after-school program calledSuperstar Sports. Two days a week, she and a group of volunteers helped the younger kids at school learn how to play soccer and kickball and practice things like teamwork and good sportsmanship.
âWeâre open!â Brooke said. âAnd we have lots of new colors. The polish company is really pushing a fall theme this year.â
âWe thought some of these would be perfect for the ball,â Aly added, securing her chin-length hair in a half-up so it wouldnât fall in her face while she was polishing.
âSounds coolâcan I see?â Jenica asked.
âBut youâre still going to get the rainbow sparkle pedicure today, right?â Brooke said, handing over a bottle of Cider Donuts.
âAbsolutely,â Jenica answered, slipping off her sneakers and socks. âOtherwise, we might kill our winning streak.â Ever since Jenica and the othersoccer players had started getting rainbow sparkle pedicures, theyâd won every single soccer game theyâd played. The girls said it was because their feet had sparkle power, but Aly was pretty sure it was just because they were really good soccer players.
Still, she liked having so many regular customers at Sparkle Spa and especially liked hanging out with Jenica Posner. Sometimes she still couldnât believe that the two of them were friends.
âBut,â Jenica continued, jumping up into a pedicure chair, âIâm thinking I might get something different for the Fall Ball. Because I just bought my shoesâsilver sandals with little heels. Itâs the first time Iâm allowed to wear heels.â
âReally?â Bethany asked, walking into Sparkle Spa. âMy glamma got me my first pair of high heels when I was six. But they were for dress-up only.â
âYour glamma?â Brooke asked.
âYeah, âglamorousâ plus âgrandmaâ equals âglamma,âââ Bethany said. She sat down in the chair next to Jenica and unbuckled her sandals, and Aly and Brooke started the sparkle pedicures. âMy glamma is super-glamorous. She was even in a television commercial once.â
Aly thought about her own grandma, who wore jeans and sweatshirts and was not very glamorous at all. Sheâd never been on TV, either. Aly decided she liked it that way.
âWhich boy do you think is going to get the On the Ball trophy?â Bethany asked.
âEveryone thinks itâs going to be Lucas,â Jenica answered. Aly had never spoken to Lucas Grant, but she knew who he was. He played basketball and the trumpet, and all the girls called him âCute Lucasâ because, well, he was really handsome. Heâd also started a program called Reading Buddies, where sixth graders went into the kindergarten classes toread to the kids. It was a pretty cool program, and Aly hoped it would still be going next year so she could volunteer for it.
âI think itâs going to be Oliver,â Bethany replied, looking at her toes.
âThatâs just because you like him,â Jenica said, rolling her eyes.
âWell, heâs very likeable!â Bethany answered. Aly was pretty sure she was blushing. âBut still, I think he has a good chance. He was the one who got the cafeteria to donate its extra food to homeless shelters, after all. That does more for the community than reading to little kids.â
Just as Aly and Brooke were applying the top coat of clear polish to the rainbow sparkle pedicures, Mia, their next appointment, ran into the spa. Anjuli, the teamâs goalie, was right behind her.
âGuys,â Mia said dramatically, standing in themiddle of the doorframe, âI have crazy news.â
âWhat?â Brooke asked, whipping around to face Mia.
Aly twisted her head to look at Mia too.
From his fenced-in corner, Sparkly even turned to see what was happening.
âPrincess Polish just opened!â Mia said. âCan you
Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Martin A. Lee, Bruce Shlain