Spirit Week Showdown (7 page)

O
utside, Mr. Winky shows us some old school moves, holds a clipboard, and watches a dance challenge on the grass. He's with us for recess every day until Friday so the teachers can post the point totals on their Spirit Week boards. Not far away, Naomi shows the twins how to walk like beauty queens. I stand underneath the big oak tree, wishing Naomi would signal me to join them. Watching my friends, knowing that I'm no longer a part of the group, reminds me of the country-and-western song that goes “You done stomped on my heart and mashed that sucker flat.” They look like they're
having fun. I hope they haven't forgotten about me already.

“Achoo!”
Lisa walks up to me, wiping her nose. “Hey, Mya, is it true the reason you wear boots all the time is because you never learned how to tie your shoes?”

Everything on me shakes like a rocket ready for liftoff.

“WHAT!”

Lisa backs away. “I guess it isn't true.”

I watch Lisa shuffle back to her friends jumping rope. Two girls walk by me.

“Mya Tibbs Fibs can't keep a promise.”

“Mya Tibbs Fibs doesn't know how to tie her shoes!”

I stomp toward the time-out bench and take a seat, because now I just want to be left alone. Who's saying these terrible things about me? I know how to tie my shoes! And it was just one promise! This can't be happening.

After recess, everybody rushes to the Spirit Week board to see who won the big points for today. Mrs. Davis has a special Spirit Week area near her desk. There's a table with stacks of extra Spirit Week schedules, rules, even ideas for anyone to take.

Connie's at her desk, watching all of us come
back from recess. Our eyes meet, but I can't tell if she's happy or sad. So I go and check the board for myself.

          
MONDAY

          
COSTUME—5 POINTS

          
Connie Tate and Mya Tibbs

          
CHALLENGE POINTS

          
DANCE
—
2 POINTS

          
David Abrahms and Johnny Collins

          
MATH CHALLENGE
—
2 POINTS

          
Skye Falling and Susan Acorn

          
CAFETERIA ENTERTAINMENT
—
2 POINTS

          
No challenges

Jambalaya! Connie and I got the big points today! It's hard to dance in this king of hearts costume, but I'm doing the robot when Naomi stands beside me and stares at the board.

“I guess you're proud of yourself,” she says.

I stop dancing, and my mood quickly changes from happy to sad. She's right. I
am
proud for winning the points, but I know my best friend needed them.

“I'm sorry, Naomi. I know how badly you want to meet La'Nique Sidney. I'd do anything to help you. I just don't know what I can do.”

Naomi's shoulders droop as she stares at the Spirit Week board. I can see her eyes moving quickly from left to right. She chews her bottom lip just like I do when I'm thinking about something. Slowly she looks at me. Her face is still sad, but now I'm wondering if she's about to cry. She whispers back. “Mya, you know I won't have a shot at meeting La'Nique Sydney without those VIP tickets. It just doesn't seem fair that you would help the biggest bully in the school win and not me. Maybe you were never my best friend.”

“That's not true, Naomi! I'm
still
your best friend, and I'll prove it.” I close my eyes and think. How can I prove to her that I'm sorry for what I did? I open my eyes, cup my hands around my mouth, lean toward Naomi's ear, and change everything.

“Tomorrow, Connie and I are going to be Little Bo Peep and the lost sheep. Connie's going to be Bo Peep. She's got a really pretty blue dress she's going to wear. You and Skye need to come up with something better than that if you want to get the five points from Mrs. Davis and stay in the race for those VIP tickets.”

Time out. I just broke the biggest Spirit Week partner rule on the planet. What the what was I thinking? Oh no.

I just double-crossed Connie.

She can't find out. I won't tell her. Good gravy, I feel so torn in half—I want Naomi to meet La'Nique Sydney, and I couldn't think of any other way to help her.

But I double-crossed my partner.

I miss my friends so much. I want them to like me again. There was no other way.

Naomi's head tilts to one side. “I thought you wanted the VIP tickets as much as I do.”

“I do, but I miss hanging out with you and the twins. You really need to meet La'Nique Sydney. That's more important than me being first in line for a bunch of rides. I just want to be your best friend again.”

I'm about to cry for a thousand different reasons. Does Naomi realize what I just did for her? Since she's pretty new to this school, she may not understand that telling Spirit Week partner secrets is the dirtiest, rottenest, most double-crossing thing one partner could do to another. But if she does, then she'll understand that I just did the greatest thing I can ever do for our friendship.

“Maybe now you'll believe me,” I say.

A little smile appears on Naomi's face. I smile back—maybe she does understand what I just did,
and she's going to change her mind and make me her best friend again. She leans in and talks very softly. “How many terrible things has Mean Connie done to you? Have you learned any secrets about her? Did she threaten you to stay quiet about anything? You can tell me, Mya. It doesn't all have to be
exactly
true.”

Now she thinks I'm a blabbermouth, but I'm not going to make stuff up. I close my eyes, trying to think of the times I've been with Connie over the past few days. My mind drifts back to the display she fixed at our store, and drinking smoothies at the Burger Bar.

