Free Girls Acting Catty by Leslie Margolis Page B

asked.
    Everyone else nodded.
    â€œShe likes his accent,” Rachel said, rolling her eyes. “That’s what I heard, anyway.”
    Cute and sweet Oliver and snobby Jesse the Jolly Green Giant were going out? How had I missed all this?
    I wondered if everyone else was going to get boyfriends now, too. And if so, did that mean I was supposed to find one? How did someone do that, anyway? I was dying to know, but it’s not like I could just ask.
    Luckily, no one else in our group mentioned having boyfriends, or wanting boyfriends.
    Emma didn’t stop smiling all through lunch. Her whole face seemed to radiate with joy, like it was her birthday, or she’d won the state Mathlete competition—again. I was happy for her, but still worried that things would change.
    Here’s the thing, though. Not much did. We still shared a table with the Corn Dog Boys, and we still ignored each other, for the most part. But every day, after they finished eating and got ready to leave, Joe would smile and kind of half wave at Emma on his way to the garbage can. And Emma would kind of half smile and wave back at him.
    It was nice— sweet in a warm-and-fuzzy-feeling kind of way. Things were cool, at least until Taylor and her friends found out about the relationship.
    â€œIs it true that your friend Irma is going out with Joe Johnson?” Taylor asked me in PE, about a week later. If I didn’t count that time she made fun of my shoelaces, this was the first time she’d spoken to me since our leg-shaving conversation.
    â€œUm, my friend Emma is going out with Joe. I don’t know his last name, though.”
    Taylor rolled her eyes like I was being difficult on purpose. “He’s the guy who eats lunch at your table. The one who sits with Tobias and Erik, right?”
    I nodded. “Yeah, that’s him.”
    Taylor flipped her hair over one shoulder, huffed—all dramatic— like she was beyond annoyed and then faced forward.
    â€œWhat?” I asked, although I probably should’ve known better.
    â€œNothing.”
    I figured that would be it, but a few seconds later, she turned around again and said, “Actually, you should tell her to look out, because I don’t think he’s over Jesse.”
    â€œWhat?” I asked.
    â€œI’m just saying . . . you should warn your friend, Joe never wanted to break up with Jesse. When she dumped him, he practically begged her to change her mind. There were tears in his eyes. I almost felt sorry for the guy, but at the same time, it was kind of pathetic. You know?”
    â€œUm, why are you telling me this?” I asked.
    â€œI just think Irma should be careful.”
    â€œEmma.”
    â€œWhatever.”
    Taylor had to know Emma’s name. They’d gone to school together since kindergarten, but I decided to leave that one alone. “Be careful of what?” I asked.
    â€œEveryone is saying Joe is just using Emma to get over Jesse, which makes sense, when you think about it. I mean you know what they say about rebound chicks.”
    I had no idea what they said about rebound chicks, or even what a rebound chick was. Somehow I doubted it had anything to do with basketball. Or baby chickens.
    Just then Ms. Chang blew her whistle and yelled for everyone to quiet down.
    Taylor faced forward, leaving me to stare at her back. She crossed her legs and hugged her knees. Her final words just hung there, like her shiny, dangly earrings. Or— more accurately—like a threat.

chapter nine
me-ouch!
    I took Pepper over to Yumi’s on Saturday afternoon. I was excited about meeting her new cat, but more importantly, I was relieved I could get away from Jason for a few hours. It seemed like whenever he was around I said or did something stupid. Or literally choked. I didn’t know what my problem was, but until I figured it out, I decided to avoid him as much as possible.
    When I got to her house, she was on