This time Mom would
not
forget to pick up Phin like she had before the trip. Eileen greeted them warmly. Today her T-shirt read:
I'm Not Antisocial. I Just Like Animals Better.
Mom went off to speak to Dr. Wing for a little while because Phin was being put on medication and other things. Madison headed into the back to say hello to all the animals.