Jeri snuggled down, muttered a quick prayer for God to kill the ants, and then dropped off to sleep.
Over Mexican food for lunch in the dining hall Thursday, Jeri and Rosa argued about keeping food in
their room. Finally Abby interrupted. “I’ll have a good surprise for you after school if you stop fighting.”
“We aren’t fighting.” Rosa stood abruptly. “See you later. I’ll only be around a few minutes after school though.”
Jeri looked up from her taco in surprise. “Why?”
“I’m going shopping with Shauna,” she said casually.
“Really?” Abby asked. “Ms. Carter said you can go shopping on a school night?”
“I ran out of some stuff I need for my art fair project.” Rosa shrugged and then grinned. “Can I help it if the art supply store is next to the pizza place?”
Jeri knew Shauna was old enough to drive. “Why does a girl that old want to go shopping with a sixth grader?”
“Because I’m
fun,”
Rosa said, bristling.
“Some
people think I have a great sense of humor.”
“I think you’re funny,” Jeri said, stung by her tone. She forced herself to smile. “I hope you have fun tonight,” she said.
“Really.”
Rosa paused and then flashed a huge smile. “Thanks. I will. Anything you want me to bring you?”
Jeri gave her a playful punch on the arm. “How about some bug spray?”
That evening after supper Jeri worked at her computer. She was trying—without success—to make her article exciting when Abby stuck her head in the door.
“Hey, mate, fancy a brownie?” she asked. “They’ll be done in two minutes.”
“You don’t have to ask me twice!” Jeri shoved back from her computer and followed the blonde British girl downstairs. “Another home ec project?”
“No, Ms. Carter just said I could make some.”
“So you’re feeling okay now?”
“Just tired. I hate being sick.” She smiled. “Brownies just sounded really good today.”
Jeri grinned. “Chocolate
always
sounds good.
A chocolate brownie doeth good like a medicine,”
she said, misquoting one of her mom’s favorite Bible verses.
She followed Abby into the kitchen where Abby handed her a warm brownie on a paper napkin. She took a small bite. “This tastes so good,” she said. “I hope you made enough.”
Abby finished cutting the brownies, placed them on a plate, and grabbed a handful of paper napkins. She led the way to the living room. There five girls sat on the floor around the large coffee table, creating scrapbook pages. Jeri leaned over Emily’s shoulder to see. The photos were mostly silly shots taken in the dorm of girls making goofy faces. A bowl containing a few popcorn hulls was on the floor near them.
Abby stood in the doorway. “Anybody hungry?” she asked, holding out the plate of warm brownies.
“Yum!” Brooke said, reaching for one.
Abby handed her a napkin. “I made them from scratch.”
Brooke’s smile faded and her hand dropped. “Actually, I’m not that hungry. I’m full of popcorn. Thanks, though.”
“You can take one for later,” Abby said.
“Okay.”
“Here, everybody. Help yourselves.” Abby handed the plate to Emily, who said, “Thanks” and passed it on without taking one. Hannah took a brownie, but she set it on the table without taking a bite.
“I guess we’re all full of popcorn.” Fidgeting, Emily avoided looking at Abby.
Jeri’s eyes narrowed. What was going on? Abby looked confused, and then her face flushed bright pink. When it dawned on Jeri what was happening, she wanted to smack those girls. They didn’t trust Abby! What did they think? That she was trying to poison them?
She grabbed the plate of brownies and stuffed another one in her mouth. “You all don’t know what you’re missing.” She turned to Abby. “Mind if I take another one with me?”
“No. Help yourself.” Abby’s voice was subdued as she turned and headed upstairs.
Jeri glared at the group, but each girl stared at the scrapbooking materials
Over Mexican food for lunch in the dining hall Thursday, Jeri and Rosa argued about keeping food in
their room. Finally Abby interrupted. “I’ll have a good surprise for you after school if you stop fighting.”
“We aren’t fighting.” Rosa stood abruptly. “See you later. I’ll only be around a few minutes after school though.”
Jeri looked up from her taco in surprise. “Why?”
“I’m going shopping with Shauna,” she said casually.
“Really?” Abby asked. “Ms. Carter said you can go shopping on a school night?”
“I ran out of some stuff I need for my art fair project.” Rosa shrugged and then grinned. “Can I help it if the art supply store is next to the pizza place?”
Jeri knew Shauna was old enough to drive. “Why does a girl that old want to go shopping with a sixth grader?”
“Because I’m
fun,”
Rosa said, bristling.
“Some
people think I have a great sense of humor.”
“I think you’re funny,” Jeri said, stung by her tone. She forced herself to smile. “I hope you have fun tonight,” she said.
“Really.”
Rosa paused and then flashed a huge smile. “Thanks. I will. Anything you want me to bring you?”
Jeri gave her a playful punch on the arm. “How about some bug spray?”
That evening after supper Jeri worked at her computer. She was trying—without success—to make her article exciting when Abby stuck her head in the door.
“Hey, mate, fancy a brownie?” she asked. “They’ll be done in two minutes.”
“You don’t have to ask me twice!” Jeri shoved back from her computer and followed the blonde British girl downstairs. “Another home ec project?”
“No, Ms. Carter just said I could make some.”
“So you’re feeling okay now?”
“Just tired. I hate being sick.” She smiled. “Brownies just sounded really good today.”
Jeri grinned. “Chocolate
always
sounds good.
A chocolate brownie doeth good like a medicine,”
she said, misquoting one of her mom’s favorite Bible verses.
She followed Abby into the kitchen where Abby handed her a warm brownie on a paper napkin. She took a small bite. “This tastes so good,” she said. “I hope you made enough.”
Abby finished cutting the brownies, placed them on a plate, and grabbed a handful of paper napkins. She led the way to the living room. There five girls sat on the floor around the large coffee table, creating scrapbook pages. Jeri leaned over Emily’s shoulder to see. The photos were mostly silly shots taken in the dorm of girls making goofy faces. A bowl containing a few popcorn hulls was on the floor near them.
Abby stood in the doorway. “Anybody hungry?” she asked, holding out the plate of warm brownies.
“Yum!” Brooke said, reaching for one.
Abby handed her a napkin. “I made them from scratch.”
Brooke’s smile faded and her hand dropped. “Actually, I’m not that hungry. I’m full of popcorn. Thanks, though.”
“You can take one for later,” Abby said.
“Okay.”
“Here, everybody. Help yourselves.” Abby handed the plate to Emily, who said, “Thanks” and passed it on without taking one. Hannah took a brownie, but she set it on the table without taking a bite.
“I guess we’re all full of popcorn.” Fidgeting, Emily avoided looking at Abby.
Jeri’s eyes narrowed. What was going on? Abby looked confused, and then her face flushed bright pink. When it dawned on Jeri what was happening, she wanted to smack those girls. They didn’t trust Abby! What did they think? That she was trying to poison them?
She grabbed the plate of brownies and stuffed another one in her mouth. “You all don’t know what you’re missing.” She turned to Abby. “Mind if I take another one with me?”
“No. Help yourself.” Abby’s voice was subdued as she turned and headed upstairs.
Jeri glared at the group, but each girl stared at the scrapbooking materials
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