Promises, Promises Read online

  Katani couldn’t resist trying on the full ensemble, shoes and all. She’d found mod Mary Janes in just the right shade shopping with her mother at Filene’s Basement.

  Now that the bulk of the campaign was behind her, Katani flipped back through her list and marveled at all she’d done. There was only one thing left to do—write her acceptance speech.

  She imagined herself in her dress and velvet jacket walking up to the podium. Poise. She had to remember to stand tall and project confidence. Her acceptance speech should be about uniting the class. She would have to find a way to dispel all the negativity that had surfaced during the election, even with Avery.

  CHAPTER 18

  Heart Tones

  Isabel hit the snooze button on her alarm for the second time, but didn’t go right back to sleep. She rolled on her back and gazed up at the ceiling at the papier-mâché birds hanging above her bed. She smiled. Perhaps seeing the birds first thing this morning was a good omen.

  She shut her eyes and dozed for a moment before her alarm started beeping again.

  “You’re not up yet?” her sister, Elena Maria, called from the door. “Better get moving.”

  “I wish I could just stay in bed today and stare at the ceiling,” Isabel said to her sister.

  “Well, you can’t, so you better get up now or you will be late,” Elena Maria answered quite unsympathetically.

  “Sisters,” Isabel grumbled. Sometimes they make you wish you were an only child, she thought.

  Isabel groaned, rolled to the edge of her bed, and slowly sat up. She usually didn’t have a hard time getting up in the morning, but she also usually didn’t stay up so late. She’d been up all night drawing, putting the final touches on the cartoons.

  Her drop-dead deadline was in less than an hour. It wasn’t like she didn’t have anything to turn in. She didn’t just have four cartoons, she had eight—a folder with edgy, political stuff and a folder with two bird cartoons. Even as she got dressed, had a piece of toast for breakfast, and pushed out the door, she still didn’t know which folder she was going to turn in to Jennifer. She had to make a choice: go with what would make Jennifer happy or go with what she felt was right in her heart.

  From the door, Isabel’s mother watched her daughter nibble on her toast and stare into space. She knew she was worried about something so she walked over and lightly caressed Isabel’s hair.

  “What is on my beautiful hija’s mind this morning? Are you worried about a big test?”

  Isabel turned. She hadn’t realized her mother had been watching her.

  “No Mama, it’s just some drawings. I don’t know if I like them,” Isabel answered, not wanting to concern her mother, who hadn’t been feeling well last night. Her mother’s illness, multiple sclerosis, was worrisome for Isabel and she didn’t want to bother her mother with stuff about school when other issues were just so much more important.

  “Would you like me to look at them?” offered Mama.

  Isabel jumped up from the table before her mother could sit down.

  “Maybe later,” she said. “I’m going to be late if I don’t get going.”

  She gave her mom a hug and raced out the door, stopping to grab her backpack in the hall.

  Luckily, Isabel’s route to school that morning took her past Yuri’s fruit stand. Her stomach was already growling. The one little piece of toast she had wasn’t going to hold her until lunch. A nice Granny Smith apple would hit the spot. Her mouth puckered as she imagined the first, tart taste of her favorite apple. She ducked in the door and dug through her coat pocket for change.

  “Ah—look what the cat dragged in,” Yuri growled when he saw her come through the door.

  “Hola, Yuri,” Isabel said.

  “Looks like not so good morning to me,” Yuri said. “You have extra baggage with you today, no?” Yuri pointed to Isabel’s eyes.

  Isabel smiled. Her eyes felt puffy, so she couldn’t imagine what they must look like.

  “Big date last night?” Yuri asked.

  Isabel smiled and shook her head. “No, I was drawing cartoons for the school newspaper—for the election issue.”

  “Ah—American election. Most important and sacred right! Always remember to vote. I have not missed an election in all the years since I have become citizen,” Yuri said proudly.

