Free Brooke's Not-So-Perfect Plan by Jo Whittemore

time,” he said.
    I went to go sit with the other advice columnists, who had their heads close together in earnest conversation.
    â€œWhat’s going on?” I asked.
    They parted to let me in, and I could see that Heather was shredding the edges of a piece of spiral paper with a guilty expression.
    â€œIt’s all my fault,” she said. “I never should have encouraged her.”
    â€œWho are we talking about?” I asked.
    Tim turned to me with a troubled expression. “My sister. That guy Jefferson never met her at the movies.”
    Whoops. After the excitement of the game, I’d completely forgotten to tell Gabby what happened.
    I sucked in air through my clenched teeth. “Actually, Heather didn’t screw up. I may have had something to do with that.”
    The other three exchanged mystified looks. “What do you mean?”
    I sighed. “He stood Gabby up after I asked him out.”
    â€œWhat?” Tim got to his feet, and I immediately raised my hands.
    â€œIt’s not what you think! Gabby wanted to know what Jefferson thought of her, so I told him you play baseball, and he assumed I was asking him to a game—” I tried to rush through the explanation before Tim’s head exploded all over my desk.
    â€œYou brought me into it?” His jaw dropped.
    â€œIt is my fault!” Heather threw little pieces of paper in the air. “I’m the one who told you to mention Tim!”
    â€œWhat?” Tim spun around.
    â€œI only mentioned you so I could bring up Gabby and see how Jefferson would respond!” I said. “As it turns out, the answer is badly.”
    Tim looked like he wanted to flip the table.
    â€œTim . . .”
    â€œWhat?” This time he faced Vanessa, who gave him an indignant look.
    â€œUh . . . no, sir. You are getting way too much mileage out of that word,” she said. “And you need to calm down.” She pointed to his chair.
    Tim sat but continued to seethe.
    â€œYou know Heather and Brooke would never do anything to hurt Gabby on purpose.”
    I nodded so hard my teeth ached. “I was wiped out after the scrimmage and completely forgot to call Gabby and tell her what happened.” I held up a finger. “ But I did yell at Jefferson when he wanted to go out with me instead of her.”
    Tim shook his head. “All I know is that my sister is crushed. Would you let her know what really happened?”
    â€œI think she already does,” said Heather in a small voice.
    We looked over at her, and her eyes were welling up with tears. She held out a piece of paper from the collection she’d just gathered from the advice box.
    â€œWhat does it say?” I asked, taking it from her.
    â€œâ€˜Dear Lincoln’s Letters,’” I read. “‘The worst thing has happened. I’ve been betrayed by my friends. I asked them for help with this guy I like, but all they did was make sure that he never talks to me again. Why would they do that?’” I sighed and lowered the paper. “‘Sincerely, Betrayed in Berryville.’”

CHAPTER
6
Newsies
    â€œ W e’ve gotta fix this,” I said to Heather. “We see her next period. What should we tell her?”
    â€œHow about . . . the truth?” mumbled Vanessa through a mouthful of chocolate. She’d taken a king-size Hershey bar out of her bag so we could console ourselves.
    â€œUh-oh,” said Tim in a low voice. “Don’t look now, but Mary Patrick’s coming!”
    I pointed to Vanessa. “Quick! Distract her with chocolate!”
    â€œGah!” Vanessa lobbed the candy bar at MaryPatrick as if it were a grenade.
    I stared at her. “Really.”
    Vanessa blinked at me. “I didn’t have time to prop a box up with a stick and build a Mary Patrick trap.” She nodded at Mary Patrick, who had crouched to retrieve the chocolate. “Besides, she’s still