Free The Book of Dares for Lost Friends by Jane Kelley
Authors: Jane Kelley
wanted Lanoraâs ideas about what the next trend would be. The sound of her hard heels against the sidewalk ticked off the things that she no longer cared about.
At the top of that list was the A Team.
  2. Being quizzed about her emotional state by her mom.
  3. Homework.
  4. Messages from her father about homework.
  5. The shoebox containing the Collection of Magical Devices.
  6. All her colorful clothes, including the black-and-yellow jacket, which had been stained by the sweat of humiliation on Saturday.
Her list grew longer, not by addition but by multiplication. Her mind raced with more and more items she disdained.
  7. People walking slowly.
  8. People walking slowly pushing babies in strollers.
  9. Cute dogs with perky ears.
10. Ugly dogs that were supposed to be cute.
11. DON â T WALK signs.
The only way to stop the list from exploding into exponents was to slam on the brakes and say âwhatever.â
Then there it was. QXR. The door was open. The store wanted her to come in. Music pulsed into the street. The lights gleamed. Window displays tempted her with new visions of herself. The intense air-conditioning promised a world without sweat.
But she walked on by. She needed to prepare herself. She knew that if you wanted something desperately, you wouldnât get it. She had observed that the more her mom begged her father, the faster he ran away. The A Team hadnât taught Lanora anything she didnât already know.
She paused in front of another store. She checked her hair in the window that was as good as a mirror. She saw something worse than a straggling curl; she saw Val standing on the opposite side of Broadway. Val stared at Lanora like Val was trying to solve an algebra problem. Give it up, Lanora wanted to tell her. Youâll never understand. You donât want things the way I want things. You donât need to.
Lanora hardened her face and retraced her steps. She wasnât going to speak to Val. She wouldnât even look at her. Not even if a lion escaped from the zoo and snatched Val up in his mouth. Lanora added Val to the list of things she no longer cared about.
The door to QXR was open. Lanora crossed the threshold and entered a new world. Her heart pounded with excitement. But she sidled over to a rack of uninspiring jeans. She flipped through them with one hand, even as her mind danced around all the dazzling possibilities.
What should she choose? Leather bags. Golden jewelry. Shimmering silks. She had to decide quickly. Hesitation would bring the unwelcome attention of a clerk. Lanora moved on from the jeans. She passed a table of small stuffed animals. She smiled as she stroked a little black cat. The plush fur was almost as comforting as a real animalâs. She let her hand linger while she planned what to do. The task wasnât difficult. She had seen the A Team succeed many times. She just wanted to choose the right item. It would belong to her forever.
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
Val wondered why Lanora had walked into the store with her jaw set, like she was going into battle. Val had hoped Lanora would be proud of herself for dumping the A Team. Val wanted to rush up to her and cheer, Yay, you did it! You broke your spell!
Only Val couldnât after Lanora disappeared inside the new store.
When had it opened? Had it sprung up overnight? For nearly a year, Val had seen the GOING OUT OF BUSINESS signs in the funny little shops. Pet food, candles, what was the other one? Val couldnât remember. All had vanished, despite her mom attending community meetings and signing petitions and even threatening to chain herself to the door of the candle shop.
Val wasnât exactly forbidden to go inside QXR. Just like Val wasnât exactly forbidden to shave her head. Her mom just assumed that she wouldnât want to. And Val didnât. She only wanted to talk to Lanora. She
At the top of that list was the A Team.
  2. Being quizzed about her emotional state by her mom.
  3. Homework.
  4. Messages from her father about homework.
  5. The shoebox containing the Collection of Magical Devices.
  6. All her colorful clothes, including the black-and-yellow jacket, which had been stained by the sweat of humiliation on Saturday.
Her list grew longer, not by addition but by multiplication. Her mind raced with more and more items she disdained.
  7. People walking slowly.
  8. People walking slowly pushing babies in strollers.
  9. Cute dogs with perky ears.
10. Ugly dogs that were supposed to be cute.
11. DON â T WALK signs.
The only way to stop the list from exploding into exponents was to slam on the brakes and say âwhatever.â
Then there it was. QXR. The door was open. The store wanted her to come in. Music pulsed into the street. The lights gleamed. Window displays tempted her with new visions of herself. The intense air-conditioning promised a world without sweat.
But she walked on by. She needed to prepare herself. She knew that if you wanted something desperately, you wouldnât get it. She had observed that the more her mom begged her father, the faster he ran away. The A Team hadnât taught Lanora anything she didnât already know.
She paused in front of another store. She checked her hair in the window that was as good as a mirror. She saw something worse than a straggling curl; she saw Val standing on the opposite side of Broadway. Val stared at Lanora like Val was trying to solve an algebra problem. Give it up, Lanora wanted to tell her. Youâll never understand. You donât want things the way I want things. You donât need to.
Lanora hardened her face and retraced her steps. She wasnât going to speak to Val. She wouldnât even look at her. Not even if a lion escaped from the zoo and snatched Val up in his mouth. Lanora added Val to the list of things she no longer cared about.
The door to QXR was open. Lanora crossed the threshold and entered a new world. Her heart pounded with excitement. But she sidled over to a rack of uninspiring jeans. She flipped through them with one hand, even as her mind danced around all the dazzling possibilities.
What should she choose? Leather bags. Golden jewelry. Shimmering silks. She had to decide quickly. Hesitation would bring the unwelcome attention of a clerk. Lanora moved on from the jeans. She passed a table of small stuffed animals. She smiled as she stroked a little black cat. The plush fur was almost as comforting as a real animalâs. She let her hand linger while she planned what to do. The task wasnât difficult. She had seen the A Team succeed many times. She just wanted to choose the right item. It would belong to her forever.
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
Val wondered why Lanora had walked into the store with her jaw set, like she was going into battle. Val had hoped Lanora would be proud of herself for dumping the A Team. Val wanted to rush up to her and cheer, Yay, you did it! You broke your spell!
Only Val couldnât after Lanora disappeared inside the new store.
When had it opened? Had it sprung up overnight? For nearly a year, Val had seen the GOING OUT OF BUSINESS signs in the funny little shops. Pet food, candles, what was the other one? Val couldnât remember. All had vanished, despite her mom attending community meetings and signing petitions and even threatening to chain herself to the door of the candle shop.
Val wasnât exactly forbidden to go inside QXR. Just like Val wasnât exactly forbidden to shave her head. Her mom just assumed that she wouldnât want to. And Val didnât. She only wanted to talk to Lanora. She
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