  Isabel nodded. She felt a twinge of guilt. She’d thought about skipping the election. “This election is hard,” she admitted to Yuri. “Two of my best friends are both running for president. Voting for one of them makes me feel like I’m voting against the other one.”

  “To NOT vote is grave sin. You must vote! If head cannot decide—let heart decide,” he said, pressing his hand to his chest. “Your heart is never wrong. Listen to your heart.”

  Isabel paid for her apple, thanked Yuri for his advice, and headed off to school. A cool north wind tugged at the edges of her poncho. Thoughts about which folder to turn in swirled around in her mind like the wind. And Yuri’s words reverberated in her head.

  “Listen to your heart.” That was easy for Yuri to say, Isabel thought. Her heart said vote for both of her friends but that was impossible, not to mention illegal!

  Running Mates

  Katani almost expected to see more zingers plastered on the walls when she arrived at school that morning. She breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed everyone moving about the halls as if it was a perfectly normal morning, as if nothing extraordinary was happening. Before homeroom, she knocked on Ms. Rodriguez’s office door to ask for a pass so she could work in the library during lunch.

  “Working in the library again?” Ms. R asked as she pulled the pass pad from her desk drawer. “How are things going between you and Avery?”

  Katani faltered a little. “Okay, I guess.” What did working in the library have to do with her relationship with Avery? Ms. R always seemed to be able to read Katani’s thoughts. It was spooky! And Katani was sure Ms. R knew what she was thinking right now.

  “Remember, Katani, this is just a class election.”

  “Things are fine between us. We’ve just agreed to run our own campaigns and stay out of each other’s way.”

  “Is that why you’ve been hanging out in the library?”

  “No—I have work to do. The campaign has taken…” Katani took a breath and realized the campaign had taken a lot more than time from her life. “…a lot of time. Maybe things will go back to normal once it’s over,” she added wistfully.

  Ms. Rodriguez handed Katani the library pass for lunch. “Good luck,” was all she said, but her pretty brown eyes seemed to look right through Katani.

  Katani put the pass in the outside zipper compartment of her backpack. The truth was, Katani wasn’t 100 percent sure if things would go back to normal. And not only between her and Avery. Things had been strained between her and the rest of the BSG. She hoped they would be able to bounce back after the election. Would things ever be the same again? What if she won the election but lost the BSG? With a twang Katani realized that finding new friends as great as the BSG would be much, much harder than getting elected class president.

  When lunchtime rolled around, Katani went to her locker to get her campaign folder. She heard a noise at the far end of the hall. Across from the science lab, Avery was jumping up and down, swatting at something above the lockers. Katani squinted to see if she could get a better picture of what she was doing.

  Avery stopped jumping and looked at Katani. They both stared at each other for a second. Not exactly a hello, but recognition that they saw each other. Katani turned back to her locker and began to work the combination.

  Suddenly, Avery was at her side and tugging her elbow. Even though Katani’d seen Avery at the end of the hall, her sudden presence at her elbow startled her and she jumped. “What?!” she asked. Katani couldn’t hide the annoyance in her voice.

  Avery pointed up. There on the wall high above Katani’s locker was another nasty zinger left by the Red Pen.

&
nbsp; “How? When?” Katani sputtered. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t seen this earlier. She must have been looking at the floor the entire time.

  “There was one above my locker too,” Avery said.

  “Is that why you were jumping?” Katani asked.

  Avery smiled and nodded. “I must have looked pretty stupid, huh?”

  Avery’s smile faded as she looked down at the note in her hand. Avery showed it to Katani. Among other nasty things, the zinger included the word “Shrimpster,” something that Katani had often called Avery. “You don’t think…?” Katani asked.

  Avery tilted her head and glared at Katani like she could stare a confession out of her. Things must be really bad between them if Avery thought she would ever do something like that.

  “Avery, you gotta believe that I would NEVER ever write anything like that!” she exclaimed.

  Katani reached up and grabbed the zinger that was above her locker. “Look at this!” Katani pointed to the word “Beanpole.”