Naomi's voice turns mean and startles me. “What are you smiling about?”

My eyes open. She's staring at my face, frowning.

“This is serious, Mya,” she says.

Before I can answer, she turns and leaves me standing at the Spirit Week board.

On the way back to my seat, I catch a glimpse of Connie. She's smiling and making goofy faces at me. I don't want to laugh, but can't help it as I rush back to my seat. Holy moly. She can never find out what I did.

It's time for history, and I reach inside the basket
under my chair for my book. But as I bend over, it dawns on me why I couldn't tell Naomi any horrible things that Connie did to me.

There was nothing to tell.

T
uesday morning, I'm eating oatmeal when the doorbell rings.

Ding-dong!

“I'll get it,” I yell. When I open the door, Solo's standing there in a gray shirt, gray pants, a gray hat, and sunglasses.

“Yo, I'm looking for Nugget” is all he says.

I roll my eyes and holler toward the stairs. “Nugget!”

He takes the steps two at a time coming down. He's dressed in gray just like Solo.

“Who are you supposed to be?” I ask.

He pulls a pair of sunglasses from his back pocket and puts them on. “I'm one of the three blind mice,” he says, strutting to the door.

“What are you and Solo going to do about the third blind mouse?”

Nugget shrugs. “Miracles happen. We'll just say the third one got his sight back. Who cares? I gotta go, Mya. Solo doesn't like to wait. Nice sheep outfit. See you later.”

I close the door and make my way to the breakfast table. Dad walks by, gives Mom a kiss, and gets his hat, and just before he grabs the doorknob, he turns to me and stares for a long time. Without moving, he calls out to Mom.

“Honey, call Animal Control. There's a sheep sitting at our breakfast table.”

I giggle. “It's my Spirit Week costume,” I say.

He tries to sound like a sheep. “That's one baaaaaaad costume, Mya! Have fun. See you this afternoon.”

Dad leaves, and then quickly comes back. “There's a Bo Peep–looking person out here waiting for her lost sheep to finish breakfast.”

I
ka-clunk
to the door. Connie's in the prettiest long blue gown with a white hat that ties underneath her chin. She's wearing her black ankle boots,
but it's okay because I'm wearing my boots, too.

“How do I look?” she asks.

“You look awesome! Where did you get that dress? It looks like a Cinderella gown! And is that a real shepherd's staff?”

Connie grips the long stick and holds it straight. “Yep, it's a genuine shepherd's staff. It belonged to my grandfather. Pretty cool, don't you think? I wore this gown two years ago for a . . . special occasion. I'm surprised it still fits me. Ready?”

“Let me get my backpack.”

As Connie and I walk down the sidewalk, cars honk and people wave. Some even shout out at us. “Hey, Bo Peep! Glad you found your sheep!”

We laugh and keep walking. Connie touches the cotton on my nose.

“Your mom did an amazing job on your sheep costume, Tibbs. You were right. She's awesome on the sewing machine.”

It makes me feel good to hear someone say something nice about my mom. I glance at Connie and then quickly look away. Never in a thousand years would I expect compliments to come out of her mouth. But she's right. Mom is awesome on the sewing machine. Before she started staying at home to get ready for the baby, she helped Dad at the store
by working the cash register, ordering supplies, and helping customers. Now that she's home all the time, she's still awesome at a lot of things like Monopoly, making amazing dinners, and just being a mom.

Connie points at two first graders on the other side of the street, dressed like Jack and Jill.

“Is that the cutest thing you've ever seen? Look, Jack's even carrying a pail!”

Connie keeps pointing out costumes, and some are so funny that we have to stop and laugh.

“Okay, Tibbs, we have to talk about tomorrow. What are we going to do for Share a Glove and a Shoe with Your Partner Day?”

I glance down at her feet. “Are you going to wear those boots tomorrow?”

“Yep, I'm wearing these. I've got gloves, too. Are you wearing
those
boots tomorrow?”

I
ka-clunk
harder. “Yep. These are my lucky boots.”

“My foot will never fit in those,” she says.

I nod. “Your feet are a lot bigger than mine. I mean, my rain boots are the only ones that might fit your feet.”

Connie stops. I stop.

“That's genius, Tibbs,” says Connie. “I've got a pair of rain boots. Mine are black with white skulls
all over them. They're kind of creepy, but I like them. What's on yours?”

I look down at the floor. “They're blue with red teddy bears and hearts.”

She's going to laugh, I just know it. Any minute now, Mean Connie Tate is going to call me the biggest baby in the whole United States.

But she doesn't.

Connie shrugs. “Okay, skulls, teddy bears, and hearts. Let's wear the rubber boots, okay?”

My eyes widen and I can barely talk. “You're going to wear one of my boots? I thought you were going to make fun of me.”

“Make fun of you? Why? Skulls, teddy bears, and hearts are so different that it may win us some points tomorrow. I'm pumped!”

She fist-bumps me. We giggle and point out more cute Mother Goose outfits on the way. Mr. Winky stands at the door, dressed like Humpty Dumpty.

