13

Glue Your Mouth Shut

The next morning, I’m waiting for Dawn when she arrives.

“Hi, Dawn!” I chirp. “Ready for more fun?”

Dawn looks confused—then her beauty pageant smile blinks on. She pockets her phone.

“You got it, girl!” she chirps back, sounding mostly eager and a tiny bit wary.

She pulls off her pink-camo cap and stashes it in her bag, and I make cheerful, pointless conversation all the way to homeroom. Second period, I smile like a bobblehead as she peeks at my quiz to see if I need help filling in answers.

When she squeals over my fall-themed bag, I untie it and hand it over for a closer look. She pauses over what’s stitched on the back but hands it back without saying anything.

She’s thrown at first by my sudden cheerful chattiness. By about fourth period, she’s chatting back—about her family, scrapbooking, and her miniature Doberman, Scooter. I listen, wide-eyed, saying uh-huh, wow, and so cool! As if scrapbooking doesn’t sound like a total snooze.

In the lunchroom, I let Dawn get my tray and carry it to where Ale and Tina are sitting. They look at me strangely.

I give them a Hold that thought look.

Later, when Dawn gets up to refill my drink, I lean over the table toward Ale.

“All systems go,” I whisper. Her eyes light up.

“When do we start?” she whispers back.

Then Dawn comes back with my drink. “Shoot!” I say loudly. “Left my Spanish book in my locker.”

Ale and Tina manage to keep straight faces. Dawn snaps up the bait like a largemouth on a worm. “I’ll get it, sweetie!” Then she pauses. “Will you be okay a sec without me?”

Ale cuts in smoothly. “We’ll be here if Emmie needs anything. Don’t worry!” She darts her eyes my way, and I look away fast so I don’t start laughing.

I scribble my locker combo on a napkin and hand it over. “Thanks a bunch!”

“My pleasure!” Dawn practically skips across the lunchroom and out the courtyard door.

I stuff some grapes into my mouth and wonder if I look as smug as I feel.

Tina and Ale start snickering. We all know I don’t have Spanish today.

It’s not like we spend the whole week messing with Dawn. I mean, there’s class and homework and finishing last-minute costume touches for the Fairy Festival on Sunday. I also spend some effort avoiding the guys—well, Devontae, mostly, telling myself it’s because I still haven’t made my idea list for our project. Not because it’s dead embarrassing having Dawn tail me like a bird dog. Even though it’s both.

But every day, I send Dawn on some roundabout errand to find something I “forgot” or to deliver an urgent message to one of my teachers. I even have her convinced I can’t tie my own sneakers, so she gets right down and knots them for me as soon as I come in every morning. On Thursday, she gets me an extra Jell-O after I tell her soft foods are easier for me to digest.