Free Shingaling by R. J. Palacio Page A

Summer, poking Ximena in the shoulder. “I knew it. We were your plan B for this weekend.”
    I started poking her, too.
    “I’m sorry!” said Ximena, laughing because we had started tickling her. “But it doesn’t mean I don’t want to hang out with you guys, too!”
    “Have you had any other sleepovers in the last month?” Summer asked.
    We were tickling her a lot at this point.
    “Yes!” she giggled. “I’m sorry! I didn’t invite you to those, either. I’m not good at mixing my friend groups! But I’ll get better next year, I promise.”
    “Do you even
like
Savanna?” I said, giving her one last poke.
    Ximena made a face that I realized was a perfect imitation of Savanna’s
eww
expression.
    Now Summer and I started laughing.
    “Shh!” said Ximena, patting the air to remind us to keep quiet.
    “Shh!” said Summer.
    “Shh!” I said.
    We all settled down.
    “Okay, I have to admit,” Ximena said quietly, “she’s been
really
annoying ever since I started spending time with you guys rehearsing. She was so mad when she wasn’t picked for the dance!”
    “Probably mad that I got picked instead of her,” said Summer.
    “Actually, no, she was mad at Charlotte,” Ximena answered, pointing her thumb at me.
    “I knew it!” I said.
    Ximena leaned her head on one shoulder. “She said…and this is
her
talking, not
me
…that you always get the good parts in shows at Beecher Prep because the teachers know you were in TV commercials when you were little. And that you try really hard to always be a teacher’s pet.”
    “What. The. Heck?” I said, stupefied. “That is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.”
    Ximena shrugged. “I’m just telling you what she told me and Ellie.”
    “But Ellie knows that’s not true,” I said.
    “Trust me,” answered Ximena. “Ellie never says anything to contradict Savanna.”
    “I don’t get why she’s always
hated
me,” I said, shaking my head.
    “Savanna doesn’t hate you,” Summer answered, reaching over to take Ximena’s glasses off of her face. “I think, if anything, she’s probably always been a little jealous of you and Ellie being best friends.”
    “Really?” I said. “Why?”
    Summer shrugged. She tried on Ximena’s glasses. “Well, you know, you and Ellie tended to be kind of cliquey. I think Savanna probably felt a little left out.”
    This had never,
ever
occurred to me.
    “I had no idea anyone felt that way,” I said. “I mean,
seriously,
no idea. Are you sure? Did other people feel this way? Did
you
?”
    Summer let the glasses fall to the tip of her nose. “Kind of. But I wasn’t in any of your classes, so I didn’t care. Savanna was in
all
your classes.”
    “Wow,” I said, biting the inside of my cheek, which is a nervous habit I have.
    “I wouldn’t worry about it, though,” said Summer, putting Ximena’s glasses on my face now. “It doesn’t matter anymore. You look really good in those.”
    “I don’t want Savanna to hate me, though!” I said.
    “Why do you care so much about what Savanna thinks?” asked Ximena.
    “Don’t
you
care what she thinks?” I asked. “Let’s face it, you’re different when you’re around her, too.”
    “That’s true,” said Summer, taking the glasses off my face. She started cleaning them with her pajama top.
    “You’re much nicer when you’re not with her,” I said.
    Ximena was twisting her hair with her finger. “Everyone’s a little mean in middle school, don’t you think?”
    “No!” said Summer, putting the glasses back on Ximena’s face.
    “Not even a little?” Ximena answered, raising her right eyebrow.
    “No,” Summer repeated, adjusting the glasses so they were straight. “No one has to be mean. Ever.” She leaned back to inspect the glasses.
    “Well, that’s what you think because you’re a saint,” teased Ximena.
    “Oh my gosh, if you call me that one more time!” laughed Summer, tossing her pillow at Ximena.
    “Summer Dawson, you did