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  Immediately, she noticed Riley’s tense muscles relax. That was the great thing about Riley. He could act all jumpy and nervous with her one second, but when she talked about music, it always seemed to help him chill. Especially when he talked about his music and Mustard Monkey.

  Maeve liked that Riley was totally committed to his music. It was inspiring. Maybe she and Riley could go to New York and be struggling performers together when they grew up. It would be so nice to have a friend in a big city like New York, she thought.

  “Well I’ve written a couple of new songs we’re going to try out.”

  Maeve leaned toward him, really getting into the conversation. “That’s fantastic! You know, I’ve always thought I should take voice lessons. If I’m going to be a movie star one day, I definitely should improve my singing voice. I mean, if I could act, dance, and sing, I’d totally be a triple threat.”

  “I doubt you even need singing lessons,” Riley said. “Your voice is so pretty already.”

  Maeve smiled. “That’s so sweet, Riley. I…” Maeve’s head snapped around, swishing Riley’s face with her red curls. Charlotte and Isabel were flying down the steps, laughing.

  Maeve dashed up to sweep her friends into a group hug. Riley stood at the bottom of the stairs, swinging his guitar case, alone and forgotten. He waited for a few awkward minutes, then walked away, shoulders slumping.

  “Maeve, the newspaper meeting was such a disaster,” Charlotte confessed. Her face flushed just thinking about her latest klutz moment and Chelsea’s bulletin board incident.

  Isabel filled Maeve in on the latest events while Charlotte watched the door, hoping for Nick to appear.

  “So why are you still here, Maeve?” Isabel asked after she’d finished describing the gorgeous new boy Trevor.

  Charlotte wrinkled her forehead. “Yeah. You’re always the first one of us to run out of here as soon as the bell rings.”

  Maeve rolled her eyes and hoped her face wasn’t turning pink with embarrassment. “Oh, I was just hanging around, waiting for you two to show up. I just didn’t feel like walking home yet. I can’t face my five tons of homework.”

  “Well, I was going to wait for Nick. He wanted to ask me something,” Charlotte added.

  Maeve sighed. “That’s so romantic! Walking home from school with your future husband. You guys are, like, one of the great love stories of all time.”

  “Ha-ha, very funny.” Charlotte rummaged inside her crocheted purse and found a stick of gum, which she popped into Maeve’s smiling mouth. “Maybe that will help you lose your love obsession.”

  “Obsession? What obsession?” Maeve joked in between slurpy chews.

  Isabel pressed her lips together, her eyes dancing. “Now, Maeve,” she teased, “I’m sure Dillon will appreciate the sweet aroma of Tru Blu gum over that gross tuna fish sandwich you had for lunch.”

  “Do you think?” she said wistfully.

  “Oh, Maeve,” Charlotte replied, ruffling her friend’s mass of curls. “No one is as wrapped up in romance as you.”

  “That’s for sure,” Isabel agreed.

  The sound of the huge metal doors opening made them look up toward the school entrance. Betsy Fitzgerald walked down the school steps, a very serious expression on her face. Her hair caught up in a neat ponytail, she walked briskly as if late for an important appointment.

  “What’s up, Betsy?” Maeve asked, stopping the serious girl in her tracks. “You look kind of stressed.”

  Maeve hated to see anyone unhappy, especially when love was in the air. Charlotte was seconds away from having a date, and her own plan to snare Dillon was flawless! She didn’t want anyone to be that serious.

  Betsy shook her head. “Oh, it’s nothing, really. I’m just thinking about ideas for the Valentine’s Day Dance decorating committee.” Maeve tried not to look at Isabel and Charlotte. She knew they were thinking the same thing. Is there a committee at school that super overachiever Betsy isn’t on?

  Oblivious to her reaction, Betsy just plowed on. “It’s so important that the dance turns out well. I mean, I’m the head of the committee, and everything is resting on my shoulders, you know.” Betsy so loved impressing an audience with her accomplishments.

  Isabel, who was also on the committee, nodded with sympathy. “We’ll get it done, don’t worry. This dance will be the event of the year!”

  “Forget about committees!” Maeve struck a pose and held out her imaginary microphone. “Has anyone asked you to the dance yet?”

