Max and I

Chapter Seventeen

On Monday, I was already excited about the play-date. I was just worried if this was a trick or something. I tried to listen to Sophia carefully throughout the day. She just glanced at Timmy, looking a little annoyed all the time. I tried to mouth the words, "Are you going to play with me?" but Sophia just looked weirdly.

At pack-up I asked what was wrong and why she stared like that. "Are you busy tomorrow? When should I come, and are you sure I should? You...you were busy, I think."

"What...why?"

"Just wondering. And are you sure Jenna won't bother us since we want to be private and everything?"

"Meg, what about Jenna? She's OK; I never said she was mean or anything like that, or annoying? Really, what 'private' stuff do you want to do?"

"Sophia." I sighed.

"What? Are you coming over or not? Hurry, I'm telling my mom if not." Sophia picked up her backpack and went over to Mr. Robertson to ask for a phone. I saw Sierra texting someone.

"No need, Sophie, to use Mr. R's phone. Use mine. Here." She handed her phone over to Sophia.

"Sophia!" I called. "I've decided. I am going over to the play-date. Sorry for the confusion."

Sophia wrinkled her forehead. "I thought you'd just said you didn't want to. I know. You don't like me because of Timmy and because he's weird to you. I really think you're actually weird...well, no offense, honestly."

"Weird?" I just looked at her with a what-in-the-world-do-you-mean look. "I'm not trying to be like that, but...I just don't like kickball. Timmy plays it all the time."

"Proof?" Sophia scratched her head and just said "humph." She itched her eye and pointed her finger at Timmy. Timmy came over in a few seconds. Sophia touched my back slightly, and Timmy glowered at me as if I was dumb or something.

"Well, Timmy? She says you play kickball every day. True or not true?" Sophia made me look at Timmy and her.

I swallowed hard. This argument would of course, would be won by the Timmy-Sophia group.

"Not true one bit!" Timmy declared. "Meg, never mind, Margaret, is a loser. And I also triple-dog-dare Margaret to show or paint a big 'L' on her forehead now. Who's agreeing? I will demand Margaret to do it if someone raises their hand."

I itched my hair.

"OK, it's time, Margaret. Please do it in front of everyone right now in the classroom. Oh, oops, sorry, how about next morning? I can't right now. Some kids are already going home."

I felt nervous going this dare. I woke up, scared, the next morning, but I finally thought of a plan. At breakfast, I asked Mom and Dad if they could leave early.

"Why?" they asked.

"Can Max's mother drive me over to Sophia's house, just for today? I need to talk to her this morning."

"No."

"I have to come over to Max's house. Max is meeting me there. I know it's weird but...I have to. Max is moving. I have to help him get ready. And Max's mom wan'ts me to stay over for a short while."

"How don't I know about this?"

"I...I don't know. Just let me. She'll help if I miss the bus. Please..."

"Margaret, no."

"Oh, my god. For once." But I knew Mom would say no.

I caught the bus and waited patiently until we came to school. Once I saw Timmy, I was terrified. He looked at me, smiling. I frowned back and walked through the hallway. Once I reached the room, I went to the back of the room. I got a slip of paper and a pencil. In my neatest handwriting, I wrote: