Alone In the Middle(Ch.2)

by Dragonfly in World of Books

Chapter 2

"Hey Kevin." I leaned against his locker casually, not meeting his eyes. I would smile and it would be all over. "Hey Lise. Whats up?" He closed his locker with a slam. "There's a rumor going around that you like someone." I still couldn't meet his eyes, they were boring onto the top of my head, I just knew it. He laughed. "Yea, I guessed so. I'm guessing the Gossip Group sent ya?" He knew. I looked up and gave a guilty smile. "What can I say? When you're friends with the cutest guy in school, you end up doing the dirty work." Kevin grinned, knowing everyone considered him the cutest, while I still remembered him with is first grade Jimmy Neutron lunch box hitting his knobby knees on the way to school. Or the time when he had to dress up in a little tux for the fourth grade school play and his bow tie was a little too tight. No, I couldn't forget those things and always wanted to laugh whenever I heard "Kevin Steeler" and "cutest boy" in the same sentence. I shook my head. Kev was saying something.
"Well, if they swear not to tell, I'll tell.” Then he whispered who in my ear. I pulled back. I couldn't believe it. "Do you want me not to tell?" I asked. He shook his head. "Go ahead. She acts weird around me anyway." I smiled then turned and walked towards Jamie and Melody. They were in for a surprise of a lifetime!
Last year, in the the sixth grade, Melody changed to public school and Jamie moved into the neighborhood. I remember not wanting anything to do with them. They were rich, like almost everyone else, but they had both gone to private schools their entire life. I had never been a girl who hung out in cliques and parked myself in front of a mirror, talking nonstop about boys, make-up, hair or who was with who. I hung out with the guys, preferring football over brushing my hair, dressing in jeans and a t-shirt over skirts and purses. If my hair got messy, I didn't care. Instead of talking about the newest couples and trends, I preferred talking about baseball and showing off skateboard moves. I was a major tomboy. So when Jamie and Melody showed up, I hardly acknowledged them. Maybe that's why they sought me out. At first glance they dressed like girly-girls, but both wore skirts with shorts underneath and brought brushes for after a game. We became fast friends and I introduced them to my best friend, Kevin. When Melody and Jamie first met Kevin, they couldn't stop flirting. Melody eventually moved on, she was one to take in a cute boy, then lose interest and move on, but Jamie was struck all the way home with Kevin. Now, one year later, Jamie's crush was being returned.

"Well, if they swear not to tell, I'll tell.” Then he whispered who in my ear. I pulled back. I couldn't believe it. "Do you want me not to tell?" I asked. He shook his head. "Go ahead. She acts weird around me anyway." I smiled then turned and walked towards Jamie and Melody. They were in for a surprise of a lifetime!

"So? Who does he like?" Melody demanded. I smiled and shook my head. "What, he didn't tell you? I refuse to believe that. SPILL!" Melody was a gossip queen. I knew if I didn't tell soon, major mortification would pounce. Melody wouldn't do anything mean, just spread something that wasn't totally embarrassing around and then yank it out when she'd figured I'd had enough. So, it was either tell or mortification.

I relented. “Okay, okay.” I turned to Jamie. “Jame, Melody and I know that you like Kevin. So don't protest. Now here's the thing. He likes you back!” Melody squealed and hugged Jamie. Jamie just stood there, mouth open, eyes wide. I waved my hand in front of her. “Jamie? Jaa-miee? Are you there?” Finally I shook her. She closed her mouth and resumed normality again. Her voice was barely audible. “Are you sure?” I nodded. Then she fainted.

I'm kidding. Jamie didn't faint. But she looked like she would. So Melody and I guided her to class.

By the end of the day, Jamie had moved into stage three: Giggle Attack. Whenever she heard Kevin's name or saw him or even just looked at Melody or me, she'd burst into giggles. Unfortunately, she had piano lessons, so Melody and I couldn't come over and gab. Besides, Melody said she had to watch her nephew. So it was go home and have three hours to myself,(soccer practice, mall)or go to the mall and shop a little then pick up Jimmy and Jake. I decided I could use some time alone, and went on home. When I got there, I saw on the table a note. It said:

Lisa,
Ann, Anna, and I went to get new outfits for the upcoming social. We knew you would be bored,which is why I didn't pick you up. Dad will be home late, around seven,and getting two new outfits will take a while. Please help out and get Jake and Jimmy at soccer practice around five. Cook dinner for them and put them to bed. Make sure they do their homework first though! Thanks sweetie! We owe you for this one!
Love,
Mom

