Read Online Addie and the King of Hearts by Gail Rock - Free Book Online Page A

Hearts are—Billy Wild and Carolyn Holt!”
    Carla Mae and I gave each other mock looks of surprise and then applauded and cheered loudly. We like Carolyn and had voted for her ourselves, so we were pleased. I had even voted for Billy, in spite of the fact that he was obnoxious.
    Billy and Carolyn made their way up the steps to the stage, Carolyn looking modestly pleased and Billy looking embarrassed. Mr. Davenport draped the ermine robes around each of them and carefully placed the crowns on their heads. Then Irene played “Heart of My Heart,” without jazzing it up too much. And Carolyn’s mother came up to the foot of the stage and took a flash picture.
    I was watching Mr. Davenport.
    â€œOh, this is going to go on forever,” I said to Carla Mae. “I wish we would get on with the dance.”
    Tanya moved in beside us.
    â€œI just knew he’d win,” she gushed. “I’m so proud of him.”
    â€œProud of him?” said Carla Mae. “What did you have to do with it?”
    â€œWell, I am his date!” said Tanya.
    â€œOh, brother!” said Carla Mae, and she and I rolled our eyes at each other.
    â€œNow,” Mr. Davenport said. “The King and Queen will have the first part of this dance. Then when the music stops they’ll choose other partners, and each time the music stops, those who are dancing please choose new partners.”
    â€œOh, good,” said Tanya. “I get to dance with Billy with his crown on. I hope my mother gets a picture.”
    Carla Mae and I smirked at each other.
    Someone put “My Funny Valentine” on the record player, and Billy and Carolyn, both looking awkward in their robes and crowns, started dancing alone in the middle of the floor. Somebody turned on a spotlight from the stage and followed them around the floor with it.
    In a few moments the music stopped, and Billy and Carolyn started to move toward the edge of the floor to choose new partners. Carolyn asked Dick Peterson, who was her date, and Billy headed toward our corner. Tanya started adjusting her dress, ready to get out on the floor and show off again.
    â€œAddie,” she said. “Are my seams straight?”
    I checked the back of her legs. “One of them looks like a corkscrew,” I lied.
    â€œOh, no!” she said. “It would happen now.” She craned her neck around to see what was wrong with her stocking, and Carla Mae and I broke up laughing.
    Just then Billy walked up to us.
    â€œHi, Addie,” he said. “Wanna dance?”
    Tanya turned back toward us so fast I thought her neck would snap.
    I was about to say no to Billy when I saw the look on Tanya’s face. She couldn’t believe it.
    â€œSure,” I said to Billy, and we moved out to the dance floor.
    We stalked around stiffly for a few moments, with Carolyn and Dick dancing just as self-consciously across the floor from us. The spotlight in our eyes made it difficult to see where we were going, and I was thankful there was only one other couple to worry about bumping into on the floor. Billy’s robe kept getting in the way, and his crown would slip over his forehead each time we changed directions.
    â€œI think you were supposed to ask Tanya to dance,” I said.
    â€œAre you kidding?” Billy said. “She’s been dancing with everybody else in the place. All she does is show off what a hot dancer she is. It’s like trying to drag a tornado around the floor.”
    â€œServes him right,” I thought, but I didn’t say it.
    I twisted around a bit to see if I could spot Mr. Davenport. I wished the music would stop so I could go and choose him as my next partner.
    â€œYou look neat,” Billy was saying.
    I didn’t reply.
    â€œI was really going to ask you to the dance,” he said. “But you made me so mad that day after class—well, I just asked Tanya to get even.”
    â€œIt doesn’t