Free Bling It On! by Jill Santopolo Page A

carnival.” She held upher hands so that people wouldn’t start talking again and handed the microphone to Assistant Principal Amari.
    â€œHellooooo, boys and girls!” AP Amari said.
    â€œHellooooo, AP Amari!” everyone answered. AP Amari taught the school that call-and-response game at the beginning of each year. Aly liked the way he started an assembly.
    â€œWho has heard of Water World Amusement Park?” he asked.
    â€œMe!” almost everyone answered. Water World was a water park about half an hour’s drive from Aly and Brooke’s house. With fast slides that twisted and turned and the longest lazy river ever, it was a super-fun place. Last year Lily had her birthday party there.
    â€œWho knows that all the money raised at our carnival is donated to the Auden Community Chest group, which helps food banks and other services forpeople who need help in our neighborhood?”
    â€œMe!” fewer people said, mostly sixth graders.
    â€œWell,” said Mr. Amari, “Mr. Molina, the head of the Community Chest and also the owner of Water World told us that whatever we raise this year, he’ll personally double that amount. More money for the Community Chest means we can help more people. So let’s hear it for Mr. Molina!”
    Everyone cheered.
    Mr. Amari went on. “And because of Mr. Molina’s offer, we’ve added a twist this year. Mr. Molina agreed to let us have a competition between the boys—led by me—and the girls—led by Principal Rogers. We’ll see who can raise the most money. If the boys win, theyget a day off from school to go to Water World!”
    The boys stomped their feet. Aly did not. Neither did Lily or Charlotte.
    â€œAnd if the girls raise the most money, they all get a day off from school to go to Water World!”
    This time Aly, Lily, and Charlotte cheered loudly. Lily stuck two fingers in her mouth and made a super-high-pitched whistle.
    â€œGo, girls!” Charlotte shouted.
    Her brother, Caleb, poked her in the shoulder. “Hey, stop that!” he said.
    Then his friend Cameron leaned over. “You girls don’t have a chance. Boys rule and are going to win.”
    Lily leaned across Aly. “Boys don’t rule, they drool,” she told him.
    â€œNo, Lily. You’ll see. Boys will rule.” Then Cameron added, “Let’s make a side bet. If the boys win, you have to bring in a whole batch of those cookies you girls are always talking about.”
    Cookies? What cookies? Aly wondered.
    â€œIt’s a bet, Cameron. You’ll never taste Joan’s awesome cookies,” Charlotte answered this time.
    Joan’s cookies? What did Charlotte just do? How had Mom’s best friend—and the girls’ favorite manicurist—gotten in the middle of this? Now the girls had to win, because Aly didn’t want to have to ask Joan to bake a whole batch of cookies for the boys!
    Mr. Amari tapped the microphone. “Everyone has two days to come up with booth proposals. They are due in the main office by the time school starts on Thursday, and Principal Rogers and I will announce the booths at the end of the day.”
    Aly saw someone’s hand waving in the air in the middle of the room. She realized it was Brooke’s and groaned. What could Brooke possibly have to say? No one else in the auditorium had a question.
    â€œYes, Brooke Tanner?” AP Amari said.
    Brooke stood up. “Do all the girls in the whole school get to go to Water World if the girls’ booths make more money?”
    â€œThey do indeed,” he answered.
    â€œSo how come only the fifth- and sixth-grade girls can run the booths? How come the third graders can’t help?” Brooke tugged on her braid, which Aly knew she did when she was nervous or excited about something. Aly figured she was probably nervous now. But Aly understood why Brooke was asking that question: Brooke wanted a Sparkle