Free Fabulous Five 024 - The Great TV Turnoff by Betsy Haynes

pizza.
Katie was crammed into a booth with the rest of The Fabulous Five and with
Randy, Shane, and Keith.
    She looked around at the crowd. The Fabulous Five had gone
by Bumpers on the way to the pizza place, and it had looked crowded, too. Katie
guessed that Taco Plenty and the other fast-food restaurants were also filled.
If Laura was still having her television party, there couldn't be many people
there. At least she hoped not.
    "Having the cheerleaders perform was a great idea,
Katie," said Jana. "When I saw the looks on the Wakeman kids' faces,
I knew they weren't going to let Branford beat us in the TV turnoff."
    "Even the McNatts are here," said Melanie. "I
never would have believed that."
    "And look," Christie chimed in. "There's Tony
sitting with Bill and Scott. They didn't go to Laura's party, either. Aren't
you glad, Katie?"
    Katie shrugged. "Maybe they got their school spirit
back today."
    "I don't think so," said Randy. "They decided
not to go before this afternoon. Tony was all over Bill and Scott about going
to Laura's party. He was unmerciful."
    "What?" cried Katie. She couldn't believe
what she was hearing.
    Shane nodded. "Tony was really on their case. I haven't
seen him so carried away since Mr. Bell told him he couldn't wear an earring to
school."
    Katie stared across the room at Tony. Were Randy and Shane
telling the truth? Had Tony really been on her side all along? But why had he
talked Bill and Scott out of going to Laura's party, she wondered, when he was
so angry with her?
    As she was watching, Tony left his booth and went to stand
in one of the food lines.
    Katie jumped to her feet. "Excuse me. I need to get
out."
    Tony was concentrating on the list of pizzas and soft drinks
and didn't notice Katie when she got in line behind him. Katie cleared her
throat, but he still didn't notice, so she tugged on his sleeve.
    Tony turned around, looking surprised. "Oh, Your Honor."
    "Hi," Katie responded softly. "I just heard
that you talked Bill and Scott out of going to Laura's party and breaking their
TV turnoff contracts. Thanks."
    He smiled at her, and then the two of them stood there
awkwardly for a few seconds. Finally Katie took a deep breath.
    "I'm sorry, I . . ." she began, just as Tony said
the same thing. They stopped and looked at each other in surprise.
    "I'm sorry I was so stubborn," Tony said quickly.
    "That's exactly what I was going to say," said
Katie. "I got angry instead of talking."
    Tony smiled and took Katie's hand. "I should have been
able to see that you were upset over my watching baseball all the time, but by
the time I did realize it, I thought you were organizing the turnoff to get
back at me."
    Katie grinned. "I did want you to stop watching TV, but
that's not why I was involved in the turnoff. Actually, the turnoff was my mom's
idea, and I was just as mad at her for starting it as you were at me. But when
kids at school started bad-mouthing her, I had to get involved. Now I'm glad I
did."
    "Me, too," Tony said. There was a twinkle in his
eye as he added, "Actually, since the turnoff, I've been reading about the
games in the newspaper. Some of the write-ups are pretty good, and I haven't
missed watching them on TV as much as I thought I would. And I've got to tell
you, I've been reading all the stats, too, so now I'm really an expert on
baseball."
    Katie groaned. "Oh, no. Now you'll never have time for
me."
    Tony shook his head, looking more serious. "Yes, I will,
Your Honor."
    She looked up at him and squeezed his hand.
     
    "I heard there was no one, but no one , at Laura's
party Saturday," Beth said gleefully. The Fabulous Five were gathered at
their spot by the fence on Monday morning.
    "I passed her when I got to school just now, and she
stuck her nose in the air," reported Jana. "She's really mad."
    "Too bad," said Katie, grinning.
    As they were talking, Lisa Snow ran up. "Oh, Katie,"
said Lisa happily, "I wanted to tell you, my parents read your mother's
article about