  Betsy’s face brightened. “Yes. I’m going with Henry.”

  “The Yurtmeister?” the three other girls exclaimed in shock. The BSG were totally blown away. Why on earth would Betsy want to go to the Valentine’s Day Dance with the seventh-grade class clown? Then again, Henry Yurt was the class president.

  Betsy straightened her collar and explained. “Henry is really sweet when he isn’t trying to make everybody laugh. Besides—”

  “But, Betsy,” Maeve interrupted. “I thought Henry was gaga over Anna.” Charlotte nudged Maeve as Betsy’s face darkened.

  “Anna made fun of Henry last week, so he doesn’t like her anymore.”

  “Whoa!” Maeve couldn’t believe it. Henry Yurt had been crazy about Anna since the beginning of school, even though she towered over him. Now he was going to the dance with Betsy? Romance is so unpredictable, a suddenly shaken Maeve thought.

  “And, after all,” Betsy continued, “somebody who wins the class presidency has a lot going for him. I respect that kind of ambition.” She hitched her backpack higher on her shoulder. “Well, I’ve gotta run. Mrs. Rodriguez gave me permission to write a five-page extra-credit essay on William Shakespeare. See you all later.”

  The BSG watched Betsy glide down the sidewalk, her backpack weighted down with textbooks.

  “That girl is going to own the world before she’s eighteen,” Isabel said with a mixture of horror and respect.

  Maeve’s face paled. “Five pages! She doesn’t even need the extra credit.” Maeve had to work so hard just to get average grades. People like Betsy had it so easy—earning good grades as smoothly as collecting seashells off the beach.

  Charlotte shrugged and glanced at her watch. Was Nick still in the newspaper office talking to Chelsea? What could they possibly be talking about all this time? Charlotte tried unsuccessfully to squash something very shaky gnawing at the pit of her stomach.

  “So Betsy’s going with Yurt!” Maeve exclaimed. “And not one of the BSG has someone to go to the Valentine’s Day Dance with.”

  “I wonder if Kevin will ask me?” Isabel pondered.

  Charlotte forced a smile. “It’s only Monday! Don’t worry, Isabel. We can just go together. I mean, lots of kids won’t have dates. We’ll have more fun that way.”

  Isabel’s face brightened. “Oh, I know. If no one asks us to the dance, it’s no big deal. We’ll have fun, just us girls!”

  Maeve crossed her arms and frowned. “Speak for yourself. I’m going to get Dillon to ask me or die trying!”

  Charlotte stared at the door to the school, willing it to open and let Nick out. “Maeve, you are going a little crazy about all this date stuff. It’s just too much pressure.” But suddenly she felt a tiny bit hypocritical. Wasn’t she going a little crazy, too, waiting for a certain boy with dreamy eyes to walk through the door?

  “Trust me, if Dillon doesn’t ask you to the dance, you will survive.” Isabel danced around Maeve. “Besides, you can always ask him. This isn’t the olden days, you know.”

  Maeve put her hands on her hips. “Well, I know, but I don’t want to ask him. Where’s the romance in that?”

  Charlotte looked at her watch again. Marty was waiting for his walk. But where was Nick? Oops, here I go again. I shouldn’t get myself all worked up waiting for him. I should just go. Charlotte turned to her friends and announced, “It’s getting late. Marty’s going to go crazy if I don’t get home soon.”

  Charlotte looked at the doo
r one last time and smiled at the other girls, struggling to keep her voice light. “I guess Nick decided to stay later.” Maybe he’ll ask to walk me home again tomorrow, she thought regretfully.

  “Okay,” said Isabel. “Are you coming, Maeve?”

  Maeve shifted from one foot to the other. “Uh…not right now. I’m going to wait for Avery.”

  “But she’s going to play soccer this afternoon,” Charlotte pointed out.

  Maeve shrugged her shoulders. “I know. I…I thought I’d tag along and check out the game…maybe even play.”

  Charlotte stared. “Wait a minute. Did I just hear you correctly?”

  Isabel placed her hand on Maeve’s forehead. “She doesn’t have a fever…so she can’t be delirious. Maybe she’s been taken over by some alien life-form.”

  Maeve pouted. “Very funny. But I’ll have you both know that I think soccer is a really cool sport. And as an actress it’s important I explore new things in order to become a well-rounded dramatic artist.”

