J.O.B. Preview!!!! Chapter Three Edited!!!!

Chapter three

Stella made her way to her next class, Spanish. Her eyes were red and itching, and her nose had started running again. For the one hundredth time, she shifted her heavy backpack onto her other shoulder. Her left one was cramping.

“Hey, Stella! Stella! STELLA!”

Stella groaned. She didn’t want to see Emmy right now, not at this time…

Emmy had been one of her best friends since preschool. A girl with mousy brown hair and eyes made even bigger by glasses, she was a real bookworm. Stella had been really sad when Emmy moved to a different part of California. But when she came back three years ago, she had…changed. She liked to punch and kick people for fun, and if she had a lot of sugar, she got “hyper”. Also, Stella found herself getting in more and more fights with Emmy. Emmy just had become so self-absorbed, though, and she became angry with Stella for no reason sometimes. Emmy had gotten better nowadays. She was more mature, but Stella knew they’d grown apart. The problem was, though, that Emmy thought they were still best friends.

“Hi, Emmy,” said Stella.

Emmy laughed. “What’s up with your face?”

“What do you mean?” Stella asked, trying to mask some of her anger.

“Your eyes are all red…What’s wrong, Stella? Something happen?”

Stella's look softened a bit. Maybe Emmy really was all right. “Well, my dad just told me he’s leaving me for a tour with his band!” She blinked coming tears back in her eyes. She looked at Emmy, hoping for a nod, a reassuring smile, maybe an “Ugh, your dad is just so mean! He should stay home with you!” But Emmy didn’t do any of those things.

“Whatever,” Emmy said. “Enough of your problems! I have to tell you what happened to me in homeroom today! It was so humiliating! I tripped in front of this totally cute boy and-”

“I have to go, Emmy,” Stella said angrily, cutting Emmy off. Emmy could’ve sympathized, just a little bit! “Spanish test today! Don’t want to be late!”

“Okay then!” Emmy said cheerfully. “See you later, Stella!”

“Don’t count on it,” Stella muttered under her breath as she squeezed through the large crowd.

“Wait up, Stella!” Stella turned around, ready to start shouting.

“Oh, it’s you, Brandi,” she said, relieved.

Brandi Cohart, Stella’s best friend, came up to her. She pushed her auburn hair out of her green eyes and eyed Stella. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Stella sniffed. “But, where were you yesterday, at lunch?”

“Um…” Brandi said uncomfortably. “Well, Mr. Walker, you know, Science teacher?”

“Yeah,” Stella said. She wasn’t sure where this was going…

“Well, Mr. Walker wanted to see me. Apparently, I’m not doing so good at Science.”

“Oh, okay,” Stella said. While Brandi was talking she hadn’t met Stella’s eyes, but Stella decided to drop the subject.

“So, what happened?” Brandi asked.

Stella rubbed her eyes, trying hard to keep from bawling loudly. “It’s just that-”

The bell rang suddenly, startling Stella. She jumped, and everything tumbled out from her backpack. Stella bent down to pick up her books.

“I have to go to P.E., or I’ll be late! I can’t get another detention!” Brandi said. “Sorry, I’ll see you at lunch today, no worries! You can tell me later!”

Stella nodded. She gathered up all her things, and went into the classroom.

She sat down, and suddenly noticed that everyone was snickering. Stella twisted around in her seat, and the people behind her looked away. What was it? Why were they laughing at her?

She groped behind her back and found a piece of binder paper that had been taped to her shirt. “Don’t worry, I’m not as stupid as I look,” she read. She crumpled up the paper, and threw it into the nearest wastebasket.

Then, she realized, the only other people not giggling or laughing were May, Callie, and Erica.

*********

“We’re so sorry,” May said, her head hanging down.

Stella was standing with the triplets under the large oak tree next to Fairville. School was over, and they were waiting for their rides.

“I can’t believe you guys would put that sign on my back,” Stella said angrily. She was standing away from the others. The leaves let streams of sunlight in, and made diamond-patterned shadows on Stella’s clothes.

“We were told we’d get fifty bucks if we put the sign on your back,” Erica said.

“Who told you that?” Stella asked.

“Dakota,” said May, her head drooping even lower, if that was possible.

Stella snarled. Dakota, as always, was trying to ruin her life. Dakota Leiko, the ruler of the stupid Populars, caught everyone’s eye: the kids at school, and the teachers. Easily the most beautiful, popular, smart, and rich girl in Fairville Middle School, Dakota was also the nastiest. And even though she made fun of everyone, Stella was number one on Dakota’s Most Hated list, and Dakota reserved the worst for her. However, teachers thought she was a saint.

