Free Freaked Out by Annie Bryant Page A

and math book into her overnight bag. Then she started up her laptop to check if the rest of the BSG had left for Charlotte’s yet.

    The plan was for the BSG to help her understand math tonight. If Maeve had her choice, she would rather playmusic and dance. Instead, she was actually spending a free night on math. The test was history…at least until they got their scores. The BSG were awfully nice to offer to help. And who knows? Maeve thought as she twisted her hair into a hair clip. Maybe they could actually help her pass a makeup test. Ms. Kaplan dropped Maeve off, which was good, since Maeve didn’t feel like walking. She was sure that she would perk up the minute she got to the Tower with her friends.
    â€œMaeve, so, are you all right? We were so worried about you.” Katani didn’t wait for an answer and instead handed Maeve a handful of Swedish fish. “I’m surprised your mother let you come, but we would have rescued you if she hadn’t.”
    â€œYeah, it’s time for all of us to be together and catch up.” Charlotte led the way from her room up to the Tower. “Did you bring any music?”
    â€œOf course. You’re going to love it.” Maeve felt like a new person. She was thrilled that her friends wanted to dance. Dancing made you forget all your troubles. Even Avery, who originally resisted the idea of dancing at their sleepovers, had come around. “Dancing,” she proclaimed, “was almost as good as bowling.” The BSG had laughed so hard at that, but Avery insisted that she was not kidding. “Bowling is cool.” Was there any sport that Avery didn’t like? wondered Maeve.
    Katani turned up the CD and the BSG began to shake it up. Maeve danced on an old couch with Marty, who seemed to like the music. He even barked to the beat once or twice. Isabel went spinning around the room whileKatani rocked back and forth. Katani was still uncertain about her dancing skills, even when she was in front of her best friends. Maeve told her that she was getting better. But Katani, who was confident about her schoolwork and her fashion sense, felt completely incompetent about dancing. Slow and steady was her motto and not even Maeve’s urging to “break away” could influence her to change.
    â€œOkay.” Avery took charge. “Are we just going to relax and have fun, or should we stick with our plan to help Maeve?”
    â€œYou are helping me. Look how happy I am,” she exclaimed as she executed a wild dance step that left the other BSG with their mouths hanging open.
    â€œAnd the Best Dance Video Routine goes to…drum roll, please…Maeve Kaplan-Taylor,” announced Isabel. “Take a bow, Ms. Kaplan-Taylor,”
    â€œAnd then pull out your math book,” added Charlotte with a wry smile.
    Maeve’s happy smile turned into a sad clown face.
    â€œYou can’t fake us out, Maeve. We have a mission to complete and we are all on it,” Avery said as she slid off the Lime Swivel, their vintage salon chair.
    Maeve laughed without much enthusiasm. She knew her friends meant well, but she wanted to forget school for the evening. “I vote for relaxing for a while.”
    â€œAnything we do together will be fun.” Isabel poured everyone a cup of lemonade.
    Katani stood up—a clipboard in her hand. “Okay, team BSG. Find a comfortable place and listen up.” Isabel, Maeve, Charlotte, and Avery scrambled to find theirfavorite Tower spots. Charlotte settled on the window seat. Maeve flung herself across the rug and plumped a pillow under her head. Avery scooted back into the Lime Swivel, while Isabel snuggled down next to Marty, who had fallen asleep on his favorite pillow. Four pairs of intent eyes turned to Katani who looked very much like the executive in charge.
    â€œOkay, BSG, I did a Web search and found out some really interesting things about math and why some kids do really