Win or Lose Read Online Free Page B

“de-BEE.” She actually tossed her head as she said the “BEE” part, and really elongated the vowels, making it sound like a fancy European name or something. Ifelt Emma shake next to me. I looked at her. She grinned as she tried to hold back a laugh.
    Debi stared at us in horror for a second before plastering a smile on her face that didn’t look exactly real.
    â€œHow nice of you to come for your friend,” she said, but the way she said it as she took in our mud-splattered clothes made us know she thought it was anything but nice. “However, perhaps we should arrange for another time for you to try on your dresses.”
    Zoe frowned. “But everyone’s here!”
    â€œZoe, we can always come back,” her mother said.
    â€œCan’t they just watch and I’ll show them the dresses I picked out?” Zoe asked.
    Debi nervously eyed her couches. “I’m not sure if that’s such a good idea.”
    Jessi looked at me and rolled her eyes. Those couches had clearly seen better days. I’m not sure what Debi was so worried about, but if she didn’t want us in her discount dress shop, what could we do?
    â€œWe can come back soon, Zoe, I promise,” I said.
    Zoe looked like she was going to cry, and then Jessi’s eyes lit up.
    â€œEverybody, wait! I’ve got an idea,” she said, and then she ran out of the store.
    Emma, Frida, and I looked at each other, too afraid to move and not sure what to do. Finally Emma shrugged and pulled a bag of bright orange cheese puffs out of her backpack and ripped open the top.
    Frida frantically shook her head and put her hand to her throat, making a cutting motion. “Don’t!” she whispered loudly.
    â€œBut I’m always starving after practice,” Emma whispered back. She took a cheese puff out of the bag and popped it into her mouth, as a horrified gasp filled the room.
    â€œThere is no food in my store!” Debi said, clutching her hand over her heart as her eyes widened in shock. “If you can even call that food!”
    â€œSorry,” Emma mumbled, spraying little orange crumbs out of her mouth. She swallowed and then looked at her hand. The cheese puff had turned her fingers bright orange. She wiped them on her shirt, adding a smear of orange to all the mud.
    â€œOops,” she said as she looked down at her jersey. Debi folded her arms and gave Emma a look like no other. Although, come to think of it, it did remind me of my dad’s face when Maisie had dropped his cell phone into the toilet.
    Emma smiled sheepishly and put the bag of cheese puffs back into her bag. I glanced at Zoe. She was too miserable to say anything.
    Then Jessi ran back in, carrying a bunch of green rain ponchos.
    â€œMom always has these in the car for soccer games,” she said. She pulled one on, the hood making a green point over her head. “See? Instant protection.”
    Emma giggled. “You look like a gnome.”
    â€œI was thinking more like a pea,” I said. I took one of the ponchos from Jessi and put it on. “What do you think?” I did a twirl.
    â€œVery fashionable!” Jessi said. “Maybe we can just wear these to the bat mitzvah.”
    Zoe winced at that as Emma and Frida put their ponchos on too. “You’re, like, a supergenius, Jessi,” I said. “All the dirt and mud is sealed inside. Debi, your store should be safe.”
    Zoe looked hopefully at her mom and Debi. The store owner didn’t look thrilled, but she reluctantly gave in.
    â€œPlease, my name is pronounced ‘de-BEE,’ ” Debi said snootily. She sighed. “Oh, very well. I suppose if you just sit very still and don’t go near my dresses,” she said. “And, you!” She pointed at Emma. “No more of those orange things!”
    Zoe immediately got happy, as if the mud and the cheese puffs had never happened. “Oh, thank you!”