Read Online Take Charge by Melody Carlson - Free Book Online

big deal. Carlie had probably just made too much of it. She should take Morgan’s advice and just chill.
    Two pizzas had already arrived by the time the girls got back. Fortunately, Maria had put them in the oven to stay warm. The girls all jumped into the pool to rinse off the salt water and then sat around the deck munching on pizza and drinking soda. The dip in the ocean seemed tohave cooled everyone off. And Carlie decided that her worries about Chelsea were probably silly. Even so, she was relieved when it was 4:30 and time to go home.
    The girls all thanked Chelsea and her mother for everything, and Morgan invited Chelsea to come spend the day with them sometime.
    “You can see our clubhouse and our beach,” she said with a smile.
    “How about tomorrow?” asked Chelsea.
    Morgan looked slightly surprised. “It works for me,” she said, glancing at the others.
    “I’ll be around until three,” said Amy. She frowned. “Then I have to go work at the restaurant. Friday is one of its busy nights.”
    “I’m always around,” said Emily.
    “I’ll be free,” said Carlie. “Unless I have to babysit. But Mom hasn’t mentioned it.”
    “So tomorrow then?” said Chelsea.
    “Come in the morning,” said Amy eagerly. “So I’ll have more time to spend with you before I have to leave.”
    “How about ten-ish?” asked Chelsea.
    “Sounds great,” said Morgan with a bright smile.
    As they rode home, Carlie wondered if Morgan was as happy as she acted about tomorrow’s plans. But Carlie wouldn’t question her. She sensed that she’d already offended Morgan by being too concerned about Chelsea’sbehavior today. Besides, Morgan was a strong person. She could speak up if she needed to. Even so, Carlie felt guilty as she went into her house. It seemed that her connection to Chelsea could go either way. Why did it have to get so complicated?
    “Friend trouble?” asked Tia Maria as Carlie walked through the kitchen.
    “What?” asked Mom with a concerned frown.
    “Our Carlie is such a popular girl,” said her aunt with a wink. “I think some of her friends are fighting over her now.”
    “Not really,” said Carlie, wondering where her aunt was getting her information or, rather, misinformation.
    “Just be good to your friends,” said Mom, “and they will be good to you.”
    Carlie nodded, telling herself that her mom didn’t understand either. If only it was that simple. “I’m going to dump my stuff in my room,” she said, eager to escape their weird comments.
    “Rinse the chlorine out of your swimsuit before you hang it to dry,” warned Mom.
    Carlie was barely in her room when she heard the phone ringing.
    “It’s Chelsea Landers,” said Mom, handing her the cordless phone. “Keep it short. Your dad is supposed to call soon.”
    “Hi, Chelsea,” said Carlie without much enthusiasm. “I’m sorry,” began Chelsea. “I made a complete mess of things today, didn’t I?”
    “Oh, I don’t know … ”
    “Yes,
you do too know
. And I totally did. I stuck my foot in my mouth again. I offended Morgan. And I probably offended you too. I’m such a social freak sometimes.”
    Suddenly Carlie felt sorry for Chelsea. “No, you’re not. It’s just that you don’t know my friends very well … and then you sometimes talk without thinking.”
    “I know. I know. It’s that old no-impulse-control thing. I’m such a loser, Carlie. I’ll probably totally bomb at school. Oh, help me, please.
Please
!”
    “Look, I’m not supposed to be on the phone too long. My dad’s going to call and —”
    “You don’t have call waiting?”
    “No.” Carlie took in a quick breath. Did Chelsea think everyone was made of money? “But listen, Chelsea, just try to chill, okay? When you come here tomorrow, don’t try so hard with my friends. And don’t turn everything into a stupid fight, okay?”
    “Okay.”
    “And just be yourself, Chelsea. I mean, you’re a cool girl and I do like you. But you can