Free Secret of the School Suitor by Jessica Anderson, David Ouro Page A

fashion.
    Divya hadn’t noticed the green shirt before.
    Was Bus Driver McCool looking for a new job, or was he going to work a second job?
    As Bus Driver McCool drove the remaining route to school, Javier drew a silly looking cat peeking out of a rocket ship. Divya got lost in thought about the receipt and how strange Bus Driver McCool was acting. Then something even stranger happened.

Divya Decides to Help
    â€œHold on tight!” Bus Driver McCool cried out. He revved the bus engine. Divya looked up just in time to see that the bus driver nearly ran a red light. Some small car honked as the school bus roared by. Maybe their bus driver really had been a race car driver!
    â€œI’m calling my lawyer,” Klaude said once Bus Driver McCool slowed down. Several kids on the bus laughed.
    Leave it to Klaude to make a joke. Divya didn’t want to think about Bus Driver McCool getting in serious trouble. All year long and all last year, Bus Diver McCool had been the best bus driver ever. Something was up. Divya was determined to figure it out.
    â€œSee you in a few minutes,” Divya said toJavier. She took her time getting off the bus so she would have a chance to talk to Bus Driver McCool without nosy people like Klaude listening in.
    Divya was surprised to see a black suit hanging behind the bus driver’s seat. She hadn’t noticed it when she boarded the bus, but then again, she was too caught off guard. Not to mention finding the bizarre receipt. Queeneka hadn’t noticed the suit either or else she wouldn’t have made that comment about his clothes.
    Bus Driver McCool wasn’t the type to get dressed up. The fanciest thing Divya ever saw Bus Driver McCool wear was a button down shirt when he attended Back to School Night with Coach Shorts. Though there were lots of rumors about the bus driver, everyone at Watson knew for a fact that Bus Driver McCool was crazy about Coach Shorts.
    Just as Bus Driver McCool started to apologize to Divya again, she cut him off. “Is everything okay?”
    His shoulders sagged. “I, well, I have big plans and there is a lot going on right now.”

    Like that could count as a real explanation! Divya waited for him to say more but then he added, “Thanks for your concern but I shouldn’t say anything to anyone else. Things are complicated enough. I need to take care of a few things on campus so you’ll have to excuse me.”
    Divya must have looked upset because Bus Driver McCool smiled at her as he helped her down the bus stairs. “Thanks for being such a nice kid.”
    â€œThanks for being such a nice bus driver,” she said.
    Bus Driver McCool laughed. “I’m not a perfect one, that’s for sure!”
    Bus Driver McCool left the bus parked in the front of the school with the flashers on. Divya didn’t know much about driving a bus, but she did know that the bus probably should’ve been parked in a different spot.
    Javier stood waiting for Divya near the sidewalk, ready to walk to morning assembly together. “What’s going on?” he asked.
    â€œSomething’s up with Bus Driver McCool,” she said.
    â€œNo joke,” Javier said. “Maybe his mom’s sick and he’s worried about her.”
    Why hadn’t Divya thought of that sooner? Her dad hadn’t said anything about Mrs. McCool getting sick, but maybe the flowers were for her. Then another thought worried her. Maybe Bus Driver McCool found out that his mom didn’t have much longer to live and the suit was going to be for her funeral!
    Divya watched as Bus Driver McCool walked away. She was curious about the things he needed to take care of. “I want to help him,” she said.
    â€œI know, but how?” Javier asked.
    The other students had gone into the school, and morning assembly would start in a few minutes. “I’m going to follow him to see what I can find out. The more we know, the more