Free The Friendship Riddle by Megan Frazer Blakemore Page B

going to turn the Salt and Sea Shack into a real nice sit-down restaurant.”
    â€œI love the Salt and Sea Shack!” I exclaimed. It was out by the piers and you could get the best fried clams and milk shakes.
    Lena rolled her eyes. “You and every yokel who makes his way up the coast.”
    I reddened.
    She didn’t seem to notice. “You’d feel differently if your whole house smelled like oil and sour clams.”
    â€œYour family owns the Salt and Sea Shack?”
    â€œThird generation,” she said. She twisted her hair and the streak of red flashed for a moment.
    â€œI like the red in your hair,” I told her.
    â€œIt’s a compromise,” she replied, letting her hair fall back down. “It’s all my mom would let me do. I wanted to dye the ends red all around, red and orange so it would look like coal on fire.”
    â€œThat’s what I thought when I saw it!” I said. “Like it was a log in a fire, only you can’t see that it’s still hot until you turn it over.”
    â€œA secret fire? I kind of like that.” She smiled to herself. “Coco’s watching you.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œDon’t look. He stopped watching.”
    â€œHe’s helping me with the spelling bee. He probably just wants to know if we’re going to practice today.”
    â€œAre you?”
    I shook my head. “I want to get that science homework done before the weekend.”
    â€œWanna do it together during study hall?” She paused. “Are you in study hall?”
    â€œI usually go to Ms. Lawson’s room. I’m her student aide.”
    â€œWhat does that mean?”
    â€œI help her out.” I poked at my half-eaten sandwich. “Though really most of the time I just read.”
    â€œCool. So, do you?”
    â€œDo I what?”
    â€œWant to work on the science together?”
    I hesitated. I don’t like working with other kids on schoolwork, because, frankly, they are usually just too slow. And, anyway, this entire conversation had been utterly perplexing. Half the time she was being nice, and the other half she seemed to be insulting me. “Maybe.”
    â€œHey, it’s no great shakes or anything. I was just asking.”
    â€œNo, we can. I just need to tell Coco.”
    â€œSo go tell him.”
    â€œRight now?”
    â€œYes, right now. But first wipe the peanut butter off your face.”

    Coco, Adam, and Dev were huddled around something in the center of their table. When I got closer, it just seemed to be a plain plastic cup of water, about half-empty. Coco lifted his head and looked up at me through his brown hair. A grin spread on his face, and I was afraid I was about to be asked to settle another bet. “Ruth!” he said. “Hi!”
    â€œHi,” I said. He kept staring up at me and I realized that it was still my turn to talk. “I, um, I came to say I can’t study for the spelling bee today.”
    â€œOh,” he said. The smile faltered.
    â€œTomorrow I can.”
    â€œTomorrow is Saturday,” Adam said.
    â€œRight. Monday, then.”
    Coco stared at the cup of water.
    â€œYeah, Lena wants me to help her—I mean, Lena and I are going to do the science homework together.”
    Coco picked up a packet of salt, ripped open the top, and dumped it on the table. “Well, that makes sense.”
    â€œIf you’re looking for someone to study words with—” Dev began.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” I interrupted.
    â€œI’m going to balance this cup on its edge.” Coco’s eyes were focused on the cup, and his hands hovered just beside it.
    â€œWe’re each going to give him a dollar if he can,” Adam said. “And if he can’t, he has to give each of us a dollar. You want in?”
    I shook my head. Looking back over my shoulder, I sawLena. She leaned her elbows on the table with her chin in her hand and