Like Carrot Juice on a Cupcake (14 page)

I knew what I had to do

as soon as I read Pearl’s note.

I waited

and waited

and waited

for lunch,

tapping my fingers on my desk

until Mrs. Ramji asked me to stop.

“Your new sweatshirt is giving you energy!”

she said. “But the noise is distracting.”

I sat on my hands after that,

until it was finally time for lunch.

Then I stood in the cafeteria line

with my plastic tray.

And as soon as I got to the front,

I said to the lunch lady,

“Can I
please
have a pickle?”

“We’re not serving pickles today,” she said.

“It’s cold cuts day tomorrow.

You’ll have to wait until then.”

“I can’t!” I said.

I got ready to climb over the steaming meatballs

and push past that lady

and search the kitchen myself.

“It’s an
emergency
!” I told the lunch lady.

She squinted at me.

I put my hand on my heart,

to show how much I meant it.

“So,” she said,

“this is a life-or-death pickle?”

“It is!” I said. “I
swear
.”

“We only have pickle slices,” she said.

“That’s fine!” I said.

She shook her head

and wiped her hands on her apron.

“How many?” she asked.

It was a good question!

Just one slice might not impress Pearl.

But I couldn’t eat too many!

I’d vomit all over the cafeteria!

The poor lunch lady might have to help clean it up!

“Two, please,” I told her.

She left then, to get the pickles.

Kids behind me in line

started getting restless.

I ignored them.

My problems were bigger than theirs.

Finally the lunch lady came back, holding

a small white bowl

with two pickle slices.

I thanked her a million times

and hurried away,

without any actual lunch.

I searched the cafeteria,

holding my little bowl,

until I saw Ainsley and Pearl.

There were no empty seats at their table,

but I didn’t need one.

I walked over to Pearl

and set the bowl on the table, next to her plate.

She looked up at me,

very surprised.

I lifted one slimy, dripping wet pickle slice

with my fingers.

I could barely look at it!

And it stank so badly!

But still.

I held my nose

and took a sour, nasty bite

and swallowed.

I didn’t even have a drink!

I didn’t think I could take too many more

of those bites.

But I had to finish two whole slices!

I closed my eyes.

I could feel Pearl watching me.

“What is she
doing
?” someone at the table said.

“Shh!” Pearl told them.

The whole table went silent.

I made a big decision.

I was still holding the rest of the slice.

I grabbed the other slice, too,

and shoved them both in my mouth at once;

and,

with my eyes squeezed shut,

I chewed and chewed

as fast as I could

and

swallowed
.

“Wow,” I heard Pearl say.

Then,

without my even asking,

she handed me her water.

I’d hoped Pearl and I could play together

during recess that afternoon.

Because she’d given me water!

And after lunch, she’d started smiling at me again!

But
Ainsley

was still not smiling.

And Pearl chose Ainsley

over me.

Together,

the whole entire recess,

they did a fancy hand-clapping game

that I’d never seen before!

Ainsley must’ve taught it to Pearl

one Monday or Wednesday afternoon

when
Pearl
was supposed to be teaching
Ainsley
.

I sat by myself on a bench

while they clapped and sang.

And I tried to
think
.

Because I needed another plan.

Finally,

as the recess bell rang,

I had an idea.

I needed to talk to Pearl and Ainsley right away.

I hurried behind them

and saw them walk into the bathroom.

I decided to follow them in.

Even though I did
not

have good memories

of that place.

At least there was no one else in the bathroom

this time.

And Pearl and Ainsley weren’t sharing a stall,

with Ainsley weeping inside.

I could see Pearl’s sneakers in the stall by the wall

and Ainsley’s flats in the next stall down.

“Um,” I said.

To get their attention.

Then I said, “It’s Eleanor. I’ve been thinking—

what if we promise that you will never

tell
me
someone else’s secret,

and I will never tell
you
someone else’s secret?

If someone shares a secret with you,

I don’t want to know about it!

Ever!

Then
could we be friends?

Because I
hate

not being friends!”

For a second,

neither of them spoke.

Then Pearl cried out from behind her door,

“I don’t want to be told secrets, either!

And I
definitely
won’t tell.

I wish I could erase sharing Ainsley’s secret.

I should
never
have done that!”

Pearl and I both waited then,

for Ainsley to say something.

Finally,

in a little voice,

Ainsley said,

“Do we have to do this

while I’m peeing?

Could I talk to Pearl about it later?”

“Yes, definitely!” Pearl said. “We’ll talk later!”

And I said, “Okay.”

But I thought,

Why can’t
I
talk about it, too?

It’s my idea!

I left them in the bathroom then.

For the second day in a row.

But at least

this time,

I wasn’t running

to the nurse.

Mrs. Quaid let us practice in our bunny costumes

at rehearsal that afternoon.

“We won’t do this often,” she said.

“But it helps give you a feel for your characters.”

Those soft, furry costumes

zipped right over our clothes.

And we each got a headband

with two giant ears attached!

My costume was lavender,

and Katie’s was yellow,

and Nicholas’s was pale blue.

We all had white bellies and paws and ears.

I liked seeing my friends as bunnies

and being one myself.

But still.

I dreaded the solo

and hugging Nicholas.

I got ready to
punch
freckly Ben

with my rabbit paw

if he started chanting
anything
.

I’d never punched anyone in my life.

But I’d never eaten pickles, either,

before that day.

I figured I’d punch Ben twice.

Once for me