“We’ll give you some of the money,” Callie added, “it that’ll help.”

“Some friends you are,” Stella said in disgust. “Well, I have to go,” she sighed as the school bus pulled up. “Babysitting job.”

“Wait, Stella-“

“Bye.”

Stella got on the bus, and chose a seat in the back, away from everyone else. The back was the hottest place, though, because it was spurting out warm air, and soon Stella was sweating.

Stella set her backpack on her lap, and took out her journal. She recorded the date, and time. Then, scribbling furiously, she began to write. After a few minutes, she read her work out loud.

“Today, the worst thing happened. Dad told me he was going to leave for tour! It’s only for a few months, but still! How could he do this to me? Why would he? I remember, when I was a little kid, he’d hug me every night and then tell me that I was more special and precious than anything in his life, even more than money. What happened to that? Dad only cares about work now. What about family? And then, later, May, Callie, and Erica sold me out for money! I just don’t know what the heck’s wrong with them! Wait, I do! They’re jerks who only care about themselves! Sometimes…Ugh! I just wish I’d never met my friends! And that Dad would loosen up about things!”

Stella took some long, deep breaths. She felt so much better once she had poured her soul out into the journal. Looking out the window, she watched the rolling hills pass by.

“Miss White!” the bus driver grunted. “Your stop!”

“She’s getting out here?” someone quipped. “In the middle of nowhere?” A few people laughed, but Stella ignored them.

Stella walked out, dragging her bag out with her, and stepped out into the window. She watched the bus drive away. She knocked on a large apple tree, and a few apples fell down, disappearing in the long grass. A small part of the tree came out as a tiny door. A small woman with graying hair dressed in a red cocktail dress, her height about four feet, stuck her head out.

“Yes? Oh, Stella, come in!” the woman said, smiling. “The kids are waiting for you.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Midge,” Stella said, and crawled inside. The tree was hollowed out to make a small house. It looked just like a regular one, but the furniture was about two feet tall. The walls’ bark was peeling off, and the floor was scuffed, but otherwise, it really was a nice little place. Stella had to duck down to avoid hitting the ceiling, though.

Mrs. Midge called, “Hey, Stella’s here!” Instantly, two little kids jumped on Stella. She caught them quickly in each arm. Even smaller than regular kids, they squealed and giggled when they saw her. Fannie had her golden hair in pigtails, and Evan’s dark hair was cut short. They were wearing matching white tank tops and shorts, and were barefoot.

“Hey Evan!’ Stella said. “Fannie!” She tousled Evan’s hair, and patted Fannie’s head. She spun them around, and Fannie’s braids whipped about. Stella set them down to get a good look at them. “I haven’t seen you guys for a long time! Your beard’s almost coming out, Evan! And look at you, Fannie! You’ve shrunk!’ Fannie, the younger of the two, beamed. Evan, the boy, thrust his tiny chin out to show his stubble.

“I really can’t thank you enough, Stella,” Mrs. Midge said. “I’m sorry it was last minute, but this business dinner is so important.”

“It’s okay,” Stella assured.

“It’s just so hard to find babysitters nowadays. I can’t trust people you know, with my little babies?” A look came over Mrs. Midge. “We can’t tell people we’re dwarves. It’s just so hard these days! I remember when I was younger. It would’ve so easy, we’d just call some friends. They could come over, take care of the children. But no, dwarves have almost been wiped out entirely! And-“

Stella cleared her throat.

“Sorry,” said Mrs. Midge, embarrassed. “Can’t help it sometimes. Honey, come out, we’re leaving!” Mr. Midge came out, wearing a black suit and top hat. He had a jeweled cane, and his beard was so long, it was almost touching the floor. “See you at eight!” Mrs. Midge kissed Evan and Fannie goodbye, and left.

Fannie giggled. “Mommy always has too many veggie shakes now.” She still had her childish lisp, even though she was going to be eight soon. Dwarves matured slower than humans, Stella remembered.

“Yes, I can tell,” Stella said. She sat down on the couch, with the kids on both sides of her. “What are we going to do? Oh, I know. I brought some…movies! You guys don’t have school tomorrow, lucky you, so we can fit at least one in before I leave! And I have some coloring books for you, Fannie, and some video games for Evan!”

Fannie clapped her hands. “Yay!”

Evan laughed. “Stella, can we go out and play a bit later, too?”

Stella hugged his tiny little body. “Oh, I missed you! Of course.”

“You’re the best, Stella!” the two kids yelled together. Stella grinned. But then she instantly thought, If only my friends could treat me this way.