  Isabel and Charlotte stared at each other in disbelief, and then both of them burst out laughing. Maeve hated sports. Why on earth would the future actress want to spend a Monday afternoon in the middle of winter chasing after a soccer ball when she could be home trying on outfits and dancing to her favorite music?

  “Uh…okay…whatever you say, Maeve,” Isabel said teasingly. “Have fun…with Dillon!” She ran off before Maeve could grab her sweater.

  A Pretty Pink Poodle

  At the bottom of Charlotte’s hill, Isabel spotted a familiar pink figure with magenta hair strolling down the sidewalk, a matching pink pooch beside her.

  “Ms. Razzberry Pink!” Isabel waved to the owner of the BSG’s favorite store, Think Pink.

  “Isabel, Charlotte!” Ms. Pink waved one hand. Her wrist jangled with rose-colored bracelets, and a constellation of pink jewels on her belt matched her dog’s collar. “I thought I’d take advantage of the lovely weather and get La Fanny some exercise. We’ve been busy!”

  “What’s the occasion?” Charlotte asked, reaching over to pat the pink poodle.

  “Only the most wonderful holiday of the whole year!” Ms. Pink threw her arms up with joy, and La Fanny started barking. The poodle had a dainty voice, and even daintier features. Charlotte wished Marty were there. The little dude had fallen head over heels for Ms. Pink’s pooch the first day they’d met at the park.

  “Of course, how could we forget Valentine’s Day?” Isabel laughed.

  “That’s right! You must come by and see Think Pink! I have candy hearts, paper hearts, giant fuzzy hearts, and tiny heart beads! Not to mention the heart wallpaper and heart balloons.”

  “I’d love to see!” Isabel said. “Want to come, Char?”

  “I would, but I have to walk Marty. Can you wait for us, Ms. Pink?”

  “Ah, I’m so sorry, Charlotte! Maybe a different day, today…oh, there he is!” Ms. Pink waved to a young man with a rottweiler on a leash. “That’s my new boyfriend, Zak. He said he’d meet us here for a stroll. Doesn’t he have the most adorable dog?”

  Charlotte wouldn’t call the brown-and-black bundle of pure muscle marching toward them “adorable.” “Scary” and “intimidating” were much better adjectives. But the dog was looking at La Fanny with a big doggy smile and drooling. That was sort of cute, Charlotte had to admit. Maybe it’s a good thing Marty’s not here, Charlotte thought as she waved good-bye to Ms. Razzberry Pink and La Fanny. He might get jealous.

  CHAPTER 4

  Love Is in the Air

  Chels, I really have to go,” Nick repeated.

  Chelsea blocked the doorway, struggling to keep Nick’s attention in a way that wasn’t totally obvious she was really waiting for Trevor. “Maybe we should interview kids arriving at school. How’s this: ‘What do you have in your locker that you couldn’t live without? Your skateboard? What do you looove most about skateboarding’?”

  “Aren’t the questions my job?”

  “I’m just giving you some ideas!” Chelsea frowned. What was up with Nick today?

  He paced in the doorway, accidentally knocking Chelsea’s camera hand aside.

  “Ah…sorry, Chels…. This is a big help…but how about we meet before school one day this week?” he said impatiently.

  Chelsea stepped back, hands at her sides. She’d never seen Nick really annoyed before.

  “Look,” he said, holding up his palms and backing out the door, “I’m sorry, but now is just not a good time. Okay? Call or IM, and I promise we’ll figure this out.” With that, Nick bolted through the door.

  Chelsea stood there, one foot in and one foot out the door, wondering how long she could go on pretending the speckled linoleum tiles on the floor were the most fascinating thing in the universe.

  Finally, Jennifer swept past, with a look that said out of my way, and Trevor was standing there, right in front of Chelsea. His lopsided grin sent her eyes scrambling for somewhere else to stare before she started drooling on the oh-so-interesting floor. “So you’re the photographer?” Trevor asked.

  Please don’t notice how heavy I am. Chelsea clasped her hands in front of her and forced herself to smile back. But she had to concentrate on breathing in and out. I guess that’s what people mean when they say someone takes their breath away, she thought. “Yes. You’re Trevor, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m Chelsea.”

