Welcome to Camden Falls by Ann M. Martin

Author:Ann M. Martin
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780545295659
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2013-02-14T16:00:00+00:00

Olivia, leaning against the counter in Needle and Thread, wrapped her fingers around the bills in her pocket. One five and two ones. Olivia felt like spending them. And she felt like doing it alone. The previous afternoon was still fresh in her mind, and desperate as she was for friends, she found herself tired of Ruby’s whining and Flora’s moods. The three of them had spent a tense morning together at Needle and Thread, nobody wanting to admit that they had actually had a fight. But now Olivia was ready for an escape. Also, she was fearful that Ruby or Flora would ask her what Nikki had meant by “If you’re sure I won’t oh-fend you,” and she did not feel like having to explain it.

After a morning spent affixing price tags to the fabric remnants that were being added to the sales bin, Olivia wanted to wander around downtown before returning to Aiken Avenue, so she called to Gigi, “I’m going now!” and headed out into the heat that had returned to Camden Falls.

She nearly collided with Scary Mary Woolsey, who was on her way in.

“Sorry! I’m sorry!” said Olivia quickly, and she held the door open for Mary, who ducked her head and hustled inside the store.

Olivia closed the door and let her breath out in a rush. She stood in front of the bench and glanced up and down Main Street. Her fingers closed over the seven dollars again. Seven whole dollars. What did she feel like doing with her money? There were many possibilities.

Town was quiet. Olivia was thinking about going to Camden Falls Art Supply for butterfly stickers when she heard shouting and laughing. She glanced down the street and saw a group of older kids, boys and girls. They were sauntering along Main Street in a pack, whooping and high-fiving one another.

Olivia plopped down on the bench. She eyed the kids.

“Give it,” said one, snatching a baseball cap away from another.

“Ooh, tough guy,” said one of the girls.

“Let’s get something to eat.”

“Samuels won’t let us in his store anymore.”

“Forget him. We’ll go get pizza.”

The kids were all talking at once, and Olivia felt threatened by them, even though they hadn’t noticed her.

“We can swipe something from the grocery store,” one was saying. “Samuels won’t notice us.”

“Why don’t you stop talking about it and actually do it?” said a voice, and the voice was familiar. Olivia realized it belonged to Lydia Malone. Sure enough, there she was in the middle of the group of kids.

“Look,” said a girl whose name, Olivia thought, was Brandi. Brandi grabbed Lydia by the wrist and pointed to a sign advertising the 350th birthday celebration for Camden Falls. “Oh, cool. Whoa. Three hundred and fifty years. Let’s celebrate! Par-tay!”

“Don’t you want to enter the photography show? Or how about the art show?” said the boy who had grabbed the baseball hat. “Mommy, Mommy, look at my painting!… Hey, we could have our own float in the parade. We could dress up as Pilgrims!” The boy ripped the sign off a lamppost and threw it in a trash can.

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