“Well, good morning, Bo Peep. I see you have your sheep! I'm just all cracked up about Spirit Week! Mother Goose is on the loose! We've got walking nursery rhymes everywhere! Yes, yes, yes we do! Have fun, girls!”

Connie and I cover our mouths so we don't
explode laughing at Humpty Dumpty. The halls look like pages out of Mother Goose's nursery rhyme book! We play a game of Guess the Character as we walk toward our classroom.

“There's Little Miss Muffet,” says Connie.

“And Little Jack Horner,” I say.

Fish strolls down the hall with a toy trumpet on a string around his neck. He's wearing a light-blue T-shirt with light-blue shorts.

“Hiya, Mya Papaya! Are you Mary's little lamb, or are you lost, looking for Bo Peep?”

“Well, Little Boy Blue,” I say, “I'm with Bo. Where were you this morning?”

He shrugs. “Woke up late. Anyway, happy Oak Day, Mya Papaya.”

“Happy Oak Day, Fish,” I say.

Connie smiles. “Happy Oak Day, Fish.”

He has a whale-size grin on his face. “Thanks, Connie!”

Inside the Cave, Connie leans her shepherd's staff against the wall. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a hand swipe at it.

Clankety-clank!

Naomi and the twins stand behind Connie's shepherd staff lying on the floor. I glance toward
Connie. She's breathing like Buttercup, so I walk over, pick up her staff, and put it back where it was.

Skye touches my arm and I grin at her. She has on a farmer's hat and overalls. Maybe she's Old MacDonald—I'm not sure—but Starr's dressed in the coolest sheep costume I've ever seen.

The whole outfit reminds me of a onesie covered in wool. The hood on her costume has floppy ears on it. I can't believe how her hands and feet look just like hooves in those black socks. Her outfit makes mine look horrible. All I've got is a bunch of cotton balls stuck to my blouse and pants, with cotton on my nose.

“Where did you find that sheep's outfit? It looks so real compared to mine,” I say.

“I didn't know sheep wore cowgirl boots,” says Starr in an ugly tone. I don't say anything smart back because I'm trying to get Starr and Naomi to be friends with me again. But after a moment, Starr's eyes look away. Maybe she felt bad for being mean.

Naomi's blue gown is gorgeous. It's got silver lace on the collar and at the bottom that matches her silver slippers. The front of her dress has two rows of silver zigzaggy lines that go all the way to the back. Her blue bonnet has silver around the edges, too.

“Wow, Naomi, are you . . . Bo Peep, too?” I ask.

She's still staring at Connie, who's getting books out of her cabinet.

Naomi crosses her arms. “Well, Connie, are you supposed to be Bo Peep?” she asks.

Connie ignores her. Naomi walks slowly to her cabinet, which isn't far from mine, and makes fun of us.

“That is the saddest Bo Peep and lost sheep costume I've ever seen. Mother Goose would be so mad if she saw the two of you. If it comes down to who's the better Bo Peep, I'm going to win. Anyway, Connie, haven't I seen you in that dress before?”

Connie slams her cabinet door and leaves the Cave.

“Wait, Connie! We're supposed to walk in together, remember?”

She doesn't stop. Naomi giggles. As Connie storms off, a part of me hurts because I told Naomi our plans. But the other part of me feels good seeing Naomi happy. I close my cabinet and stand next to her, hoping she'll finally talk to me. And she does.

“Where's Nugget?”

My shoulders droop. “He should be here soon,” I say. I hoped she'd tell me that I'd made up for the mistake I made by giving her the tip about Connie and me, but she didn't.

Naomi moves closer to me. “So, Mya, what are you and Connie wearing tomorrow?”

I think about Connie, and how hurt she looked when she walked to class alone. I didn't know Naomi and Starr were going to be copycats. I still want to help Naomi, but I'm not going to give away any more Spirit Week secrets.

So I shrug. “Not much you can do with just sharing gloves and boots.”

“Let me know when you find out.” She turns to Skye and Starr. “Let's go, girls.”

I touch Naomi's shoulder. She frowns, but I say what's on my mind. “I was hoping we could hang out again. I mean, since I'm trying to help you win the tickets.”

Naomi lets out a belly full of air. “Not yet, Mya. But I'm thinking about it.”

I've got hope running up and down my insides because Naomi didn't give me a flat-out no. My lucky boots are working! Maybe I have a chance to be her best friend again. I rub the horseshoes on my boots and then
ka-clunk
into class. The first face I see is Connie's. I quickly take my seat. Maybe if I don't look at her, I won't feel so bad.

But I feel horrible.

There's got to be a different way to make Naomi
like me again. Maybe if Connie and I win, I'll give Naomi
my
VIP ticket! What a perfect idea! That way, she'll get to meet La'Nique Sydney, and I won't hurt Connie! That will prove to Naomi that I'm still her best friend, and hopefully she will feel the same way about me. I can't believe I'm thinking about giving my VIP ticket away. But Naomi's worth it.