Fabulous Five 008 - The Runaway Crisis Read Online Free Page A

the school board
so that when the petition comes up again to allow earrings at school, they'll
think I'm a great person instead of a juvenile delinquent. Is that it?"
    Katie stared at him. She hadn't thought about it that way,
but it wasn't such a bad idea. "It wouldn't hurt," she offered. "But
also it could really help a lot of people. And I honestly would help get it
organized. I promise." Gulping hard, she said, "We could work on it together. "
    Tony cocked one eyebrow and looked at her appraisingly. "Okay,"
he said. "You've got a deal."

CHAPTER 6
    Katie could hardly wait to get home and tell her mother
about the march for hunger, and she sprinted all the way to her front door
after she said good-bye to Tony. She had been trying for a long time to think
of a way to bring up the subject of Tony to her mother. Not that Willie would
mind that she was interested in a boy. It was just that she hadn't been sure if
she really was interested—until now.
    She and Tony had talked a little bit more about how to get
the march organized before they left Bumpers, and she had suggested that they
go together to talk to Mr. Bell tomorrow morning before school. They would have
to get the principal's permission in order to get the school involved.
    "Katie? Is that you?" her mother called as the
front door slammed behind her.
    "Yeah, Mom."
    Willie appeared in the living room doorway. "Your
friend Shawnie Pendergast called a few minutes ago. She wants you to call her
back as soon as possible."
    "Is something wrong?" asked Katie.
    "I honestly don't know, honey," her mother
replied. "But she sounded extremely anxious to talk to you."
    "Thanks," said Katie. "I'll call her right
now."
    The phone had barely finished its first ring when Shawnie
answered. "I'm so glad you called," she whispered when she found out
it was Katie. "I've just got to get out of this house. Could your mom call
my mom about coming over to study tonight? Believe me, it's an emergency."
    "An emergency?" Katie whispered back. "What
kind of emergency?"
    "I can't talk now."
    "Okay, Shawnie," Katie said. "You know I want
to help. Hang on while I ask her."
    "I have to go. I think I hear one of my parents coming.
Have your mother call here if it's okay."
    Katie slammed down the receiver and raced to find her
mother. "Mom," Katie began in a shaky voice. "Shawnie wants to
come over tonight. She says it's an emergency. Will you call her parents?"
    Willie looked up from her desk and frowned. "Did she
say what sort of emergency?"
    "No. She was even whispering so that no one would know
she was on the phone. Then she said she had to hang up because she thought
someone was coming."
    Her mother sighed. "Gosh, Katie, I don't know. It
sounds as if we might be interfering in something that isn't any of our
business."
    "Mom, please. She's desperate," said Katie. "Besides,
we can talk to her and find out what the problem is once she's here . . . if
they'll even let her come."
    Willie considered the situation for another moment while
Katie stood by her desk and pleaded with her eyes. "Well," she said
at last, "all we can do is try."
    Katie bounced nervously from foot to foot while her mother
made the call. "Hello, Mrs. Pendergast? . . . I'm Willie Shannon, Katie's
mother, and Katie would like for Shawnie to come over here for a little while
this evening so that the girls can work on some homework together. Would that
be all right with you? . . . It would?" Willie turned and gave Katie a
wide-eyed shrug. "Wonderful . . . Why not drop her off around six-thirty?
. . . Great. Good-bye."
    Katie grabbed her mother around the waist. "I can't
believe it!" she shouted. "She said yes? Just like that?"
    "Just like that," said Willie. "Actually, she
was formal and businesslike, but she sounded reasonably nice over the phone.
Maybe things aren't so bad after all."
    "I hope not," said Katie.
    At exactly six-thirty a dark car pulled up beside the curb,
and Shawnie Pendergast got out carrying a load of books and