Free All Shook Up (From the Files of Madison Finn, 22) by Laura Dower

big dinner. Madison told Mom all about the food and the orange door and the very cool Sri Ganesha statue. But she couldn’t bear to admit out loud what Madhur had said about Hart.
    The only one to whom Madison could admit the truth was her computer. She opened a new file before bed.
Madhur and Hart?

    Just writing those two names together makes me feel all oogy. Wait. Is oogy a real word? I should have said something to Madhur about me & Hart, shouldn’t I? But I looked over at her and my lips and tongue got stuck. Maybe it was the curry from dinner? It was like she shot me with a poison dart.
    Rude Awakening:
When is a sure thing not a sure thing? I’m not sure anymore.
    Help.
    Tonight I saw how exciting life is in Madhur’s world. She has so much going on.
    Sometimes, when she starts talking about Punjab and her family, I feel like plain cardboard. I have nothing going on; not like her. I barely even do the web updates anymore. I haven’t played my flute in weeks. I don’t go to the animal clinic as often as I should (which is why I missed seeing those kittens one last time). If Madhur and I were in the same room, she would totally win the contest of who was more interesting.
    I was never REALLY worried about Hart liking Ivy because after all, Poison Ivy is super fake. But Madhur isn’t fake at all. She’s the opposite of fake. And it’s probably only a matter of time before Hart notices—REALLY notices—this fact. It’s also only a matter of time before he realizes Madhur is way more interesting than me. Gulp. Then what? What am I supposed to do when things feel all shook up like this?
    Rude Awakening #2:
Life is just a fizzy bottle of Coke. One shake too many and then … PFFFFFFFFFFFT.
    Wow. I hope I’m not going to explode.
    Can I do something to hang onto Hart—before it’s too late?

Chapter 8
    P HIN WOKE MADISON UP extra early on Monday morning with wet doggy kisses on her nose and forehead. Even though she was up earlier than usual, Madison felt way less fizzy than she had the night before. She hadn’t exploded—not even close.
    Well, not yet, anyway.
    As she dressed for school, Madison began to wonder if maybe she had been rushing things in her friendship with Madhur. After all, she’d been spending way more time with Madhur than with Aimee, Fiona, or Lindsay combined—and she felt a little guilty about that. Plus, what did she really know about her new friend? What if Madhur were just pretending to be like Madison—so she could steal Hart away? What if Madhur turned out to be like Ivy?
    With time to spare before she left for school, Madison did what she always did when she had time: she went online. Usually, it calmed her nerves.
    Much to her surprise, the in-box overflowed with mail. Madison went through and deleted all of the spam first, but there were many personal e-mails, too. Madison spotted three from Aimee (three?!); one each from Dan and Dad; and one from Fiona.
    FROM          SUBJECT
    BalletGrl     Mark the Date PLEEEZ
    BalletGrl     & don’t 4get
    BalletGrl     1 more thingie
    Dantheman     thanx
    JeffFinn      Dinner
    Wetwinz       WUWC?
    Madison had to read the Aimee e-mails first. They seemed urgent coming one right after the other like that. And Madison hadn’t said much to Aimee since the movies the day before. What could she possibly have to say that would fill that many messages?
    From: BalletGrl
    To: MadFinn
    Subject: Mark the Date PLEEEZ
    Date: Sun 27 Sept 10:12 PM
    My bros r finally OFF the computer so I can write 2nite. N e way I wanted 2 say sorry about last wk. I was thinking that somehow u were still mad about it b/c u totally blew me off @ the GNO movies and IK you have been doing the project w/Madhur these days but still. I mean she’s ok, nice, sure, but I miss hanging w/you. OK I better go.
LYLASDA41S (heh heh, I made one up is it lame?)
    Bye 4 now,
    Aim
    Madison was surprised by Aimee’s sort-of apology. Aimee wasn’t really good