Free Fabulous Five 028 - Breaking Up by Betsy Haynes Page A

pizza.
Someday somebody's going to have to explain to Katie that everyone's not crazy
about très gourmet food, she thought. She felt more relaxed now, so she
said, "I really need to talk to you. I've got a humongous problem with
Beth."
    "Yeah . . . I heard." The funny sound came back
into Katie's voice.
    Jana blinked in astonishment. "You heard ? "
    "Beth stopped by my house on her way home from the
library, and she told me all about how you broke up with Randy and then sneaked
behind her back to get Keith. Frankly, Jana, I couldn't believe you'd do such a
thing, but obviously you did."
    "Katie!" Jana cried. "Give me a break! How
can you possibly believe that? I'm one of your best friends!"
    Katie didn't say anything for a minute. "I always had a
hard time buying your story about wanting to test your relationship with Randy
by breaking up and dating other boys. I mean, it just didn't make sense. But
now it does. You had a secret crush on Keith, and you had to break up with Randy
so you could go after him. I'm really surprised at you, Jana. Beth was your
best friend, and she really trusted you."
    Jana drew in a sharp breath. Maybe she should have told her
friends the story about her father and her mother. No, she thought, that's
private. Mom told me about it in confidence. I couldn't tell Randy, and I can't
tell my best friends now.
    Jana stared at the telephone for a long time after she and
Katie hung up. Had Beth talked to Melanie, too? If she had, there was no use in
Jana's talking to her. Melanie thought of herself as an expert on boys, and she
had been horrified when Jana broke up with Randy, calling her reason
ridiculous. What would she think now, if she had already heard Beth's side of
the story?
    With a sigh, Jana called Melanie's house. Jeffy, Melanie's
six-year-old brother, answered.
    "Edwards residence. Mr. Jeffy Edwards speaking,"
he said proudly.
    Jana smiled in spite of herself "Mr. Jeffy, this is
Jana. Is Melanie there?"
    "Yup," he said, and the phone clattered on the
table as he raced off, calling his sister's name.
    A moment later he was back. "This is Mr. Jeffy
again. She said to tell you she's not home. Bye."
    Before Jana could protest, the dial tone buzzed in her ear.
    Jana replaced the receiver on its hook and looked around the
room in despair. Beth had talked to Melanie—that was obvious—and now,
just when she had thought that things couldn't possibly get worse, they had!
Katie and Melanie had taken sides with Beth. And not only were she and Randy
broken up, and Beth and Keith broken up, but it looked as if The Fabulous Five
might break up, too!
     
    Jana dreaded going to school the next morning. Rumors always
spread like wildfire at Wakeman, and she was sure that anybody who hadn't heard
about Beth's accusations by now would before the bell rang for class. It would
make juicy gossip, the kind that would keep kids whispering behind her back for
days.
    She knew the instant she reached the school ground that she
had been right. Nobody looked at her as she walked along.
    She stopped when she saw Beth and Katie and Melanie standing
by the fence. She had been automatically heading that way. The Fabulous Five
met there every morning to talk and giggle and wait for the bell.
    But what about today? Would they want her standing there
with them? Would they even talk to her if she went over to join them? She had
an awful feeling in the pit of her stomach that they wouldn't. They weren't
looking her way, either, but she was certain they knew she was there.
    They should also know that I would never stoop so low as to
steal my best friend's boyfriend! Jana wanted to shout. I shouldn't have to
convince them of anything!
    She spun around and marched off toward the building, but she
didn't go inside. Her shoulders sagged as she tried to decide what to do. She
certainly couldn't go to The Fabulous Five's spot by the fence. Still, she
couldn't help looking toward her former friends, and when she did, she saw that
Beth