Free Trading Faces by Julia DeVillers Page B

it on the first day of middle school.
    On the second and third days I hadn’t bothered to slow down as I walked through the cafeteria. Unfortunately, it was the only direct way to the library, and I didn’t want to get caught roaming the halls. But even zooming through the lunchroom, I could see Jazmine’s table. And I noticed that there was always an empty seat.
    Today was different. Jazmine surprised me by stopping me as I walked by.
    â€œTess’s mother?” Jazmine said. “She met your father at the hospital where she’s a doctor, right? He sold her some medical apparatus. He mentioned you’ve been having a rough time so far at school. So Tess’s mom told us to invite you to sit with us at lunch.”
    I cursed my father in my head.
    â€œThanks, but I’m doing fine!” I said brightly.
    Total. Lie. My classes so far had been blah. The teachers were doing basic review to make sure everyone got off to a good start. So even though teachers called on me sometimes, the questions were easy. I’d had no opportunity to be math-mazing or science-sational.
    â€œMy dad must have been talking about my twinsister, Payton,” I continued babbling to Jazmine. “But fine. Sure. I’ll eat lunch with you. To make Tess’s mom happy.”
    Now I had the opportunity to eat at Jazmine James’s lunch table out of pity. Yee-ha. Well, it couldn’t be worse than sneaking food into the library. I was so glad it was Friday. I needed the weekend to figure out how to get myself back on track. My first week of middle school had been an unqualified disaster.
    I opened up my turkey wrap.
    â€œHi, Jazmine!” A girl walked by our table.
    Jazmine rolled her eyes.
    â€œCourtney Jones,” she said. “She’s the one whose hamster escaped at the science fair last year. She was all crying about her poor pet.”
    â€œThat’s terrible!” I said.
    â€œNo, it was excellent,” Jazmine laughed. “She got last place, because how do you do hamsters going through a maze without a hamster?”
    Harsh .
    â€œShe found the hamster later,” Tess reassured me.
    â€œDid you know Jazmine has the highest IQ in the history of this school?” Hector suddenly announced.
    â€œHecky!” Jazmine slapped his arm playfully. “Emmadoesn’t want to hear about that! Let’s talk about your solo in the youth symphony.”
    â€œHector plays seven instruments,” Tess shared. “He’s a music prodigy.”
    â€œHe’s also a computer whiz,” Jazmine added. “Which is how he hacked into the school database and got everyone’s IQ scores.”
    â€œThe program wasn’t even protected, and the password was obvious,” Hector said. “That’s not hacking. That’s practically advertising to the public.”
    â€œDon’t tell me mine!” squealed Tess. “I don’t even want to know!”
    I chewed my turkey wrap and swallowed hard. If I kept eating, maybe nobody would expect me to talk.
    â€œOkay, I won’t tell you, Tess,” Hector said. “Even though it’s practically the same as mine.”
    â€œImpressive,” Jazmine cooed.
    Then Hector looked at me. He had beady eyes.
    â€œThe data was updated last year, so your IQ score wasn’t entered, Emma,” Hector said. “What is your IQ?”
    Everyone looked at me. Jazmine’s eyes narrowed.
    â€œI don’t know,” I said, my eyes down. “My parents won’t let me find out.”
    â€œDon’t you need to put it in your applications for the gifted programs and challenge competitions?” Jazmine asked me. She had finally recognized my name and told Hector and Tess about my spelling-bee win.
    â€œActually, I am dying to know,” I admitted. “My parents have this thing about not telling. Because I have an identical twin sister, and they don’t want us to