  Trevor cracked a smile. “Uh…yeah. You told me that before.”

  “Oh…yeah.”

  They stood staring at each other for a long awkward moment. It was so quiet, Chelsea could hear the ticking of the clock on the wall all the way in the back of the newspaper office.

  Finally, Trevor shoved his hands in his pockets. “My dad bought me a digital camera last year. I have some books on photography too. Dad lets me use his Photoshop software to manipulate the images and stuff like that.”

  Chelsea smiled for real this time. “Really? My digital camera is such a dinosaur. I’d love to get a new one. I’ve been saving my allowance, and my parents are going to split the cost with me.”

  Before Chelsea knew it, she and Trevor were talking about cameras and photography and how they both loved the same type of ice cream: cookie dough. And, to her amazement, she didn’t see any sign that Trevor was weirded out talking to a girl who was heavy and someone he hardly knew. It seemed like magic, until Avery came charging down the hall. “Hey, Trevor!”

  “What’s up, A-Train?”

  “Not much, T-Dawg!” Avery greeted him, effortlessly bumping fists in a complicated way that it looked like she had practiced for months. But Chelsea knew Avery had just met Trevor today, along with everyone else.

  Chelsea wanted to ask Trevor a million questions about his old school and Photoshop and whether he liked black-and-white or sepia photos better, but she was just a fly on the wall now that Avery was there. Why did that girl have such an easy time talking to guys? Chelsea wished she knew Avery’s secret.

  “Hey, Chelsea,” Avery said. “Want to take pictures of the ultimate soccer game? Trevor, you should totally come play! It’ll rock!”

  “Um, it’s February,” Chelsea stated.

  “Yeah, and that means it could snow again any day! This is our only chance! The team has to take advantage of a February thaw,” she explained.

  “Sounds cool.” Trevor ran his hands through his blond hair. It stood up in little tufts all over his head. Even with his hair all messy Chelsea thought he looked adorable. Thump thump. Chelsea almost jumped. Oh, my gosh! Can Trevor hear my heartbeat?

  If Trevor was going, she had to go too. Even if he never looked at her. “Okay, but I have to get my camera and stuff from my locker,” Chelsea mumbled.

  “Catch you later?” Trevor turned the full force of his dazzling smile on Chelsea.

  She nodded as her knees actually began to shake.

  Missing You

  “Is she here?” Nick demanded, rushing down the steps toward Maeve.
r />   Maeve stared at him in confusion. “Who?”

  “Charlotte.” Nick’s eyes darted about.

  Maeve shook her head with a smile. “No. Sorry. She left already. Try calling her at home.”

  Nick shook his head. “Can’t. Gotta help out in the bakery this afternoon. I guess I’ll talk to her at school tomorrow. Later.”

  “See ya.” Maeve waved, watching him lope down the sidewalk. Nick and Charlotte’s puppy love always made her heart flutter. If only Dillon felt the same way about her. Her lips tightened. Well, later this afternoon, Dillon would see she was the perfect girl for him.

  Five minutes later, Avery and Trevor emerged from the school, laughing and shoving each other as if they’d been buddies for years. How does that girl do it? Maeve asked herself as she shook her head. I mean, she doesn’t even want to have a date for the dance, and she’s already, like, best buds with that cute new boy. He wasn’t as cute as Dillon, though! Not even close.

  Maeve danced halfway up the steps to Avery. “What took you so long? I thought you’d never get out here. I’m freezing.”

  “I had to find Trevor,” Avery said. “He was hanging in the newspaper office with Chelsea. I wouldn’t want anyone to miss an AAJH pickup winter soccer game.” She turned to the blondhaired boy. “Trevor, this is one of my best friends, Maeve.”

  “What’s up? You coming?” he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

  Maeve smiled and shrugged. “I wouldn’t miss the game for the world!”

  Avery grinned. “That’s cool. You should round up some more fans. But you gotta cheer for my team, okay?”

  Maeve shook her head. “No, Avery. I don’t want to watch. I want to play.”

  Avery looked at Maeve as if she were crazy. “You’re not serious.”

  Maeve put her hands on her hips and tapped one pink boot. “Of course, I’m serious! I’ve played soccer before. You know that!”