Read Online Gabby Duran and the Unsittables by Elise Allen - Free Book Online
Authors: Elise Allen
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toward their lockers. “Must be hard for Ellerbee,” Gabby said as they walked, “living so far away
from home.”
“I guess,” Zee said.
Gabby was talking about the janitor, but she was
thinking
about Philip and his family and Vondlejax. And it was really hard not to talk about them out loud to Zee.
“Did you know they call people who live in this country but aren’t from here ‘aliens’?” Gabby asked.
Zee scrunched up her face. “Of course I know that. Same thing they call creatures from outer space.”
“Right…only there’s no such thing as
space
aliens,” Gabby said quickly.
“’Course there is,” Zee said as they hit their lockers and tucked the French horn and skateboard into the deep cubbies beneath.
Gabby’s blue eyes widened as she gaped at her best friend. “You know about them?”
“Sure,” Zee said. “With all the billions of planets in the universe, it only makes sense there’s alien life somewhere. Maybe even as close as Jupiter’s moon Europa.
Scientists say the oceans there might support life. Pretty cool, right?” Zee cocked her head, flopping her braids to the side. “Why are we talking about this?”
Gabby’s skin prickled. “What do you mean? You’re the one who brought up space aliens.” She said it a little louder in case any were listening. “I did
not
bring up space aliens.”
Zee frowned and studied Gabby, but before she could say anything, another voice called their names.
“Gabby! Zee!”
It was Satchel. He pinballed down the hall, his lanky body ricocheting off every circled-up clique until he reached the girls. “What’s up?”
“Gabby’s hiding something from me,” Zee told him.
“No way! She is?”
“I’m not!” Gabby balked.
“Check it out,” Zee said, beckoning Satchel closer. “She’s talking too loud, she’s blushing, and if you look close, you can see little beads of sweat on her
forehead and upper lip.”
“Lemme see,” Satchel said. His dark hair flopped in his face as he leaned close to investigate. “Oh yeah! Look at that. It’s like a little sweat mustache!”
“You guys, cut it out!” Gabby cried, backing away. “I’m not hiding anything.”
“See how she’s not looking us in the eye?” Zee said. “People do that when they’re not telling the truth. And check her arms, flat at her side. When you feel weird
about lying, you want to take up as little space as possible.”
“I knew that!” Satchel exclaimed. “Gabby and I saw it in
Decimator Two
, when the hijacker was lying to Commando Adam Dent and he totally saw right through it! Oh snap,
Gabby, you saw him yesterday, right? Was he on the set? Was it a new
Decimator
? What’s it about? I know you’re going to say you can’t tell me, but you totally have to tell
me!”
“I can’t say for sure it’s a
Decimator
, but I can tell you this,” Gabby began, then gave him a few tiny details she knew he’d love. It was more than
she’d usually share, but she was anxious to steer the conversation away from aliens and lies. Then the bell rang, and she and Zee split from Satchel to climb the two flights of stairs to Mr.
Shamberg’s English class. The lecture was about Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and Gabby realized she was a lot like the protagonist of the story. No, she
hadn’t killed anyone and hidden them under the floorboards, but she did have a secret she couldn’t tell, and she was letting it haunt her. If Gabby wanted a better ending than the guy
in the story, she had to get it together.
“Sorry I was acting weird before,” she told Zee when class ended. “I think I’m just freaked about the concert Friday. I worked this weekend, so I didn’t practice as
much as Madison.”
“But you’re better than Madison,” Zee said, “so you don’t have to practice as much.”
It wasn’t really true, Gabby knew. The French horn was one of the hardest instruments in the orchestra and even the best players needed
from home.”
“I guess,” Zee said.
Gabby was talking about the janitor, but she was
thinking
about Philip and his family and Vondlejax. And it was really hard not to talk about them out loud to Zee.
“Did you know they call people who live in this country but aren’t from here ‘aliens’?” Gabby asked.
Zee scrunched up her face. “Of course I know that. Same thing they call creatures from outer space.”
“Right…only there’s no such thing as
space
aliens,” Gabby said quickly.
“’Course there is,” Zee said as they hit their lockers and tucked the French horn and skateboard into the deep cubbies beneath.
Gabby’s blue eyes widened as she gaped at her best friend. “You know about them?”
“Sure,” Zee said. “With all the billions of planets in the universe, it only makes sense there’s alien life somewhere. Maybe even as close as Jupiter’s moon Europa.
Scientists say the oceans there might support life. Pretty cool, right?” Zee cocked her head, flopping her braids to the side. “Why are we talking about this?”
Gabby’s skin prickled. “What do you mean? You’re the one who brought up space aliens.” She said it a little louder in case any were listening. “I did
not
bring up space aliens.”
Zee frowned and studied Gabby, but before she could say anything, another voice called their names.
“Gabby! Zee!”
It was Satchel. He pinballed down the hall, his lanky body ricocheting off every circled-up clique until he reached the girls. “What’s up?”
“Gabby’s hiding something from me,” Zee told him.
“No way! She is?”
“I’m not!” Gabby balked.
“Check it out,” Zee said, beckoning Satchel closer. “She’s talking too loud, she’s blushing, and if you look close, you can see little beads of sweat on her
forehead and upper lip.”
“Lemme see,” Satchel said. His dark hair flopped in his face as he leaned close to investigate. “Oh yeah! Look at that. It’s like a little sweat mustache!”
“You guys, cut it out!” Gabby cried, backing away. “I’m not hiding anything.”
“See how she’s not looking us in the eye?” Zee said. “People do that when they’re not telling the truth. And check her arms, flat at her side. When you feel weird
about lying, you want to take up as little space as possible.”
“I knew that!” Satchel exclaimed. “Gabby and I saw it in
Decimator Two
, when the hijacker was lying to Commando Adam Dent and he totally saw right through it! Oh snap,
Gabby, you saw him yesterday, right? Was he on the set? Was it a new
Decimator
? What’s it about? I know you’re going to say you can’t tell me, but you totally have to tell
me!”
“I can’t say for sure it’s a
Decimator
, but I can tell you this,” Gabby began, then gave him a few tiny details she knew he’d love. It was more than
she’d usually share, but she was anxious to steer the conversation away from aliens and lies. Then the bell rang, and she and Zee split from Satchel to climb the two flights of stairs to Mr.
Shamberg’s English class. The lecture was about Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and Gabby realized she was a lot like the protagonist of the story. No, she
hadn’t killed anyone and hidden them under the floorboards, but she did have a secret she couldn’t tell, and she was letting it haunt her. If Gabby wanted a better ending than the guy
in the story, she had to get it together.
“Sorry I was acting weird before,” she told Zee when class ended. “I think I’m just freaked about the concert Friday. I worked this weekend, so I didn’t practice as
much as Madison.”
“But you’re better than Madison,” Zee said, “so you don’t have to practice as much.”
It wasn’t really true, Gabby knew. The French horn was one of the hardest instruments in the orchestra and even the best players needed
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