Read Online True (. . . Sort Of) by Katherine Hannigan - Free Book Online

like a ghost. Delly followed the glowing.
    The girl and the cat went behind the biggest tree Delly’d ever seen. She waited for them to come out the other side.
    They didn’t.
    Delly snuck up to the tree. She peeked to see if they were hiding behind it. She tippy-toed around it, twice.
    Those two had disappeared again.
    â€œShikes,” she whispered.
    Lionel Terwilliger had taught about sublimation, how a solid could turn into a gas in an instant. “They sublimated themselves,” she breathed.
    Delly got nervous. “Maybe they’re both ghosts. Or maybe they’re super-smelly gas. Maybe they’ll suffocate me with their stink and—”
    â€œRowwwwr,” it howled from above. Right where a gas cat would be, before it swooped down and stink-bombed her.
    Delly’s legs turned faster than a windmill in a tornado. She was all the way to the bridge before she checked to see if something was chasing her.
    But there was no gas cat to be seen.
    â€œWhat the glub?” she rasped. Then she grinned. “Ferris Boyd, you are a mysturiosity.”
    The whistle blew.
    â€œSee you tomorrow,” she said to the gas, or ghosts, or whatever Ferris Boyd and that cat had become.

Chapter 26
    B ack at school, Delly was getting a reputation. A good one.
    Tuesday, Lionel Terwilliger stopped at her desk. “Ms. Pattison,” he said softly, “your progress is appreciated,” and he smiled at her.
    On Wednesday, Ms. McDougal came to the classroom. “Delaware Pattison, please stand,” she boomed.
    â€œBawlgrammit,” Delly muttered, because nothing good ever came from her being the only kid standing.
    Somehow, she’d done something bad. Now they were going to get rid of her in front of everybody. She could hear Novello snickering.
    The principal handed her a piece of paper. Delly didn’t need to look to know what it was: a one-way ticket to the reDellyformatory.
    â€œRead it out loud,” Ms. McDougal commanded.
    It was cruel genius, like making a criminal read the guilty verdict at her trial. But Delly did it.
    â€œâ€˜Awarded to Delaware Pattison, for Excellent Conduct,’” she rasped. There was the date and a big gold star. “Huh?”
    â€œDelly,” Ms. McDougal declared, “your conduct has been exemplary.”
    â€œSmelly?” Novello snorted. “That’s a stinking mistake.”
    Delly was too confused to count. Her hands folded into fists.
    Till she heard the principal shout, “Mr. Novello, to my office. Now!”
    Delly watched him clump out of the classroom. “That’s better than a gold star.” She grinned.
    By Thursday, Delly’s reputation had gotten to gym class.
    â€œWe’re going to play basketball,” Ms. Gerwitz announced. “Now, for captains . . . ”
    All the kids raised their hands. “Ooh, ooh,” they begged.
    All except Delly. And Ferris Boyd.
    Because Delly could ooh, ooh till the world ended, and no grown-up was going to put her in charge of other kids. Plus she hated that game. She counted, instead.
    â€œI already know who I want,” Ms. Gerwitz told them. “Put your hands down.
    â€œGwennie, you have team number one. Tater, team two.” Novello got number three. “Our fourth captain is . . .” Ms. Gerwitz smiled right at her. “Delly Pattison.”
    â€œBawldoublegrammit,” Delly groaned. She knew Ms. Gerwitz meant something good, but making her captain was bad. Now she’d have to play the game, instead of sitting it out. She’d stink up the place with her tiny basketball terribleness.
    â€œCaptains, come here and choose your teams,” Ms. Gerwitz said. “Teams one and two play first, then three and four.”
    â€œChizzle,” Delly grimaced. Now she was playing Novello, too.
    She scanned the crowd for potential players. They were all watching the other three, pleading, “Pick me, pick me.”
    There