of that mindless drivel. You’ll see it when we go to print.”
Amber rolled her eyes. “Print - shouldn’t all of our news be on blogs by now or something?”
“Some people still like to read real papers instead of getting sucked into their phones for hours on end.” Henry sent her a pointed look.
I grimaced, glancing down at my lunch. I expected fireworks, but Amber kept a cool head and a chilly tone.
“You really should’ve listened to us. You should open up the first paper of the new year with some interesting news. Otherwise, I hear you’re on thin ice,” Amber said ominously. She gave us all a bright smile and waved at me. “Think about party planning committee, girls. It’s always fun!”
She turned on her heel, dark curls springing around her shoulders as she walked to another table. Henry stared after her in shock.
“How did she know that?” he asked.
“You might lose your position?” I asked him in alarm. “This is what you wanted, so you can go to college and become the next Barbara Walters. Your mom would kill you!”
Henry spared me a dirty look before he grimaced. “I’m not going to lose my spot. But McGee warned me I’d get demoted to chess tournaments if I didn’t start lightening up my assignments. He says I should work on ‘reader-friendly’ pieces, too.”
“I told you that last spring,” I started, but he interrupted me.
“I know, all right? I get it. Amber wins,” he said, slumping back in his chair, lunch forgotten. “I know we’re in high school, but c’mon, everyone deserves real news, too! And her jab at print - I mean, it all goes on our website, too. I’m even keeping up with that local news blog I started.”
Cole raised a hand at us to get our attention. “If either yearbook or the paper need a photographer, let me know. It’s not something I’ll major in, but I have my own camera.”
Penelope eyed her brother. “You’re taking an interest in photography?”
He shrugged. “Sure. I’m pretty good at capturing action shots.”
“You do have a talent for catching people in just the right moment,” Penelope said in an amused voice. They shared a secret look I didn’t understand, followed by a quick smile. Must be a sibling thing. My heart ached for a brief moment.
“Yearbook and the paper use the same student photographers, so you’ll basically have to be at all the events for both of us,” Henry told Cole. “We already have a few, so you probably won’t be needed much, but show me whatever photos you take and I’ll see if we can use them.”
Henry and Cole traded contact information, plugging numbers into their cell phones. Henry nudged me. “Sorry to jet, but thanks to Amber, I need to go talk to McGee to admit defeat and conform to the masses.”
“Geez, Henry, it’s only school dances and special events,” I said, exasperated. “It’ll be good for you.”
Henry flicked my hair as he stood up and gathered his things. “I’ll see you in seventh period. Later, guys.”
We watched him leave and I checked the time. Glancing at my sheet to remind myself of the next class, I got up. “We better go too, actually.”
Penelope’s class was at the other end of school, while Cole and I had government class together. We stopped by my locker so I could switch books, then made our way to class.
“I hope you don’t mind showing me around,” Cole said as we walked upstairs. “I didn’t mean for Henry to dump us on you.”
“It’s no problem at all, really,” I assured him. “Henry always says I could use more friends.”
“I suppose I could too, being new. It’s harder than movies make it out to be.”
I laughed as we rounded a corner. I pointed out the room and we made our way inside. The desks were for two people and we quickly grabbed one together, sharing a grin. When he beamed that bright smile at me, I felt a little tickle in my stomach.
“Ya know, we could exchange phone numbers,” he said as we
Amber rolled her eyes. “Print - shouldn’t all of our news be on blogs by now or something?”
“Some people still like to read real papers instead of getting sucked into their phones for hours on end.” Henry sent her a pointed look.
I grimaced, glancing down at my lunch. I expected fireworks, but Amber kept a cool head and a chilly tone.
“You really should’ve listened to us. You should open up the first paper of the new year with some interesting news. Otherwise, I hear you’re on thin ice,” Amber said ominously. She gave us all a bright smile and waved at me. “Think about party planning committee, girls. It’s always fun!”
She turned on her heel, dark curls springing around her shoulders as she walked to another table. Henry stared after her in shock.
“How did she know that?” he asked.
“You might lose your position?” I asked him in alarm. “This is what you wanted, so you can go to college and become the next Barbara Walters. Your mom would kill you!”
Henry spared me a dirty look before he grimaced. “I’m not going to lose my spot. But McGee warned me I’d get demoted to chess tournaments if I didn’t start lightening up my assignments. He says I should work on ‘reader-friendly’ pieces, too.”
“I told you that last spring,” I started, but he interrupted me.
“I know, all right? I get it. Amber wins,” he said, slumping back in his chair, lunch forgotten. “I know we’re in high school, but c’mon, everyone deserves real news, too! And her jab at print - I mean, it all goes on our website, too. I’m even keeping up with that local news blog I started.”
Cole raised a hand at us to get our attention. “If either yearbook or the paper need a photographer, let me know. It’s not something I’ll major in, but I have my own camera.”
Penelope eyed her brother. “You’re taking an interest in photography?”
He shrugged. “Sure. I’m pretty good at capturing action shots.”
“You do have a talent for catching people in just the right moment,” Penelope said in an amused voice. They shared a secret look I didn’t understand, followed by a quick smile. Must be a sibling thing. My heart ached for a brief moment.
“Yearbook and the paper use the same student photographers, so you’ll basically have to be at all the events for both of us,” Henry told Cole. “We already have a few, so you probably won’t be needed much, but show me whatever photos you take and I’ll see if we can use them.”
Henry and Cole traded contact information, plugging numbers into their cell phones. Henry nudged me. “Sorry to jet, but thanks to Amber, I need to go talk to McGee to admit defeat and conform to the masses.”
“Geez, Henry, it’s only school dances and special events,” I said, exasperated. “It’ll be good for you.”
Henry flicked my hair as he stood up and gathered his things. “I’ll see you in seventh period. Later, guys.”
We watched him leave and I checked the time. Glancing at my sheet to remind myself of the next class, I got up. “We better go too, actually.”
Penelope’s class was at the other end of school, while Cole and I had government class together. We stopped by my locker so I could switch books, then made our way to class.
“I hope you don’t mind showing me around,” Cole said as we walked upstairs. “I didn’t mean for Henry to dump us on you.”
“It’s no problem at all, really,” I assured him. “Henry always says I could use more friends.”
“I suppose I could too, being new. It’s harder than movies make it out to be.”
I laughed as we rounded a corner. I pointed out the room and we made our way inside. The desks were for two people and we quickly grabbed one together, sharing a grin. When he beamed that bright smile at me, I felt a little tickle in my stomach.
“Ya know, we could exchange phone numbers,” he said as we
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