  “Sound familiar?” Katani asked. “But I know YOU didn’t do it.”

  Avery nodded. “You’re right.”

  The two stood motionless next to each other in the hall.

  “Who’s doing this? It’s just so…dastardly!” Avery exclaimed.

  Katani smiled. “That’s a Maeve word.”

  “I know; I stole it from her.” Avery grinned.

  Suddenly, Katani nudged Avery and pointed down the hall. “Maybe it’s not just one person. Maybe it’s two! Look! Anna and Joline are hanging all over Dillon at the end of the hallway. I bet they are behind this.”

  “I know they hate us…but what else is new?”

  “They probably figure if they frame us, we’ll drop out of the election and Dillon will win!”

  Avery’s nostrils flared. Katani wouldn’t have been surprised if steam came out of them. She expected Avery to start pawing the ground any second. Avery wasn’t one to stand still for long. In an instant, she was stomping down the hall! How could anyone so little make so much noise? She sounded like a Clydesdale. Katani craned her neck to see what would happen next.

  Avery walked up to the group at Dillon’s locker and tapped Anna on the back. “Excuse me!” Avery said, as she shoved the note in Anna’s face.

  Anna read the note and laughed.

  “Think that’s funny?” Avery demanded.

  “Yeah, I do!” Anna replied.

  “I want to know why you’re doing this!”

  “Me? Why would you think it was me?” Anna asked.

  “Puh-leeze, this has the Anna-and-Joline stamp of approval written all over it,” Avery said impatiently.

  “Why don’t you ask the ice queen over there,” Anna said, nodding down the hall to Katani.

  “Hey! Don’t insult my friend!”

  “Friend? After the little show before homeroom last week, I don’t think anyone would think you two are friends,” Anna sneered, with an air of self-importance.

  “Oh, yeah? What do you know about friends?”

  “I know more than you think, and I’m not so brainless that I think you or the ice queen will win this election. Dillon has it all over you two. You don’t know anything about what it takes to be popular. “

  “This ISN’T a popularity contest!” Avery retorted.

  “We’ll see,” Anna replied, giving knowing looks to Joline and Dillon before they sauntered off down the hall.

  Avery stood in the hallway and stared after them. Katani walked over and stood by Avery. She couldn’t be sure, but it looked like Avery was trembling all over from head to toe.

  Avery whipped around. “Did you hear that?”

  “Most of it.”

  Katani stood silently next to Avery. Both of them were breathing hard and trying to get a handle on their emotions.

  “That girl makes me so angry!” Katani couldn’t help stomping her right foot when she said it. She wished that Anna’s big toe was beneath the heel of her boot.

  “I know it’s her—them. Anna and Joline don’t do much separately,” Avery said

  “But this—,” Katani said, looking down at the note in her hand. “This is pretty low and nasty even for them.”

  “Who would be so nasty? I mean it’s just a school election! School! Not the most important thing in the world. It isn’t something you should…”

  “I know. I mean…”

  Katani and Avery caught each other’s eyes, embarrassed and ashamed.

  “I guess we kinda let things get out of hand,” Katani finally said.

  Avery nodded, but she didn’t say anything.

  Katani took a deep breath. “Avery, I’m really sorry about all of this. I just wanted to win so badly I…” Katani paused, not quite knowing what to say next. She wanted to gather her things and go to lunch, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t leave Avery standing alone in the hall. Katani realized she wanted things to be the way they were before the campaign started. But she didn’t know how to undo the things that had been done…unsay the things that had been said.

  “I guess you were right,” Avery said.

  “About what?”

  “About it not being a good idea that we both run for president. I didn’t realize…I didn’t think about…”

  Katani nodded, “What the heck, Avery. We are only seventh graders. How would we ever know that things would get so crazy?”

  “I’ve felt so alone the last couple of weeks,” Avery said.

  Katani had an urge to hug her. But she didn’t. Avery wasn’t big on hugging her friends. She said it was too sappy.

