Read Online The Sleepover by Jen Malone - Free Book Online Page A

“Say what now?”
    Veronica squeals. “Baby chicks?” She scrambles over the top of the sofa, falls onto the floor, stands and brushes herself off, and then speed walks to the bathroom.
    Paige untangles her legs and rises gracefully as ever, following behind. I bring up the rear. All three of us peer into the bathtub at the fuzzy balls of yellow. “Ohhh,” whispers Veronica. “They’re sooooo cute!”
    â€œThey’re so cute, but what are they doing here ?” Paige asks, leaning closer.
    And then something else comes back to me.
    â€œWait, I just remembered. Max! Max was in here this morning when I tried to get in to see my eyebrow. I bet Max knows what they’re doing here and where Anna Marie is! God, I’m such an idiot for not thinking of that when we were upstairs earlier. I swear, something is happening to my brain today.”
    â€œMax,” Paige growls. We crash into each other trying to get out of the bathroom at the same time, then half tiptoe, half march across the floor, dodging chips and candy in our effort to get to Anna Marie’s bratty brother as fast as we possibly can.
    Turns out, we don’t have far to go.
    The second we reach the stairs, we come face-to-face with Max’s video camera.
    â€œGir-rrrrrls,” he says in this singsongy voice. “Say something to my fans on YouTube.”
    â€œI’m gonna squash you, you brat,” Paige says at the same time as I ask, “How long have you been taping us?”
    â€œLong enough,” Max answers with a giggle, handing his camera to his little friend. “Lock this in the treasure chest in my room and wait for me,” he orders. The friend scrambles up the stairs, and Max turns back to us with his annoying I may be the devil, and there’s nothing you can do about it grin.
    â€œI’m not kidding, Max. I’m gonna make your life miserable, and not even your sister will be able to protect you. Ifshe’d even want to, which I doubt. Where is she?” Paige asks.
    Max’s smug smile falls off his face, and his forehead crinkles in confusion. “Where’s who?” he asks.
    â€œYour sister , you stink breath. And believe me, I’m calling you a million worse names in my head right now.”
    â€œWhat do you mean, where’s my sister? She’s down here with you. Why wouldn’t she be?”
    I clasp my fingers around Paige’s arm and squeeze. “Is he telling the truth right now?”
    Paige squints into Max’s face. He blinks, the picture of perfect innocence, and even though I know how fast he can summon that expression whenever Mrs. Guerrero is about to bust him for something, I have to admit it’s convincing. Paige speaks very softly and gently. “Are you saying you don’t know where your sister is?”
    â€œAre you saying you don’t know where my sister is?” Max counters.
    Veronica pipes up from behind me. “Not a clue. Well, that’s not true. We do have clues. There are the chicks in the bathtub, for starters, and the—”
    â€œThe chicks!” What is wrong with me that I forgot about them AGAIN? “Max, you were in the bathroom this morning when I tried to get in. What were you doing down here? Where did those chicks come from?”
    Max continues to look confused. “How should I knowwhere they came from? I was just using the bathroom,” he says. “Figured I’d stink up yours instead of mine.”
    â€œGross.” Seriously. So gross.
    â€œCome to think of it, I did think they were a little weird.” Max shrugs and lifts his eyes to examine the ceiling.
    Paige studies him carefully. “Are you telling me you . . . did your business . . . in front of sixteen baby chicks, and you only thought it was a little weird ?”
    â€œWhat can I say? I’m a dude.” Max shrugs again.
    â€œHe has a point there.” I may be an