Keep It Real (From the Files of Madison Finn, 19) (18 page)

Another bell rang in the hallway. They had to dash to class but agreed to meet back at the lockers during the next free period. There was so much to talk about: the Hart incident, the party, and who knew what else.

Madison raced to her science class, which was one flight up from where they’d been standing. She readjusted the sleeve of her sweater. Hart had stretched it with all of that pulling.

“Miss Finn,” Mr. Danehy said as he drummed his fingers on his desktop. “You are late. You know I don’t tolerate lateness.”

“I know,” Madison said meekly. “Sorry.”

She slinked into her assigned seat. Everyone’s eyes were on her—including, from across the room, Hart’s. She sensed that Hart wanted Madison to turn and smile or give him some kind of acknowledgment, but she wouldn’t budge. Instead, she turned her head toward her lab partner: “Poison” Ivy Daly.

“You look awful,” Ivy growled. She held one hand up, examining her manicure. “Ever consider getting a makeover?”

Madison’s stomach was still grumbling. This time, it was heard—by the enemy, of all people.

“What did you have for lunch?” Ivy joked. “Should I be worried?”

Madison pressed her hands over her face. She felt hot and clammy at the same time. Was it possible for so many embarrassing, torturous events to happen simultaneously?

Apparently, yes.

No sooner had Ivy made her crack about Madison’s makeover and her growling tummy than Mr. Danehy clicked his ruler on his desk.

“Attention, students,” he said. He called on one of the kids in the front row to help him distribute some printouts to everyone in the class.

As the printouts were distributed, Mr. Danehy continued to speak.

“What you have in front of you is an important document,” he said. “The school district has decided to give some practice standardized tests next week, starting on Monday. This sheet has the order of the testing. There is no specific study manual, but I assume you will all do your best to prepare.”

“Huh?” Madison said aloud without even realizing it. “How can we prepare for something when we don’t know what it is?”

A couple of other kids in the class seemed to concur.

Mr. Danehy scratched his head. “I suppose you’re right, Miss Finn, but I’m afraid I don’t control the test.”

A silence hung over the room. Kids fidgeted in their chairs and absentmindedly flipped through their
Earth Science Is for Everyone
textbooks.

Madison quickly glanced in Hart’s direction to see how he was dealing with the news about the test.

Hart was looking right at her.

Madison didn’t know how to react. Without thinking, she stuck out her tongue.

She meant it as a sarcastic response to the news about the standardized test, of course. But Hart didn’t look as though he understood. He didn’t smile. He didn’t say, “Oh, that’s so funny, Finnster, hardy-har-har.”

Hart just ran his fingers through his brown hair—and looked away.

Then Madison thought of something even worse than Hart’s not understanding what she’d done.

If the big test was on Monday, what would happen to Lindsay’s special birthday weekend?

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Author Laura Dower has a lot in common with Madison Finn: They’re both only children and they both love dogs, the color orange, and books! Laura has written more than ninety kids’ books to date, including twenty-five in the series From the Files of Madison Finn. Her other books include the new Palace Puppies series and
For Girls Only
, a guide to girl stuff. When she’s not writing, Laura loves to garden, sing (loudly), and volunteer as a scout leader for her daughter and two sons. She and her family live in New York. Want to be keypals? Drop her a note at
www.lauradower.com.

All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living

Text copyright © 2005 by Laura Dower

Cover design by Connie Gabbert

978-1-4804-2320-6

This edition published in 2014 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.

345 Hudson Street

New York, NY 10014

www.openroadmedia.com