How Not to Be Popular by Jennifer Ziegler

Author:Jennifer Ziegler
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780375846489
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2008-01-07T23:00:00+00:00

“You should have seen it. It was, like, ten to one.”

“No it wasn’t. More like twelve to one.”

“What are you talking about? You were so scared you practically climbed the tree. You weren’t even looking.”

My standing up to the gang of Bippies has become a subject of debate for the twins. Once everyone started relaying the story to Mrs. Pratt, the facts seemed to go out with the Hefty bags. To hear it now, you’d think I was a weapon-wielding martial arts master and the Bippies had brass knuckles and chains. Frank keeps calling me Warrior Princess and Hank won’t stop humming some superhero theme song.

After the incident with Miles and Caitlyn, the rest of the morning went fine, and before I realized it, it was time to pack up and head over to Mrs. Pratt’s house. At first I wasn’t sure about it. I really didn’t want to see Jack again; that guy already had me wary before all this ordering me around. But I was hungry. And Norm was back at my place, getting ready for another astrology class. So I got Penny to draw me a new map and biked into the neighborhood behind the park.

“I’m so glad you joined our club!” Drip says for the seventh time, walloping me on the back.

The only ones not joining in the dramatic retelling are Jack and Penny and I. I keep shoving mini egg-salad sandwiches into my mouth so I won’t have to talk. Jack is sitting in the leather recliner, listening to the others and shooting me disapproving looks every few seconds. And Penny, other than asking if the soup is dairy free, hasn’t said much at all.

That’s twice she and I have been in a confrontation with Caitlyn and the others, and Penny hasn’t acknowledged either time. Is it because it bothers her so much she can’t bear to talk about it? Or has she been beaten down so much by those types it isn’t even newsworthy anymore?

“Well, now. Sounds like you guys had quite an exciting time out there,” Mrs. Pratt remarks in a not entirely sincere voice. She’s also been giving me strange glances, as if she were Jack’s illegitimate mother or something. Probably afraid I might try to take over the club and turn them into a fighting force.

I’m really starting to regret losing my temper with the Bippies. Not because I fear retaliation—which is a possibility—but because I now realize it was the wrong thing to do. I don’t mean ethically. I mean planwise. None of these Helping Hands members would have faced them down (except maybe Drip). I should have just hung my head and taken the abuse like a good loser.

“Okay, everyone. I hate to be a party pooper, but we do need to discuss some club business,” Mrs. Pratt shouts from her seat on the couch. “The big dance is coming up soon and we still have a lot of work to do.”

“Dance?” I look over at Penny, who is carefully lining up the plastic spoons.

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