The Secret Talent Read Online Free Page B

dinner.”
    I left it in my pocket, even though all I wanted to do was dive under the table and check my messages. I had to wait until I went upstairs to get ready for bed to see what I’d been expecting: another message from Ryan.
    Are you ready?
    â€œReady for what?” I whispered.
    That question kept me up most of the night, except for a nightmare about a new flavor of yogurt called Twinkie Toes. The next morning I was up before my alarm and already eating breakfast when my parents came down.
    â€œWhat’s this? Someone trying to get bonus points before Christmas?” Mom asked, kissing the top of my head. “Santa’s making my boy punctual!”
    â€œAnd sleep deprived,” Dad said as I yawned wide enough to fit my cereal bowl in my mouth. “Don’t fall asleep in class,” he told me.
    â€œI won’t.”
    I fell asleep in the car.
    Mom shook me awake, and I rubbed my face, leaning my head back against the seat.
    â€œDo I have to go to school today?” I asked.
    â€œWell, it’s either that or work at one of the stores,” said Mom.
    I sat up. “Okay!”
    â€œWe need someone to clean up the goose poop by the doors,” she added.
    I picked up my book bag. “And I’m off to school!”
    Mom smiled. “Bye, honey. Have a good day.”
    I smiled back, but in my head thought, We’ll see.
    Normally, my friends and I hang out in the school courtyard, but winter in Illinois can be brutal, and today was pretty cold, so our school also has a student lounge inside, which gets packed and loud . When I walked over to the couch where Brooke, Vanessa, and Heather were sitting, they didn’t even look up. In fact, they were adding their voices to the chaos.
    Brooke and Vanessa were facing each otherwith arms crossed while Heather sat between them, twisting a pen between her fingers. They appeared to be engaged in a debate of the utmost importance.
    â€œI’m not saying dolphins can’t talk. I’m saying they don’t have anything interesting to say!” exclaimed Brooke.
    â€œOf course they do! They’re very intelligent creatures, you know,” said V.
    â€œHey, guys?” I asked. “Can you scoot over?”
    They didn’t hear me.
    â€œOh, they’re intelligent?” Brooke raised an eyebrow. “What could they possibly know—which fish is the freshest? It’s all fresh. They’re in the ocean!” She threw her hands into the air.
    â€œHey, Heather, a little help here?” I glanced at her, but she got to her feet and turned to face Brooke and Vanessa. “Guys! Can you please stop fighting for one moment?”
    Brooke and Vanessa quieted and looked up atHeather. I inched toward the space she had left open, but she immediately sat back down. “Now, everyone knows whales have been talking—”
    Instantly, she was drowned out by groans from Brooke and Vanessa, who jumped right back into their argument. I decided to take the opportunity to sprawl out on the couch. With my friends still on it.
    All three girls shrieked and protested as I squashed them, finally forgetting their squabble and shifting to one side so I could sit down.
    â€œGeez, you’re heavy!” said Brooke. “What did you eat for breakfast, bricks?”
    â€œWhy are you guys arguing about dolphins?” I asked.
    â€œV’s trying to find the perfect gift for Gil,” said Brooke.
    Gil, as V had mentioned earlier, was her seventh-grade boyfriend. He worked at the newspaper with us as secondary photographerand the horoscope writer.
    â€œGet him a crystal ball,” I said. “Then maybe he can make some accurate predictions.”
    Vanessa gasped. “How dare you! Gil’s horoscopes are always a little accurate every once in a while! Remember that week he said difficult times were ahead, and then the cafeteria ran out of curly fries?”
    I stared at her. “Moving on .