Luv Ya Bunches by Lauren Myracle

Author:Lauren Myracle
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Amulet Books
Published: 2011-09-28T16:00:00+00:00

Turtle between the cushions of the beat-up sofa in the commons. The commons is the most central place at Rivendell, and it’s where the two fifth-grade classes are getting together to do their presentations. Like, starting in two minutes. And so far every time the two fifth-grade classes have met—for group sing on Monday, for a lecture on library etiquette yesterday—the beat-up sofa is what Modessa has claimed for her throne. The other fifth graders don’t even go near it, because it’s got Modessa’s scent all over it.

Modessa will sit there for our presentations, Violet thinks. She’ll find Tally and return her to Milla, and Milla won’t be sad anymore, and no one will know I had anything to do with it. Everyone wins.

Violet lifts her chin as she slips into the mass of costumed fifth graders entering the commons. Not in a snobby way, just a this-is-who-I-am way. She bumps into Katie-Rose, who’s holding a video camera out in front of her and filming everything.

“Where did you come from?” Violet says.

Katie-Rose doesn’t stop filming. “My mother’s tummy. You?”

“Ha ha,” Violet says uneasily. Did Katie-Rose see her with Tally the Turtle? No, or she’d have said something, she decides. Anyway, Katie-Rose is totally absorbed in her filming, moving her camera slowly to get a panoramic view of the room. She’s different behind the lens—confident, but without her usual know-it-all-ness. It’s a good fit, Violet thinks. It’s as if . . . as if being behind the camera lets Katie-Rose be truer to who she really is, because it protects her from what scares her, kind of.

Everybody hides, Violet thinks. Some in better ways than others.

Violet swallows. Moving on. She angles past Katie-Rose and goes to the back of the commons. There are plates of pomegranates and baklava set up on a table, and Violet feels good enough to take some of each. Neatly folding in on herself, she takes a seat on the carpet.

Modessa, she thinks. Where in the world are—?

Ah. There she is, sauntering in with Quin. They’re chatting and laughing and doing eye-roll-y things that mean, Oh my God, check out so-and-so, I know.

Just sit on the stupid sofa, Violet coaches them. She holds her breath.

They do, and when Modessa frowns, hikes up her bum, and fumbles to see what’s poking her, sparks dance in Violet’s brain. Pop, pop, pop. It’s relief, mixed with lack of oxygen, and pffooof. Violet exhales and takes a big bite of baklava, shifting her gaze happily from the sofa just in time to see Milla standing above her.

“Good?” Milla asks.

“Huh?” Violet says. “Oh, the baklava. It’s awesome.” She smiles at Milla—why not?—and scooches over, patting the floor to say, Hey, sit here.

Up front, Mr. Emerson says, “All right, kids, what do you say we start?” Ms. Perez is up there with him. Nobody’s paying attention.

“Are you ready to give your presentation?” Violet asks Milla. There are fifth graders all around them. Everyone is squished, except of course Modessa and Quin. But who

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