  “I meant what I said that day in the cafeteria when we both found out we were running,” Avery said. “I can’t think of anyone who would be a better, more worthy opponent. I kind of wish we had just tossed a coin. Or maybe one of us should have run for president and the other for vice president,” she wishfully added.

  “We would have made an awesome team.” Katani smiled.

  “Can we still be friends? Even if we’re running against each other?” Avery asked. “Even after the election…no matter what happens?”

  “We will be loyal to our friends,” Katani promised.

  “New Tower Rule number three,” added Avery proudly.

  And the two linked arms and headed toward the lunchroom.

  CHAPTER 19

  Almost All Together Again

  Charlotte carried her lunch tray to the BSG table. Although lately it was just the Charlotte and Isabel table. As soon as Isabel joined her with her salad, Charlotte asked her if she had turned in the cartoons that morning. Isabel hadn’t gotten past a “yes” when Avery made a crash landing at the table.

  “Hey,” Avery said, sliding out a chair and sitting down.

  “You’re eating with us?!” Isabel asked.

  “Yup…power food,” Avery said, dumping the contents of her brown paper bag onto the table. “Veggie wrap with sunflower seed kernels and a strawberry yogurt smoothie. I sound like a TV commercial,” she added.

  Surprised at Avery’s good mood, Charlotte and Isabel watched silently as Avery chugged her entire smoothie. No sooner had she slammed the empty bottle on the table than Katani showed up, pulled out a chair, and began unwrapping her deli sandwich.

  “Mmmm. That looks good,” Katani said, pointing over at Avery’s veggie wrap. “I’ve never had one of those spinach tortillas, are they good?”

  “Yup! Want to try a bite?”

  “Ooooo. Could I?”

  Now Charlotte and Isabel were really shocked. They watched, mouths open, too stunned to eat or talk. Charlotte couldn’t believe her eyes or her ears. Katani and Avery were behaving as if they were best friends, not battling head-to-head for class president.

  “Mmmm. That’s great! Thanks,” Katani said.

  “No prob!”

  “What’s up with you two? You’re really quiet,” Avery said, through a mouthful of veggie wrap.

  “Well, come on! Someone say something,” Katani said.

  Cha
rlotte looked to Isabel. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

  “It’s okay…” Avery said, nodding to everyone.

  “Win or lose, we’re still friends,” Katani added.

  “Well, it sure isn’t like competing in a basketball game,” Avery said, before she took another bite of her wrap. She chewed quickly and swallowed. “I guess this is what my mom means when she says, ‘Live and learn. ‘”

  Before Charlotte had a chance to gather her jumbled thoughts into words, Dillon jumped up on his chair and asked for everyone’s attention. “Ladies and gentlemen…you too, Montoya…I’d like to be your class president. Hit it!” he called down to Pete Wexler, who turned on Maeve’s karaoke machine.

  The opening strands of the song “If I Had a Million Dollars” came blaring out the speakers. Dillon started singing, “If I had a million votes…” Kids around them began dancing and clapping wildly.

  Charlotte, caught up in the fun and excitement, started clapping. Avery and Katani looked at each other and joined in. The cafeteria was rocking. Avery whistled when Dillon finished.

  Pete Wexler started passing out Dillon’s million-dollar bills.

  “I don’t suppose this table wants any of Dillon’s Millions,” he said as he passed by.

  “Let’s see what you got!” Avery said.

  Pete tossed a few in the center of the table.

  The front side had Dillon’s picture in the center of a million dollar bill. The back side read, “Vote for Dillon—One in a Million” with a list of all the things he was pushing in his campaign.

  Katani rolled her eyes. “Can you believe this?”

  “He didn’t lie. Dillon IS one in a million,” Avery said. “Hey…isn’t that Maeve’s karaoke machine? Where’s Maeve?”

  “So you two are okay with each other,” Isabel said, looking over to Katani and Avery. It was more of a question than a statement.