Read Online Times Squared by Julia DeVillers - Free Book Online Page B

the whole pretzel without even noticing.
    Tess, Nick, and I caught up with the rest of our group and headed full speed toward the theater. By the time we were finally there, I was out of breath—I’m a mathlete, not an athlete—and had put Nick’s grouchy face, Payton’s problems, and all evil nemeses (a.k.a. Sydney and Jazmine) out of my head.
    Ox I’d deal with later.
    Now it was back to the me I should be. Mathlete Emma. Focused Emma. Academma.
    â€œHi, Payton!” a drama Gecko said to me as we joined another group at the theater entrance.
    I was too winded to correct her. By the time I’d caught my breath, I was inside the theater and following Mrs. Nicely to our seats.
    â€œPlease turn off all electronic devices,” our chaperone announced, reading from a sign on the wall.
    My cell phone! I’d completely forgotten about it. Quickly I pulled it out of pocket number three and texted Payton. Find me! I punched in the message fourteen times so she would understand the urgency. I shut my phone down and slipped it back into its proper pocket. No one had noticed.
    Whew.
    I flopped down into a theater seat. I looked around for my twin’s group. They weren’t here yet. Good. Then Payton would still be outside and receive my text. Texts.
    Gah. This was just too much drama for an elite mathlete like me. I closed my eyes and began calculating the products of my favorite prime numbers.

Nine
    OFF-BROADWAY THEATER
    â€œWe are here!” Mrs. James had announced.
    Where was here? I looked up from my phone. We were at a theater! I could see the sign for the play that Burkle’s friend was going to produce!
    â€œA real Broadway theater!” I said.
    â€œOff-Broadway,” Mrs. James sniffed. “Off-off-Broadway.”
    Still! It was so cool! It wasn’t that far off Broadway for one thing!
    Brzzzzt! Brzzzzt!
    My cell phone started going crazy and interrupted me. I looked down to see fourteen text messages. Fourteen?I clicked and saw they were all from Emma!
    ?!?!?!
    â€œCell phones off!” Mrs. James said to me. “Immediately! No cell phones in the theater.”
    â€œBut—”
    She glared at me until I turned it off. We all filed into the theater. And I forgot about my cell phone.
    â€œI call front row!” Sydney squealed, and darted down to the front.
    â€œGroup! Be seated,” Mrs. James said. We all followed her to the front row. I tried to go slowly but somehow I ended up stuck between Sydney and Jazmine James.
    But now I would ignore them! I was in a real Broadway theater! And who knew? Maybe I’d be an actress on a stage like that someday!
    My dreams were interrupted by an elbow in my waist.
    â€œThere’s Ox,” Sydney said in a singsong voice.
    I saw our classmates start to enter in groups.
    â€œThere’s Nick! There’s your twin sister,” Sydney said. “All the people in the love triangle. Oh, and you! A love square! Let the drama begin!”
    â€œSpeaking of drama, why do the mathletes have to do this?” Jazmine whined to her mother.
    â€œUnfortunately, your coach thinks this is a valuablecultural experience, even with your competition tomorrow,” Mrs. James said with a sniff.
    People started sitting in the rows behind us. I tried to turn around to see Nick or Emma or Tess. I spotted Emma.
    She held her hand up in our “twin, check your text” signal. I shook my head and tilted it toward Mrs. James. My twin telepathy worked! She frowned and then shrugged. Emma sat down next to Tess.
    And on the other side of Tess sat Nick. I tried to wave at him, but he was talking to Tess. I wasn’t even sure if he would wave back, anyway.
    â€œLadies and gentlemen!” I turned back around as Mrs. Burkle came onto the stage. “Dramatic and Mathletic Geckos!”
    Everyone quieted down, except Reilly, who let out a “Wooot!”
    â€œWelcome to the theater!” Burkle said.