Free Fabulous Five 016 - The Hot-Line Emergency by Betsy Haynes

Katie.
    "Do you guys think your parents will let you do it?"
Christie asked.
    "I'll just tell them it's something The Fabulous Five
are doing," said Melanie. "They think you all are the greatest,
anyway." The others agreed it would be no problem at all.
    Christie folded up the map after her friends had left and
smiled to herself. It hadn't taken much to get everything to fall in place. Now
that she knew who the mystery caller was, the trick was for her to prove it. To do that, she needed the help of her best friends and Mr. Snider.
     
    Christie practically skipped down the halls the next day.
When she saw Jon between classes, she walked up behind him and put her arm
through his and walked him to his next class. The silly smile on his face made
her glad she had done it. She would definitely have a heart-to-heart talk with
him as soon as she had the hot-line problem straightened out.
    In algebra class that afternoon, Mr. Snider reminded
everyone that the class was meeting after school for the special computer
project. There were four kids who couldn't be there, and he told them to meet
him after class, and he would make special arrangements for them to use the
programs.
    After he dismissed the class, Christie called out, "Mr.
Snider, do we do the odd-numbered problems again?" He seemed not to hear
her.
    Curtis said, "What else?" and the other kids
laughed.
    Christie's stomach was doing flip-flops when she walked into
the homework hot-line center that evening. She felt as if the fate of the world
rested on her shoulders. For the first time she was actually hoping that the
mystery caller would call.
    Tim Riggs waved, and Pam Wolthoff called out hello. Mr.
Snider was at his table at the back of the room grading papers. He looked up,
smiled his kindly smile, and gave her a big wink.
    Christie went through her usual routine of sharpening
pencils and checking her books to make sure they were all there. She purposely
did her chores slowly and breathed deeply to keep down the excitement in her.
The worst thing she could do now was to get nervous and blow it.
    Finally, she was ready. I wonder what he is really like, she
mused as she sat down at her cubicle. The only real contact she had had with
the boy was the few telephone calls, and she had learned very little about him.
Was he lonely and needed attention? Was that part of the reason he did the
things he was doing? What were his family and home life like? She thought she
was finally beginning to understand him a little, and what she knew made her
believe that it wasn't all his fault.
    "RIINGG!"
    Christie picked up the phone and turned so she could see Mr.
Snider. He nodded and picked up the phone on his desk delicately with two
fingers.
    "This is the homework hot-line center, how may I help
you?" She drew in her breath, waiting for the response.
    "Hi," came back a cheerful girl's voice. "I'm
having trouble with a paper I have to write for English, and I thought maybe
you could help me."
    Christie let out the breath she hadn't realized she was
holding in. "What's the problem you're having?" she asked.
    After she had helped the girl, Christie nervously rearranged
the things on her desk for something to do. The algebra book lying above her
pad of paper was hard to ignore. She moved it to one side.
    The phone rang again. She looked quickly at Mr. Snider, who
picked up his phone.
    "Homework hot-line center, how may I help you?"
    "I need help with my Family Living homework." It
was a boy, but not the mystery caller. "On page fifty-six, there's a
problem about . . ." Christie grabbed for the Family Living textbook on
the shelf and pulled it down.
    After two more calls, Christie felt exhausted from the
nervous tension of waiting. Wasn't he going to call? Everything was set up for
him. Is my plan going to be just a waste? she wondered. Has the caller found
out some way that I'm on to him? Christie looked back to see what Mr. Snider
was doing. He was away from his table and talking to