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Rudolph’s.
    â€œOkay. Sounds like it’s not a real problem. It’ll blow over. It’s just the freshness of it all.”
    She shook her head. “And what … if I’m not ever on the Hot List.” She shrugged. “What can I do? There’s nothing to do.”
    Brianna’s incessant flirty peppiness with Bear sort ofmade me sick, but they were always so pully, grabby, and happy. It really made me feel bummed to see her all sad. It was against the laws of nature or something.
    During lunch, I told Heather and Nicole all about Brianna. And for the first time eating with them didn’t suck. Heather was a good listener and Nicole made me laugh with her comments about Brianna. Now that she was unable to flirt with Bear, we’d be spared watching them tie each other’s shoelaces together all of the time and doing that mock-growling thing. So just as I was feeling almost happy, on the way to fourth period, I spotted Maddie and Nia arm-in-arm skipping down the hall. I couldn’t help listening in on their conversation.
    â€œMaybe we can decorate Hayden and Auggie’s lockers after the leadership meeting. No one will be around,” said Nia.
    â€œAbsolutely,” agreed Maddie.
    â€œI’m thinking lightning bolts. On www.fashiontween.com they’re all about lightning.”
    â€œCount me in!” said Maddie.
    â€œToday is a good day. I feel good!”
    â€œI feel good too!” said Maddie.
    â€œI feel gooder!” Nia said even louder.
    â€œI feel gooder bestest,” said Maddie, laughing.
    And there was no doubt about it, I felt the worst.
    After school, I threw myself on my bed and listened to mostly depressing songs on my iPod. I didn’t do any homework, I didn’t get dinner started. I just stared at the ceiling with a sad soundtrack going.
    Of course, when my dad came home, he noticed me acting like a slug. Without knocking he barged into my room, sat on the edge of my bed, and said he wanted to talk to me about something. “Are you upset with me dating Mrs. Tate?” He seemed so happy that I didn’t feel like saying anything, so I shook my head. Of course, I didn’t love the idea of my dad dating, but I did understand. They had been seeing each for a solid month now, and Mrs. Tate couldn’t help that she was Nia’s mom.
    Then Dad cleared his throat and started asking me why Maddie wasn’t coming around anymore, and I broke down and told him that we had a fight. I didn’t give him any more details than that. “I’m sorry, honey,” he said. “I really am. But that happens to friends sometimes. Even”—he cupped his mouth confidentially—“to administrators. There are a couple of curriculum developers in the superintendent’s office who are not on speaking terms right now. Even your mom and I used to fight.”
    I smiled a little. Dad hadn’t spoken about Mom in awhile. I liked it when he did because it brought her back a little. I had been in preschool when she had died, so mymemories of her mostly come from our family albums and videos.
    â€œMom and I fought about dumb stuff,” said Dad, as he picked up my soccer ball and twirled it in his hand. “The laundry. Who was supposed to pay a bill.”
    â€œWell, it’s not dumb stuff between me and Maddie. I can’t trust her anymore.”
    â€œYou guys have been friends for so long. Can I call her parents? Maybe we could bring you guys together to work this out?”
    â€œNo, don’t you dare do that, Dad! No. Please.”
    â€œIt might be good for me to check in with Maddie’s parents. We could help. I do have a counseling degree.”
    â€œDon’t do it! You can’t!”
    â€œOkay, okay. I just hate seeing you so miserable.”
    Get used to it,
I thought.

Chapter Eight
    Texts received on Nia Tate’s Phone: 14
    Homeroom
    Travis Middle School
    Boulder,