Free The New Girl by Meg Cabot Page B

step too far.
    “So Allie better know what to do,” Mark concluded.
    Dad looked thoughtful. “Right,” he said. “But, you know, your mother wouldn’t approve of fighting.”
    “But, Dad,” I said, “Mark’s right. Whether or not Mom approves, I have to know how to defend myself, right? Because she’s not going to be able to protect me twenty-four hours a day.”
    “Still,” Dad said. Now he looked uncomfortable. “I—”
    I gulped. “What’s that?” I said. “I think I hear Mom calling. I better go downstairs and see what she wants.”
    I ran out of the room. I didn’t really hear Mom calling, of course. I made that part up. I just didn’t want to think about what Rosemary might do to me if Dad told Mom what was going on, and Mom called Mrs. Hunter, and Mrs. Hunter said something to her about it. I walked into the kitchen just as Mom was hanging up the phone.
    “Good news,” Mom said.
    I didn’t think the news could be that Rosemary Dawkins had been picked to star in her own Disney series and was moving to Hollywood and I’d never have to see her again. I knew that would be too much to hope for.
    “That was Mrs. Hauser on the phone just now,” Mom said. “Lady Serena and the kittens are doing so well the veterinary hospital is sending them home. Mrs. Hauser says Lady Serena has finally started feeding them and caring for them, and in a few days, they should start growing fur and opening their eyes. And then you’ll be able to go over and pick the one that you want—though they’ll still need to stay with their mother for a few more weeks until they’re weaned.”
    I just stood there, so shocked I didn’t know what to say. What with all the bad news I’d been having lately, I couldn’t believe there was actually a piece of good news!
    “Is there a striped one?” I asked her. “An adorable gray-and-black-striped one with a white belly and white socks on its feet?”
    “I don’t know,” Mom said. “Like Mrs. Hauser just said, none of them has any fur yet. They’re hairless, like newts.”
    “Stop saying they’re like newts,” I shouted. “Baby kittens don’t look anything like newts! Newts are slimy and green! Baby kittens are cute!”
    “There’s no need to shout, Allie,” Mom said. “I have enough problems, with your father springing this visit from Grandma on me.”
    “Visits from Grandma are fun,” I said, surprised. “She always brings us stuff.”
    “Yeah,” Mom said, popping open the freezer, since our stove still hadn’t arrived. Tonight we were having salad and frozen French bread pizzas. I was going to have to peel the cheese off mine and scrape all the tomato sauce off, since one of my rules is Never eat anything red. “Right. I just don’t exactly have this house ready for visitors yet.”
    “Well, Dad’s got the bed ready.” We both listened as a few more swears floated down from upstairs. “Almost,” I added.
    “The truth is, Allie,” Mom said, with a sigh, “this house is never going to be ready enough for your grandmother.”
    I didn’t know what Mom meant by that.
    I got to find out when Grandma arrived later that week, though.

RULE #7
Ask Old People What to Do Because They Know Everything
    I managed to avoid Rosemary—and having to punch her in the stomach, and then the nose—by never venturing out onto the playground at recess by myself. I always had my queens with me. For some reason, Rosemary wasn’t willing to beat me up when other people were around, watching. I wasn’t sure why.
    Although I suspected it was because she didn’t want any witnesses who could testify against her. I saw that in a movie once.
    Just as things sort of started looking up, Mrs. Hunter made the announcement that there was going to be a special all-star finalist spelling bee. The final ten from the fourth-grade spelling bee would be going up againstthe top ten fifth-grade spellers. The winner of this spelling bee would be the top speller in our school and