Chapter 14
I awoke to the sounds of argument. Mel and Amanda were fighting over what sounded like hair.
"Would you guys shut up!" I yelled at them. I straggled into the bathroom rubbing the sleep from my eyes.
"Well come on Robyn, isn't curly hair better?" asked Melanie.
"Well yeah why?"
"Amanda's straightening her hair! I don't know why! It's gonna be frizzy by the end of the day anyway with all this humidity." Amanda stuck her tongue out and continued to straighten her hair in front of the mirror.
"Are you serious?!?!?!" I asked in disbelief. I leaned around Mel to yell at Amanda. "I told you not to pack that thing!"
Amanda turned around from her position in front of the mirror. "Straight hair is so much better. Easier to manage and brush and everything! Straight hair is cool."
"C-O-L-L right Amanda?"
Mel interjected with, "No, straight hair is K-E-W-L"
"What are you people talking about?" We turned around in surprise. We hadn't realized people were listening. It was Kid Blink.
Mel got one last jab in before we quit bickering for the morning. "What does Jack like straight hair better?"
"Or maybe she's trying to compete with Sarah," I added.
"That was mean!" said Kid Blink. He came further into the bathroom. "You are way so much better than Sarah ever was. Your hair looks funky this way though. Just leave it alone."
With pleased expressions on our faces, we sauntered out. I added over my shoulder, "don't forget to put the hair straightener back in the car when you're finished."
Mr. Kloppman had asked for our help and rousing the boys. "Really?" said Mel maliciously.
"We must behave today. Friday we'll pull all those stunts. But today…." I winked. We ran downstairs and grabbed some pots and pans. Dragging them upstairs, we started banging them together and singing at the top of our lungs and quite off key "I'm alive awake alert enthusiastic. I'm alive awake alert enthusiastic. I'm alive awake alert, alert awake alive. I'm alive awake alert enthusiastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Course we repeated this several times, but then were attacked by pillows from all angles. We fell on to the floor laughing. "Mr. Kloppman!!! They're awake!!"
"Thanks ladies," he called upstairs.
"Anytime!" we yelled back.
Mel tugged on my sleeve. "I have to find the doctor at some point today. My stitches are gonna come out. Amanda needs to get her ankle checked out too." Right then we saw Amanda stomping down the stairs. Every time her injured foot hit the stair we heard an ow!. We ran after her. "Amanda, you need to get your foot checked by the doctor when he comes."
"I need some air," she grumbled. "And now some aspirin." She sat on the step. She had a very pained expression on her face.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Nothing." It was quickly said and obviously a lie.
"Yeah rite." I replied.
"I think somebody needs some chocolate!" said Mel. "It's a panacea. Ooh that was an SAT word." She started doing a victory dance.
"A what?" I asked.
"A big word," said Amanda. There was a rush behind us and the newsies stumbled down the stairs. They managed to avoid us. We saw Race leap over the crowd. "Race?"
"You're flying buddy! You're flying!!!!" Mush pointed at him. Everybody clapped and then continued on their way.
"Hey ladies?" Race asked us.
"Yeah," we all answered.
"Any of you want to go to the races with me today?" he asked.
Mel volunteered to go. "On one condition. I want to go to Tibby's and have a chocolate milk." Racetrack rolled his eyes and motioned for Mel to follow him. They went towards Tibby's.
"I'll sit here and wait with Amanda!" I called. I turned to look at Amanda and saw tears slowly slipping out of her eyes.
"Oh my god! Does your ankle hurt that bad. I can run and grab some Motrin or aspirin or something from the jeep."
"No, my ankles fine."
"What's wrong then?" I asked hoping that she would tell me. " We can go up on the roof and talk in private if you want."
Amanda jumped. "Not on the roof!"
"So what's on the roof? You should tell me," I added hoping to disarm her. I helped her upstairs and into the bedroom.
She sighed heavily and slumped onto the bed. "I went up on the roof-" she started and as she told the story she gradually picked up speed. "I went up onto the roof to put my hair straightener away. I was on the opposite of the car when Jack stepped on to the roof. He was followed by a girl with long black hair and dark skin. She had a high pitched annoying giggle," Amanda added defensively. I was tempted to say like you don't, but decided not to. She continued, "and they started talking and getting closer together. And she was leaning in and whispering. And he was obviously into what she was saying. Then she grabbed his hand and he didn't pull away. I was so upset I slid down the side of the car and starting crying. I didn't get up until I heard them leave."
It couldn't be. "Did you hear them say anything?" I was hanging on every word.
"I heard a little stuff like 'get together' and 'at the bridge' and 'tomorrow'. They were planning to get together! I know they were. He really didn't like me after all!!!"
I was angry. "He does too. They were definitely talking about something else. I'm positive. He would never do anything like that because everyone knows he likes you. I mean come on, he got rid of Sarah for you. Just wait and see until Friday. If he ever liked anyone else, he won't by the time we're finished with that dance." I smiled at her hoping it was true. I didn't want to say that it sounded suspiciously like Sapphire, because that would have made Amanda more upset than she was.
That Sapphire was becoming a one-girl disease. She didn't need to multiply, she was already everywhere. I secretly wished that she hadn't gotten to Bumlets yet. Meanwhile Amanda took my silence as doubt. "Do you really think so?"
"Oh yes. That's why we need to work on it as much as possible. Tonight we're all going to Medda's to practice on the stage and work on our costumes. Forget about Jack for right now. Work on the dance-"
"Definitely."
"-And wiggling your hips-"
"Yup."
