Dance Team by Charnan Simon

Author:Charnan Simon
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group

A

fter pizza, everyone decided to make it an early night. The fact that Joel gave me a for-real good-night kiss helped boost my spirits, but I wished I’d been in a better mood to appreciate it.

It’s just as well I was rested on Sunday. Mom had invited Leah and her parents over for a backyard barbecue. I’d need all my energy to face Leah. The plans had been made before the graffiti incident, but Mom and Dad were especially keen on having the Velascos over after all the trouble.

“I can’t believe anyone would do something so mean!” Mom sputtered when she first heard. “Dance team is supposed to be fun. If the competitions can’t be about skill and challenge, what’s the point? Winning by cheating isn’t winning at all!”

Leah got right to the point when she and her family arrived. She gave my mom and dad a quick hug, then grabbed my arm and steered me to the backyard.

“Well?” she demanded. “Have you found out who did that graffiti yet? And how did they get my ID or my locker combination? You’d better tell me everything you know, Izzy!”

I couldn’t blame Leah for still being mad about the graffiti. But I resented her thinking that I might have had anything to do with it.

“I don’t know anything!” I said. “I told you, I was as shocked as anyone when I got to school on Monday. We were all surprised!”

I felt a little guilty when I added that last part. Somebody wasn’t surprised. And I felt even guiltier when I thought that I might know who that somebody was

Leah didn’t look convinced. “Oh, come on, Izzy. People talk. You must have heard something by now. Or are you just trying to protect your precious dance team?”

“No!” I was really stung. “Why would I do anything to hurt you? You’re my friend!”

I felt guiltier and more confused than ever. Was I telling Leah the truth? Was I hurting her by not going to Mrs. Nuñez or Ms. Geiger with my suspicions? Or would that just be smearing Camilla and her friends, since I didn’t know anything for sure? What about being innocent until proven guilty?

I tried again to calm Leah down. “The principal and our coach are trying as hard as they can to find out who’s responsible. Really, Leah. And the other girls on the team are as upset as I am.”

That was at least partly true. Olivia was horrified, and girls like Trez and Cate seemed genuinely shocked too. It made me feel a little better to know that not everyone was out to get Leah.

Leah looked less angry and more sad. “You can’t imagine how I felt, coming back from Austin to find people believed I might have done that graffiti. Even kids I thought were my friends were wondering!”

I began to feel sorrier and sorrier. Even I had wondered if she could have been the guilty one.

“Oh, Leah,” I said. I reached over and gave her a tight hug.

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