Free Fabulous Five 003 - The Popularity Trap by Betsy Haynes Page A

voice from behind them. Christie turned to see who had made the
remark. It was Melissa McConnell. She and Funny Hawthorne had taken seats in
the next row up, and both were wearing Melissa's campaign ribbons in their
hair.
    "There are orange peelings all over school and the
school ground, Christie Winchell," Melissa continued in a voice loud
enough for everyone in the cheering section to hear. "Some of the boys
were even throwing oranges at each other. And it's all your fault! I'm
campaigning to clean up that awful unsanitary gum tree in front, and you're
handing out garbage. I don't know why you think you should be
elected."
    Funny looked embarrassed.
    "You're just mad because you didn't think of the
oranges first," Katie shot back at her.
    "Did you hear about the mystery candidate?" asked
Richie Corrierro, who was sitting in front of them. "I'm glad there's no
mystery candidate running for treasurer. I wouldn't have a chance."
    "Who do you think it is?" asked Marcie Bee, who
was sitting nearby. Instantly everyone seemed to forget about Melissa's angry
accusations and started talking about the mystery candidate again. Christie
looked at Jon, and they both had to turn away to keep from laughing.
    "Oh, look. There go the team captains," cried
Jana. Randy and Shane were walking out to the center of the field to meet the
Black Rock captains. Randy called the toss of the coin and won and elected to
receive the kickoff. Christie thought she had never seen Jana look so proud.
    The teams were evenly matched, and they played hard. Randy
threw passes and Scott and Shane ran and caught balls, but the Black Rock
defense stopped them whenever they got near the goal line. The Wakeman defense
was just as tough. Neither team was able to score in the first half, and both
sides looked tired when they went to the dressing rooms at halftime.
    Jana motioned Christie closer. She leaned sideways, and the
two of them and Katie put their heads together.
    "Wait until the team comes out again with the stickers
on their helmets. It's the best publicity you've had so far, Christie. I'm just
glad Laura and Tammy are down on the field where they can see them up close,"
Jana whispered and then giggled.
    "Laura will absolutely boil," Katie whispered
back. "I just wish we were closer so we could see her face."
    Frowning, Christie sat back down again. In the excitement
over persuading Curtis to be the mystery candidate, she had forgotten all about
the stickers that the football team would wear when they returned to the field
from the halftime break. Jana had been right about one thing, she thought. They
would be terrific publicity—but for the wrong candidate. What she needed now
was less publicity, not more. What would she do if Curtis announced that he was
the mystery candidate and she won the election anyway?
    She looked where he and Whitney were seated. Curtis was
talking to everyone around him. He's a natural candidate, Christie thought. She
had meant it when she told him she thought he would probably be a senator
someday. Or maybe president. Besides, he had to start his career someplace, and
Wacko Junior High was as good as any. Christie Winchell and Jon Smith, kingmakers,
she thought, giggling to herself as she glanced quickly at Jon.
    The players came back onto the field, and Christie looked
hard at their helmets. On the back, as plain as could be, were the big orange
stickers.
    Richie Corrierro was the first to notice. "What's that
on the back of the players' helmets?" he asked. Everyone leaned forward to
see.
    "What is that?" everyone started to ask.
    Christie saw the cheerleaders turn to look at the players.
Laura McCall froze as she stared at them, and then her fists went on her hips,
and she huffed angrily over to Beth and Melanie and started shouting. Christie
wished she could hear.
    Christie could see the word being passed back from the kids
who had seats near the field like a gigantic wave. Finally it reached where
they were sitting.
    "It says,