"There you go."
I awoke to the sounds of argument. Mel and Amanda were fighting over what sounded like hair.
"Would you guys shut up!" I yelled at them. I straggled into the bathroom rubbing the sleep from my eyes.
"Well come on Robyn, isn't curly hair better?" asked Melanie.
"Well yeah why?"
"Amanda's straightening her hair! I don't know why! It's gonna be frizzy by the end of the day anyway with all this humidity." Amanda stuck her tongue out and continued to straighten her hair in front of the mirror.
"Are you serious?!?!?!" I asked in disbelief. I leaned around Mel to yell at Amanda. "I told you not to pack that thing!"
Amanda turned around from her position in front of the mirror. "Straight hair is so much better. Easier to manage and brush and everything! Straight hair is cool."
"C-O-L-L right Amanda?"
Mel interjected with, "No, straight hair is K-E-W-L"
"What are you people talking about?" We turned around in surprise. We hadn't realized people were listening. It was Kid Blink.
Mel got one last jab in before we quit bickering for the morning. "What does Jack like straight hair better?"
"Or maybe she's trying to compete with Sarah," I added.
"That was mean!" said Kid Blink. He came further into the bathroom. "You are way so much better than Sarah ever was. Your hair looks funky this way though. Just leave it alone."
With pleased expressions on our faces, we sauntered out. I added over my shoulder, "don't forget to put the hair straightener back in the car when you're finished."
Mr. Kloppman had asked for our help and rousing the boys. "Really?" said Mel maliciously.
"We must behave today. Friday we'll pull all those stunts. But today…." I winked. We ran downstairs and grabbed some pots and pans. Dragging them upstairs, we started banging them together and singing at the top of our lungs and quite off key "I'm alive awake alert enthusiastic. I'm alive awake alert enthusiastic. I'm alive awake alert, alert awake alive. I'm alive awake alert enthusiastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Course we repeated this several times, but then were attacked by pillows from all angles. We fell on to the floor laughing. "Mr. Kloppman!!! They're awake!!"
"Thanks ladies," he called upstairs.
"Anytime!" we yelled back.
Mel tugged on my sleeve. "I have to find the doctor at some point today. My stitches are gonna come out. Amanda needs to get her ankle checked out too." Right then we saw Amanda stomping down the stairs. Every time her injured foot hit the stair we heard an ow!. We ran after her. "Amanda, you need to get your foot checked by the doctor when he comes."
"I need some air," she grumbled. "And now some aspirin." She sat on the step. She had a very pained expression on her face.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Nothing." It was quickly said and obviously a lie.
"Yeah rite." I replied.
"I think somebody needs some chocolate!" said Mel. "It's a panacea. Ooh that was an SAT word." She started doing a victory dance.
"A what?" I asked.
"A big word," said Amanda. There was a rush behind us and the newsies stumbled down the stairs. They managed to avoid us. We saw Race leap over the crowd. "Race?"
"You're flying buddy! You're flying!!!!" Mush pointed at him. Everybody clapped and then continued on their way.
"Hey ladies?" Race asked us.
"Yeah," we all answered.
"Any of you want to go to the races with me today?" he asked.
Mel volunteered to go. "On one condition. I want to go to Tibby's and have a chocolate milk." Racetrack rolled his eyes and motioned for Mel to follow him. They went towards Tibby's.
"I'll sit here and wait with Amanda!" I called. I turned to look at Amanda and saw tears slowly slipping out of her eyes.
"Oh my god! Does your ankle hurt that bad. I can run and grab some Motrin or aspirin or something from the jeep."
"No, my ankles fine."
"What's wrong then?" I asked hoping that she would tell me. " We can go up on the roof and talk in private if you want."
Amanda jumped. "Not on the roof!"
"So what's on the roof? You should tell me," I added hoping to disarm her. I helped her upstairs and into the bedroom.
She sighed heavily and slumped onto the bed. "I went up on the roof-" she started and as she told the story she gradually picked up speed. "I went up onto the roof to put my hair straightener away. I was on the opposite of the car when Jack stepped on to the roof. He was followed by a girl with long black hair and dark skin. She had a high pitched annoying giggle," Amanda added defensively. I was tempted to say like you don't, but decided not to. She continued, "and they started talking and getting closer together. And she was leaning in and whispering. And he was obviously into what she was saying. Then she grabbed his hand and he didn't pull away. I was so upset I slid down the side of the car and starting crying. I didn't get up until I heard them leave."
It couldn't be. "Did you hear them say anything?" I was hanging on every word.
"I heard a little stuff like 'get together' and 'at the bridge' and 'tomorrow'. They were planning to get together! I know they were. He really didn't like me after all!!!"
I was angry. "He does too. They were definitely talking about something else. I'm positive. He would never do anything like that because everyone knows he likes you. I mean come on, he got rid of Sarah for you. Just wait and see until Friday. If he ever liked anyone else, he won't by the time we're finished with that dance." I smiled at her hoping it was true. I didn't want to say that it sounded suspiciously like Sapphire, because that would have made Amanda more upset than she was.
That Sapphire was becoming a one-girl disease. She didn't need to multiply, she was already everywhere. I secretly wished that she hadn't gotten to Bumlets yet. Meanwhile Amanda took my silence as doubt. "Do you really think so?"
"Oh yes. That's why we need to work on it as much as possible. Tonight we're all going to Medda's to practice on the stage and work on our costumes. Forget about Jack for right now. Work on the dance-"
"Definitely."
"-And wiggling your hips-"
"Yup."
"There you go."