Free Mackenzie Blue by Tina Wells Page B

“You must have been soooo embarrassed by that note on the music room board.” Zee felt herself turn bright red. After all this time, she had thought everyone had forgotten about the note. It figured that Kathi would bring it up. “Why would someone write that?” Kathi asked. “It was really mean.”
    â€œWell…uh…ummm,” Zee stammered, trying to finda way to avoid telling Kathi it was a quote from her diary. “I don’t know.” Duh.
    â€œI’m just glad nobody’s done anything else to you.”
    â€œActually…,” Zee began, “I think someone took my diary the first day of school.”
    Jen gasped.
    â€œNo way,” Kathi said. “That’s awful.”
    Zee told Kathi and Jen about the text she had gotten at Marcus’s party.
    â€œThat must have ruined your whole evening,” Kathi said. “Who do you think it was?”
    Zee shook her head. “I don’t know, but—”
    Kathi cut Zee off. “ I think it was Chloe.”
    â€œYeah,” Jen said. “She’s new and she carries a homemade bag.”

    Huh? It was the weirdest reason Zee had ever heard for accusing someone of theft. Owning a glue gun didn’t make Chloe a criminal! “Well…I think Chloe’s bag is really cool. I decorated mine, too,” Zee said.
    Kathi gave Jen a disgusted look, then stepped in front of her. “Oh, your bag is adorable! But it’s just decorated. Chloe’s is made from scratch.”
    Even though Zee didn’t get why sewing qualified a person for the FBI’s Most Wanted, she didn’t feel like arguing. Still, talking about the bags made Zee’s mind flash. She had let Chloe hold her bag on the first day of school. Then, the day the note appeared on the whiteboard, Zee and Mr. P had left Chloe all alone in the music room. Did Chloe really have to use Zee’s bathroom before Marcus’s party, or was she looking for something—to steal?
    Zee reached the front of the line and placed her order: “Buffalo wings and french fries, please.” Since Mrs. Carmichael almost never let Zee and Adam eat junk food, they looked forward to the chance to eat out and get what they wanted.
    Kathi and Jen got their food, too. As they headed back to their seats, Zee recognized a few older students from Brookdale Academy. Of course, Kathi actually knew them and talked to them like they were her best friends. The smell from the fries teased Zee’s nose, but with her snack in onehand and Adam’s in the other, even one bite was impossible. It seemed to take forever to get across the lawn as they creeped from one person to the next. Until finally they were on their way.
    â€œHey, Kathi!” a voice called out.
    Screech! Putting on the brakes, Zee turned to see who Kathi’s latest fan was. Marcus! Finally someone she knew, too!
    â€œDid Landon come with you?” Kathi wondered. Of course, Zee had the same question, but there was no way she was going to ask.
    â€œNo, he heard there were going to be some monster waves tonight, so he’s surfing.” Zee tried not to let on, but she felt as disappointed as Kathi looked. “I checked out the music blogs,” Marcus continued. “Someone said The Crew was amazing, so I got a ticket at the last minute. How’d you find out about the concert?”
    Zee looked at the other girls. What would they tell Marcus? They had kept the concert a secret. Zee panicked. “Did you know Mr. P was in the band?” she asked Marcus. Her voice squeaked from the strain of trying to remain calm.
    â€œMr. P who?” he asked.
    â€œ Our Mr. P,” Zee explained. “Mr. Papademetriou.” The panic disappeared a little.
    Marcus stepped back. “Are you serious?” he shouted. “That’s really cool. Did he tell you about the show?”
    Welcome back, Panic. “Well…uh…umm…,” Zee