Read Online Twelve by Lauren Myracle - Free Book Online

off,” Leigh-Ann said, fumbling with the laces of my sneaker. She put her arm around my waist and helped me hobble to the water trough. “Put your foot in there. Why on earth didn’t you tell me?”
    â€œI did,” I said.
    â€œBut why didn’t you yell? Or scream? Or something ?”
    The other girls gathered around. They all looked concerned.
    â€œYou’re so brave,” Madison said.
    â€œAre you okay?” Jaden said. “Your foot’s turning red!”
    â€œCan you wiggle your toes?” Leigh-Ann asked. “Is anything broken?”
    I wiggled my toes in the lukewarm water. Everything worked.
    â€œThank goodness,” she said. “But you’re done for the day—and next time, if a horse steps on your foot, I want you to do something about it.” She pushed her bangs out of her eyes. “Girls, I need one of you to take Winnie to the cabin. Who wants to go?”
    Everyone raised her hand, and a chorus of “Me, me!” filled the air.
    â€œAmanda,” I said.
    Amanda stepped forward, proud to be chosen.
    â€œStop by the lodge and have Alice give her some ibuprofen, ” Leigh-Ann instructed. Amanda nodded. My foot still throbbed, but it was fun being the patient everyone wanted to take care of.
    â€œThe rest of you, back to your spots,” Leigh-Ann said. “And keep your feet out from under your horses!”
    Back in the cabin, with my foot propped on a pillow, I let Amanda make a fuss over me.
    â€œEat one of these,” she said, handing me a Mike and Ike’s HOT TAMALE from the stash in her trunk.
    â€œOoo, spicy,” I said, smushing the candy between my teeth.
    â€œI know I’m not supposed to have them in the cabin—but oh well,” she said. She perched on the edge of my bed. “I can’t believe you just stood there while Pudding Treat was on your foot. Did it kill?”
    â€œUh-huh,” I said. “But I was too embarrassed.”
    â€œI would have been screaming my head off,” she said. She shook another handful of HOT TAMALES into my hand. Her expression told me she was going to change the subject. “So . . . who do you think’s going to be Miss Hummingbird?”
    Miss Hummingbird was like the most popular girl of all the Hummingbirds. There’d also be a Miss Chickadee and a Miss Peregrine. All the cabins voted, and the winners would be announced on the last day of camp.
    â€œI don’t know,” I said. “Maybe Jessica?” Jessica was the red-haired girl who was so clearly Amy’s favorite. I watched Amanda’s face and quickly added, “Or you? Maybe you, I bet!”
    â€œNo, not me,” Amanda said. “I think it’ll be you.”
    â€œHa ha,” I said.
    â€œNo, seriously,” she said. “Everybody loves you. It’s so weird.”
    â€œHey, now!” I couldn’t decide whether to be thrilled at the compliment or put off by Amanda’s qualification. I laughed.
    â€œYou know what I mean,” Amanda said.
    â€œNot really,” I said.
    Amanda shrugged. “You’re different here at camp. I don’t know why, but you are.”
    So she had noticed. I had wondered.
    â€œI don’t know why, either,” I said. “I guess it is sort of weird.”
    â€œGood weird, though.” She shook out the last three HOT TAMALES and gave one to me and popped the other two into her mouth. “Are you glad you came?”
    â€œI am completely and totally glad I came,” I said. “Are you?”
    â€œThat I came, or that you did?” she asked.
    I kicked her with my good foot.
    â€œBoth,” she said. “I’m glad of both.”
    On the last day of camp—or rather the last full day, since the next day our parents would come pick us up—I stood up to the cheers of my cabin as I was proclaimed Miss Hummingbird. Amanda clapped loudest of all. I walked with Miss Chickadee and