Pack of Dorks Read Online Free Page B

“Please?”
    Mom nodded and warned me to watch Molly’s head. I’m not sure why. But I knew from the hospital’s big sister class Mom and Dad signed me up for that I had to put one hand behind her neck when I lifted her out of the bassinet and the other under her rump. I held her close to me and sat down on the couch. I knew that Dad was watching me and felt like I had won a prize or something when he and Mom started talking quietly and not barking out what I was doing wrong.
    Finally, I had a minute to get to know my new sister. Her bluish gray eyes blinked slowly. Her lashes were blond, like mine, and curled out so far that when she closed her eyes they fell against her cheek. Her mouth was open in a little circle. I laid her against a couch pillow so I had a free hand. She turned her face toward my finger when I brushed her soft cheek.
    “Hello, Molly Lump,” I whispered. She blinked again. “I’m your big sister. Soon you won’t be so lumpy. You’ll even be able to move around and stuff. Then you’ll need to stay out of my room. But we’ll cover that when you’re older. You can stay lumpy as long as you want. I’ll hold you.”
    I smelled the top of her head. Not quite as fresh as when she was just washed at the hospital, but still sweet smelling. She whimpered a little so I started talking some more. Her eyes got a little bigger and she stopped squeaking. “You’re a great little sister,” I told her. “You’re going to love our family. Mom gets cranky, but she gives great hugs. Now that she can drink coffee again, I think you’ll be in the clear on the cranky front. Dad’s a good listener, but not in a going-to-bring-it-up-later sort of way. I’m going to take really great care of you, even though I’ve already got loads of friends and a boyfriend. No boyfriend for you, though. Not until you’re in third grade. That’s a rule. I get to make up rules, now that I’m a big sister.”
    I suddenly realized that Mom and Dad weren’t talking anymore. Sure enough, they were both staring at me and Molly. Mom smiled, even though I guessed she had heard me talk about her crankiness. Dad nodded at me, and the sick feeling I had trapped under my ribs since our fight trickled away.
    But then Molly made a noise and her little hand shot out. It knocked against my hand and her long, thin fingers latched on. That’s when I saw the narrow green band on my ring finger where my diamond ring had been. And that sick feeling shored up all over again.

    I realized something as my alarm clock blared in the morning. I missed the most important day of school ever thanks to Molly Lump. The first day back after The Kiss! Tom was sure to rush up to me and ask what had happened. In fact, I bet Ms. Drake’s entire class was worried that I had some kissing-related ailment. They were probably so concerned! I wondered if I’d have cards shoved in my desk. Maybe there would even be a banner for me.
    Having been absent might be just the distraction necessary to keep people—Tom, especially—from asking me about the ring. Plus, if I wore a really long-sleeve shirt and spent the day with the cuffs covering my fingers, maybe everyone would just assume I was being modest out of respect for all the girls who didn’t have boyfriends they kissed and who gave them fancy jewelry.
    And maybe Dad could take me to the Dollar General this week and I could get a new ring. And Tom would never, ever find out that I lost the one he got me.
    Maybe my life wasn’t over!

    Except that everything was just as strange at school as it was at home.
    It started on the bus. April sat down next to me. Usually, I get the bench to myself and stretch out. But she just plopped her booger-picking self right next to me. Like that would be all right. I mean, I know she helped me out with the distraction during The Kiss, but that didn’t mean we were friends. Especially not bus buds. I glared out the window and tried not to look at her. If she was picking