Read Online Alex's Challenge by Melissa J. Morgan - Free Book Online Page B

trying.
    â€œI don’t want your help, anyway!” Brynn yelled as the other girls started to whisper about the impending altercation. When Chelsea chewed out Alex, it was easy for everyone to take Alex’s side.
    But the fight between Alex and Brynn wasn’t so clear-cut. Both girls had a point: Alex was standing Brynn up, and Brynn was being self-involved, not to mention bossy. The other girls—Natalie, Alyssa, Karen, and the others—didn’t know what to do. They just looked at one another and shrugged.
    Only Sarah and Valerie got involved.
    â€œI’ll help you, Brynn,” Sarah said, moving to stand next to Brynn.
    â€œCome on, Alex,” Valerie said. “Cool down for a while, and then try to talk about it again.”
    Alex wanted to add one more thing before Brynn walked away. “If Sarah helps, then it’s okay if I go to the meeting with Julie?” At least she knew Brynn would have an extra hand, which was the important part, anyway.
    â€œ I said , I didn’t want your help, anyway,” Brynn stated, stomping off.
    What has Brynn done for me lately? Alex wondered. Brynn hadn’t even said anything to Chelsea when she harassed Alex just before. Alex honestly didn’t think she should be the one to apologize this time.
    â€œIt’s okay, Alex. Let’s just go the scavenger hunt and forget about it,” Valerie said. “It will all blow over soon.”
    â€œYeah. Sure.” Alex shrugged, trying to shake off the icky feeling the fight had given her. Valerie had to be right. This couldn’t go on forever.
    Could it?

chapter SIX
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    When the girls returned after the scavenger hunt—they had lost to their rival bunk 3A—no one was in a giddy mood. Before lights-out, Brynn and Alex used to sit around and talk. They’d often share their dreams and secrets and rehash the day. Nothing of the sort happened that night.
    Alex hadn’t expected it, but it still stung when Brynn took her script over to Grace’s bed and started reading.

    It was getting more and more awful by the day—not just for Alex, but also for the other girls who felt like they were being forced to take sides. The most worrisome thing for Alex was that Chelsea and Brynn had been talking more. Alex was terrified that the two of them would gang up together against her and make the last days at camp one big pile of steaming Hamster Surprise.
    This was not how Alex had imagined the end of camp! She was so disappointed. She’d managed to have a little fun—like at the formal banquet planning meeting—but she just couldn’t enjoy the other camp activities with Brynn acting like they weren’t even friends anymore. Alex started wishing that she had gone to paint with Brynn that night instead of to the planning meeting. Maybe then nothing would’ve gotten this bad , Alex thought. But then another, less quiet voice perked up inside her head.
    Why should Brynn always get her way? Alex asked herself, vowing to stand her ground on this one. It’s like she just expects me to go play with her.
    As the days went on, woodworking was a much-needed break once a day from the girls and their dramas. Valerie didn’t care much about it. She mentioned a few times that her friendship with Sarah was totally over.
    â€œIf she’s that sensitive, and if I can’t talk about my girls at home, then so be it,” Val explained. “My mom says sometimes friendships fade, and you should let them go gracefully. If Sarah wants to dump me over one little stupid comment I made, I guess we weren’t that close in the first place. Hmph.”
    â€œIt still stinks, though,” Alex added, feeling totally dumped herself. “I hate the way Brynn ignores me.”
    â€œLikewise,” Val said. “Did you see the way they were holding hands at the flagpole this morning? I couldn’t even giggle about Dr. Steve’s mismatched knee