Free Masks by Laurie Halse Anderson Page A

library? I didn’t see you there.”
    “Me, at the library? You must be kidding.” Even though I’m doing better in school since my science teacher, Mr. Carlson, helped me map out a study plan last year, the library is still the last place you’ll find me. “I just finished basketball practice. Sunita, you should have seen it—Darla almost breathed fire when Coach Williams put me in as center. She even elbowed me when the coach wasn’t looking and said I was too short to play that position. Can you believe that? I’ve always played center.” I form a snowball, leap up, and hurl it over a branch. “Jump shot!”
    “Center was Darla’s regular position at her old school, right?” Sunita is more into books than basketball, but even she’s heard that Darla Stone, a new girl at Ambler Middle School, considers herself the star player. I nod yes. “Proceed with caution,” Sunita warns.
    “Guess so,” I agree. Sunita wouldn’t steer me wrong. She always has the right answer.
    “Who are the new patients at the clinic?”Sunita asks. “I missed two whole weeks because of winter break.”
    “Ugh, don’t remind me that Christmas vacation’s already over.” I make a face. “Let’s see, there are some dogs and kittens still boarding. Gran dewormed the kittens today. They’re sooo cute.”
    “Kitties! How many?” Sunita’s a cat person. Cal-ico, Siamese, domestic shorthair, bring them on!
    “Four,” I reply. “There’s also a guinea pig named Podge. He has slobbers.”
    “Sounds awful. What’s that?” asks Sunita. She tears open a bag of pretzels and offers me one.
    I grab one in my gloved hand and toss it in the air. “Basket!” I catch it in my mouth, along with a bunch of snowflakes. “Slobbers is a condition where the guinea pig can’t close his mouth because his teeth have grown too long. I hate to think of Podge not being able to eat properly, or even to shut his mouth.”
    “Can Dr. Mac trim his teeth?” Sunita asks.
    “Yeah. She’s scheduled to do surgery on Podge this Saturday.” Only two more school days until I get to spend the day helping Gran with surgery, playing with kittens, and walking the boarder dogs. Hooray!
    Sunita wraps her scarf tighter. “It sounds like a full house. Are David and Brenna around?” Our friends David Hutchinson and Brenna Lake have been volunteering at Dr. Mac’s Place ever since we needed extra help shutting down an illegal puppy mill last year.
    “David’s around, but Brenna’s family is taking an extra week in Costa Rica. They’re learning about sea turtle nesting habits.” Brenna’s parents are wildlife rehabilitators. It’s so awesome how her whole family’s involved in saving endangered species.
    “It would be nice to be in the tropics right about now,” Sunita sighs as the snow swirls faster. We reach my front door and tap snow off our boots. Even though I’m still sweaty from practice, I shiver as a blast of wind whistles under my hood. We hurry in and close the door quickly.
    “Whew, it’s almost as chilly in here as it is outside.” Sunita takes her coat off but pulls a sweater from her backpack.
    “Gran doesn’t like to heat the house when she’s in the clinic all day.” I flop onto the living room couch and pry off my boots, then hook my ski jacket on a peg in the closet and shiver again. It IS cold in here. My tummy’s rumbling.After basketball practice I could eat a…well, not a horse! I open the fridge. Some yogurt, leftover salad, a bunch of apples. Much too healthy. “Sunita, want some cereal?”
    “No thanks, those pretzels filled me up.” She opens one of Gran’s veterinary magazines to an article on cat grooming.
    I pour a bowl of Froot Loops and milk and gulp it down, then rinse my bowl and leave it in the sink. “Let’s see if Gran needs help.”
    Sunita closes the magazine and follows me through the hallway door to the clinic. Friendly barks from the boarding kennels greet us.
    “Gran?” I call as we