Don't Bet on It

Chapter 6

Mom was still at work, so the house was empty when I got home. Mom worked in business with Daniel's dad, and she usually got home around six or six thirty.

I walked upstairs to my room and set my backpack on the floor. Then I went back downstairs and rummaged through the pantry, pulling out a box of Annie's snack mix.

Don't judge me. This stuff is delicious.

My phone buzzed. I pulled it out and saw that I had a text from Mom. I'm going to be home late today. Can you girls make your own dinner? You can go shopping if you want.

Apparently it was a group text, because Emma replied Sure.

I looked through the freezer, hoping we still had some chicken pot pies. We didn't.

I texted Emma: Pizza or chicken pot pies?

To which she replied Pizza. I'll pick some up on the way home.

I said Okay and then put my phone back in my pocket. I went upstairs and started on my homework.

My phone buzzed again. There was a text from an unknown number. Hi Jessica, this is Laura. Your father gave me your number. Would you and Emilia like to join us for dinner tonight?

I called Emma. "What is it, Jess?" she asked, picking up.

"Dad and Laura want us to come over for dinner tonight."

There was a pause on the other line. "Are you kidding me?"

"I just got a text from Laura."

I could practically see Emma rolling her eyes. "They're just trying to get us to want to stay with them."

I nodded, even though she couldn't see me. "Yeah, that's probably the case."

Neither of us spoke for a minute.

"Well, do you wanna go?" I asked finally.

"Sure," she replied dryly. "Let's see how rich people dine."

I laughed. "Okay."

"See you later." She hung up.

I texted Laura back. Sure. What time?

She responded within about a minute. Is six okay?

Yes, I replied and then put my phone away.

Emma came home about thirty minutes later. I'd been binge-watching Jane the Virgin on Netflix, but I stopped it and turned the TV off when I heard her come in the front door.

"Alright, what should I wear?" she asked, standing in my doorway.

"Dad seemed to appreciate the dress you wore the other day," I said, stifling a giggle.

She shook her head. "Naw, rich people don't like outfit repeaters. How about I wear that new dress I bought?"

"The black one?"

"No, it was red. Scarlet. And it had broad straps and a square neckline. It looked kind of like that dress that Cher wears to the party in the Valley in Clueless."

"Oh. Yeah, sure."

She flounced out of my room. "You need to find something to wear too," she called. "Pick out something and let me see it."

I groaned and walked over to my closet. I didn't have a lot of dresses, because I didn't like wearing them. I went through the racks, looking for one.

"Scratch that." I turned around to see Emma standing in my doorway again. "I'm just gonna wear jeans and a sweater shirt."

I smiled. "Yeah, I like that idea better."