I crumpled up the note in frustration. Ann and Anna had something to do with this. In a family of five kids, mom and dad don't always have time to talk to us. That shopping trip would have been a perfect time for me to tell mom about things going on in my life, while Ann and Anna would try on dresses. This was so like them. If mom couldn't find anyone to pick up the twins, they wouldn't go shopping. So they said I would do it and I wouldn't want to go because I hated shopping. That was no longer true. Now I was stuck with another job that would go on unappreciated. I'd read a million other notes that said I owe you. And not a single on of those IOU's had been fulfilled. I started to gather up my stuff, I was willing to leave, make 'em pick up their own kids for a change. But I stopped. This wasn't Jimmy and Jake's fault. It wasn't fair to punish them. I'd get back at the at the divas another way!

"You should of seen the goal I hit Lisi. If the game were real, it would have gotten me ten points!" Jimmy held up both hands to exaggerate the idea. "Nuh-uh! No matter how far away you were, it would have been only five!" Jake sat back triumphantly. He knew the game inside and out. And he was also pretty good. Well, they both were, but Jimmy was the talent and Jake was the strategist. Pretty good for a seven year-old, don't you think? "Lissi, what are we going to eat for supper?" I stopped short. I'd forgotten to put the pizza out to defrost. Now I was going to have to make something else, something quick. But what? I started walking again, the twins chattering excitedly, like a pair of squirrels. We were nearing the house, so it was time to give them instructions. "Jimmy, Jake, listen up. When we get home, ya'll are going to take a shower, do ya'll's homework while I make supper. And I'll know if you did it or not because I'll be checking it while you eat." The monsters groaned. "Lisi-" "Lissi-" They stopped when they saw my face. They sighed in unison. They knew I meant business.

We're ho-me!" Ann yelled, always the musical one."And boy do we look good!" That was Anna, the silly one. They burst into giggles. I rolled my eyes, then smiled. They'd get their payback soon enough. "Hi Lise." "Lise." "Hi sweetie. How was your day?" I didn't answer. She wasn't looking for one. "Thanks for taking care of Jimmy and Jake." She reached into her purse and pulled out a twenty. My eyes popped out. That was more than Ann and Anna's rate! I could see the look on my sister's faces. I had a feeling they almost wished they hadn't gone shopping. Almost. I smiled. "Thanks mom. I was thinking of going out tomorrow with Melody and Jamie. Ben is driving Zack and offered to drive us too." Ann and Anna's eyes got bigger each second I spoke. Melody's older brothers are extremely cute. No doubt they wanted to go now. Ann sidled up to me and took my homework from me. "You know, mom, we should go with them, make sure they don't get into any trouble." Before mom could even consider it, I quickly retorted,"They're not hanging out with us, Ann." "Oh. Never mind." But my mom had already taken in the idea. She tapped her finger on her chin, pondering the thought. “You know, that isn't a bad idea. You three are only twelve. Something might happen.” I sighed. We'd had this conversation before. “Mom, all three of us have cell phones, we always meet up every hour. We don't go to bad stores. You know that. Come on mom, you let me walk to school in morning and afternoon. Alone. By my self!” I emphasized this. “What could go wrong?”

“AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! LISAAAAAAAAAA!! WHERE ARE YOU?” I ran out into the hall. So had my parents and the monsters. “What's wrong Anna? Ann?” My sisters were standing in front of their bedroom, perfectly manicured fingers clenched in tiny fists, blond hair thrown behind their shoulders. They were two perfect images of the girly-girl angry. “You know what you did, Lisa. How DARE you?!” yelled Anna. “ Why would you do such a thing?” wailed Ann. “I don't know what you're talking about!" I replied innocently. My sisters couldn't do anything but point. So my parents, the monsters and I peered into the divas room.
Inside, the room was clean. Not a thing out of place. Or so it seemed. Upon closer inspection, I saw that they're closet was a bit messy. Shirts were on the floor. Skirts splayed open over the top of the shelves. “Yikes. Ann, Anna, it's called cleaning the closet.” My sisters did not enjoy my joke. Ann stepped into my face. “Lisa, you took our outfits. Where are they?” “I don't know what you're talking about.” I replied innocently. “Yes you do!” Anna retorted. Mom slipped a thin arm around her. Dad did the same to Ann. Mom looked up. “Lisa, where did you put the girl's new outfits?” I looked at the floor. Time to come clean. “There under the bed.” Then I turned and left the room. I let them think I was mad. But I was smiling. This was only step one.