Chapter 5
Rini slammed the door behind her and then slammed her school bag on the kitchen table. "What's the matter, Rini?" Serena's mom asked, inquisitively. "Did you have a bad day at school today?" Worse than bad, she thought, but instead she smiled and replied, "No, I'm fine." "That's good," Serena's mom smiled. "I made chocolate-chip cookies. Want one?" she offered, holding out the plate of cookies to her. "Eh, no thanks. I'm full, but thanks for asking," Rini replied; then she ran upstairs to her room, and she cried. Serena stepped into Rini's room, and asked caringly, "What's the matter? Did you flunk a test or something?" "N-no! I'm not like you! I-i don't flunk tests!" Rini managed through her tears. "Then what's the matter?" "H-H-Hotaru! Is she ok? Will we ever get her back? I miss her so-so much!!!" "Don't worry! We'll get her back safe and sound- maybe better! So cheer up." Rini wiped her tears, and replied, "It's - (sniff) it's not just that. I don't - I don't know if I'll ever get - (sniff) if I'll ever get my powers back!!" "It's ok, Rini. I'm sure you'll get your powers back - maybe it's just a phase you're going through or something. It's not like you're NEVER gonna be a Scout again." All of a sudden someone appeared at the door of Rini's room. "Girls?" It was Serena's mom. "What were you talking about? Scouts?" Oh, no! She knows our secret! "Oh, we were. . . uh. . . uh. . . just - uh - rehearsing! Yeah! That's right! Just rehearsing for - for a play Rini's gonna do! Right Rini?" Serena elbowed Rini. Rini got her message. "Yeah!" "Oh?" Serena's mom raised her eyebrow. "Well, when is it? I'll go see it." "Uh, it's just a project I'm doing for - uh - drama class. It's just for the class." Rini smiled worriedly. "Well, then, come downstairs. Dinner's ready." "Ok," both girls said in unison.
Rini slammed the door behind her and then slammed her school bag on the kitchen table. "What's the matter, Rini?" Serena's mom asked, inquisitively. "Did you have a bad day at school today?" Worse than bad, she thought, but instead she smiled and replied, "No, I'm fine." "That's good," Serena's mom smiled. "I made chocolate-chip cookies. Want one?" she offered, holding out the plate of cookies to her. "Eh, no thanks. I'm full, but thanks for asking," Rini replied; then she ran upstairs to her room, and she cried. Serena stepped into Rini's room, and asked caringly, "What's the matter? Did you flunk a test or something?" "N-no! I'm not like you! I-i don't flunk tests!" Rini managed through her tears. "Then what's the matter?" "H-H-Hotaru! Is she ok? Will we ever get her back? I miss her so-so much!!!" "Don't worry! We'll get her back safe and sound- maybe better! So cheer up." Rini wiped her tears, and replied, "It's - (sniff) it's not just that. I don't - I don't know if I'll ever get - (sniff) if I'll ever get my powers back!!" "It's ok, Rini. I'm sure you'll get your powers back - maybe it's just a phase you're going through or something. It's not like you're NEVER gonna be a Scout again." All of a sudden someone appeared at the door of Rini's room. "Girls?" It was Serena's mom. "What were you talking about? Scouts?" Oh, no! She knows our secret! "Oh, we were. . . uh. . . uh. . . just - uh - rehearsing! Yeah! That's right! Just rehearsing for - for a play Rini's gonna do! Right Rini?" Serena elbowed Rini. Rini got her message. "Yeah!" "Oh?" Serena's mom raised her eyebrow. "Well, when is it? I'll go see it." "Uh, it's just a project I'm doing for - uh - drama class. It's just for the class." Rini smiled worriedly. "Well, then, come downstairs. Dinner's ready." "Ok," both girls said in unison.