Free Ruby Reinvented by Ronni Arno Page B

town’s public school. Holly was always saying she missed out on the fun, so when it was time for me to start middle school, we begged my parents to let us board. Dad was cool with it but Mom wouldn’t budge. Finally, when we promised we’d text or call every single day and have dinner once a week and even come home once in a while on weekends, she agreed.”
    I wonder if my parents would go for texting instead of FaceTime. It would make my life a lot easier. Speaking of my parents, I look at my phone. I have an hour until eight o’clock. I can’t wait until my boxes from home arrive. At least then I’ll have headphones.
    â€œWell, I’m going to shower.” Summer kicks off her shoes and throws them in her closet.
    â€œAlready?” I jump in front of her. I need her to wait an hour.
    She gives me a funny look. “Why not?”
    â€œI thought, uhhhh, well, I thought we’d go through some of the T-shirts your mom brought. You know, to pick out the ones you want for your ultra-crazy dress.”
    Summer breaks out into a huge smile. “Great idea.”
    We sit on the floor, and she flings T-shirts into two piles. Only the really colorful ones make it into the pile for the dress.
    â€œYou should totally apply for the Parents’ Weekend Spotlight Project. You could submit your designs.” Summer flings a neon-green-striped shirt into the dress pile.
    â€œWhat’s a Spotlight Project?” I ask.
    â€œEvery Parents’ Weekend, we display projects we’ve been working on. It doesn’t have to be stuff we do in school. It could be things we do on our own time. Each year, one person gets picked for the Spotlight Project, which parents and teachers make a really big deal of. Plus, you get a hundred-dollar prize. Holly got chosen for the Spotlight Project last year. She built a biodome. It was filled with snails and frogs and pond scum.”
    â€œPond scum?” I wrinkle my nose.
    â€œHolly loves pond scum.”
    I furrow my eyebrows.
    â€œShe wants to be a marine biologist. That’s why she freaks out about whales.”
    â€œAhhhh,” I say.
    â€œAnyway, you should totally apply for this year’s Spotlight Project!”
    â€œOh, I don’t know. My dresses really aren’t that great.”
    â€œThe one you’re wearing is amazing.” Summer jumps up. “Do you have other ones you’ve made?”
    â€œI have a bunch, but this is the only one I packed in my suitcase. The rest of my stuff should be here tomorrow, I hope.”
    â€œCool.” Summer focuses on the T-shirt pile again. “I can’t wait till your stuff gets here.”
    I wonder if she’ll like my other dresses as much as she likes the one I’m wearing. What if she hates them? Then she’ll realize I’m a one-hit wonder, and this one was just a fluke. I bite the inside of my cheek.
    â€œHopefully your nana can come to Parents’ Weekend, especially if you’re the Spotlight Project,” Summer says.
    â€œOh yeah. I’ll tell her about it.”
    â€œYou won’t even have to. The school starts sending e-mails and invitations home way in advance. Mom mentioned that she got one today.”
    â€œThey send stuff to our parents?” My stomach flip-flops and I add, “Or guardian?”
    â€œYep. I’m telling you, it’s a really big deal. I’ll bet your nana comes. Even Connor’s uncle comes.”
    â€œHis uncle?” The sound of Connor’s name takes my attention away from the fact that my pretend-dead parentsmay or may not have already received an invitation to Parents’ Weekend.
    â€œYeah, he’s the one who took Connor after his parents died. He lives in Boston. Connor hated it there. His uncle works all the time so he never saw him. It was really hard on him, being so little and alone.” Summer tilts her head. “Well, you know.”
    She looks like