Finding Normal by Stephanie Faris

Author:Stephanie Faris
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aladdin
Published: 2024-02-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

“WHAT’S GOING ON?” JESSE ASKED.

Temple lifted her gaze, which had been glued to her phone screen for the past fifteen minutes. It was the next afternoon and they’d just stepped off the bus. Her heart felt like it might pound right out of her chest as she waited for her plans to be interrupted. Her mom still hadn’t responded to her text telling her to meet her outside. Her plan was to tell her mom what was going on before the reporter arrived. There should be plenty of time… unless Ann Vincent was early.

Temple’s heart sank when she saw the big van in the driveway of Jesse’s house. The van had the TV station logo on the side of it and a weird satellite dish thingy on the top. So much for warning her mom first. A guy came from around the front with a camera, and Temple knew that this was happening.

“It’s about the flood,” Temple said. “No big deal. I didn’t get a chance to talk to you about my call with the reporter after the library yesterday. She’s here to interview me.”

“Cool,” Jesse said. “I’ll need to make sure the website’s ready, right?”

At that, she stopped walking. Oh yeah. The tickets. If the news reporter announced the fundraiser, they’d need a way to sign people up even if they didn’t have a location yet. They’d be missing out on a bunch of ticket sales if they didn’t grab people now.

“Let’s meet after dinner to talk about it,” he said. “We’ll need a way to collect the money, and we might need our parents’ help to set that up. I don’t think—”

“No!” Temple said. “I want to do this ourselves. If we can. We have to find a way.”

Jesse didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. They started walking again, and Temple knew what he’d meant. They weren’t adults. They probably couldn’t set up a payment account without a grown-up’s help. But they had to at least try.

“I recognize her from TV,” Jesse whispered as they got closer. The side door had slid open and Ann Vincent was climbing out.

Temple knew, just looking at her, why she’d chosen this reporter. It wasn’t only that she’d been in this neighborhood the morning after the flood. She was young—still an adult, but younger than most of the people Temple saw on TV news. But she also had this big, dimpled smile and large eyes that were filled with warmth. She looked like someone you could trust.

“I’m Ann Vincent.” She stepped forward, holding her hand out for a handshake. It felt so grown-up to be shaking hands with a real reporter.

“This is Jesse,” Temple said. “He’s helping with the fundraiser.”

Ann shook Jesse’s hand, and Temple could see that mentioning him was the right thing to do. Jesse was smiling like it was Christmas morning.

“What’s going on out here?”

That came from Mrs. Fletcher, who was standing on the front porch. Her right hand was shielding her eyes from the afternoon sun.

“Is this your mom?” Ann asked Temple.

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