Dork Diaries: Next Generation

Return of Brandon Roberts

Pop-pop gave his laptop to the DJ and took over his stand. The DJ didn't look too happy about it, but my dad slipped him a twenty and told him it'd only take five minutes.

He sets up his portable projector... Which I didn't know he had.

"Excuse me!" he yells over the party. Sure enough he catches everyone's attention. "If you'd all kindly pay attention the the wall." Pop-pop motions to the wall where the projector's light hits and a picture pops up.

It's a picture of text messages going to a girl named Bailey. Who's Bailey?

All of the party guests mumble the words of the texts messages, including me.

I'm done with ur BS Josh. Just leave me alone.

You can try to get rid of me all you want but I know all your secrets ;)

You wouldn't DARE

Oh... But I would

FINE whatever. I'll be at your place tomorrow

Then Pop-pop switches to another slide. Another girl.

Listen Anne Marie I have needs that need to be met and if you can't provide the whole world will know about your father

I knew who Anne Marie was. She was on all of the magazine covers a few months before I moved. Her family was bankrupt.

There were three other girls that were threatened in the same way. Three girls who were all the talk of the tabloids over the last few years, their reputations tarnished because they stood up for themselves.

How in the world did Pop-pop manage to get Josh's text messages?

When he was finished, Pop-pop says, "Thank you for your time. Please enjoy the rest of the party." And it takes a while for the quiet, judgemental murmurs to get back to the loud laughter and joy that it was before. Even when it got to be a little more lively, everyone was so secretive, as if averting Josh's eyesight would make it seem like no one is talking about him.

He walks up to me and pulls me aside. "I was in the bathroom. What'd I miss? Everyone keeps giving me weird looks," Josh says. I'm stuck between laughing at him or giving him a sad pat on the shoulder.

All I do is close my eyes and shake my head. "You're gonna work at a McDonald's for the rest of your life," I sigh. "You should probably go."

He looks confused. "Why? What'd I do?"

"Go, Josh," I demand. "Before people start talking to you."

Because once they start physically talking to him, there's nothing he can do. All he can do is dig a deeper hole for himself.

"Brandy, what happened?" he demands.

I contemplate whether or not I should tell him. He'll find out eventually, but the least I could do is give him a heads up. Then again, there's no real way to fix this, whether he likes it or not. Either way, Josh is screwed.

"Karma's a bitch," I say. And then I walk away from him.

Rick is waiting for me, a shocked look on his face. He shakes his head. "His career is over."

I nod in agreement. "But how could Pop-pop have gotten those text messages?" I think aloud.

Rick shrugs, even though I wasn't directing the question toward him. Still, I was disappointed and nervous.

Does this mean he's read my text messages?

"Stop thinking so hard, Brandy. Let's enjoy ourselves and stuff our pants with shrimp before the greedy rich people get hungry."

I chuckle and let Rick bring me to the table loaded with different foods. Maybe I am thinking too much.

*~*~*~*

Hit the Lights is blasting through the speakers when the clock hits twelve. Mom and Pop-pop took the adults to a country club on the other side of town.

That left all of their children here at the house. Which is rude, might I add. I didn't expect to be actually hosting anything.

Rick has become buddies with some of my old friends and is off somewhere chatting up a storm or dancing. And that leaves me alone to talk with the Barbies of the party. Some of them can't really help being that way, the sweet airheads. They have the attention span of a pebble. But the ones who know that they're fake... I'd rather talk to the airheads.

"So, Brandy," Michelle says, dragging on the y in my name. Someone needs to lay off the alcohol. "What is a girl like you doing with a guy like that?" She motions her head towards Rick who is both dancing and chatting.

Michelle: the conquest of many guys here at this party.

"I love him," I answer.

Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise. I don't know why it came as such a shock to her.

"Love? Really?" If she had a drink in her mouth, I'm sure she would have spit it out. "Who knew the heartless had a soul?" Her majesty and her little buddies chuckle to each other.

"I don't see you with anyone. I must be doing something right," I say. Again, if she could, she'd spit out her drink.

"Well, Brandy, when I am with someone, it's with someone that doesn't look like they shop at the dumpsters of Goodwill."

"And no matter how far in the dumpster he gets, he still won't end up with as many diseases as you." And one of her Barbies actually did choke on her drink. Michelle had a retort ready on her tongue. "If you'll excuse me," I interrupt.

I drag Rick away from my friends. They whisper high school things like "Get some!" and "Hell yeah!" as we walk away.

"Dance with me," I say.