Double Booked

Veronica took one of the gold buttons to school the next day because making little outfits for dogs was so fun that she didn’t want to stop thinking about it. Plus she could scratch her itchy finger with the raised tower.

While Ms. Padgett demonstrated the magic of cross multiplication, Veronica thought about what color carnation to pin on Cadbury’s jacket and the best way to attach Fitzy’s veil.

As soon as the bell rang, Athena asked about the button.

“It’s for my Halloween costume.”

“Ooh, it’s pretty!” Athena said. “Is it antique?”

“Probably,” Veronica said. “It is from my babysitter’s collection.” Veronica always felt weird referring to Mary as her babysitter. She was so much more than that.

“Are you making your costume? I was going to ask you if you wanted to make costumes.”

“You and me?” Veronica said.

“And Sarah-Lisa, silly. But it seems like you already made yours,” Athena said.

“It’s not finished yet,” Veronica said.

“Oh well, next year. Won’t that be fun? We should make superhero costumes with the letter A on them. You’re coming trick-or-treating with us, right?”

Sarah-Lisa appeared from behind her locker door.

“What are you talking about?” Sarah-Lisa wanted to know. She kicked her locker shut, and Veronica jumped.

“Halloween,” Athena said. “The three of us are trick-or-treating together, remember?”

“Oh. Yeah,” Sarah-Lisa said. “That’ll be fun. Athena, we have to go.”

“Slavery is no longer legal,” Sylvie announced from a few lockers away. She closed her door for punctuation. “Athena is a free person. You don’t own her, you know.”

Sylvie headed off to French as if the aftermath of her little speech was of no interest whatsoever.

“What was that?” Sarah-Lisa said. “Wake up on the wrong side of the morning much?” She grabbed Athena and they walked away.

It was true! Sarah-Lisa acted like she owned Athena. If only Veronica and Athena could go trick-or-treating without Sarah-Lisa. If only there was a way to kick Sarah-Lisa off the A Team.

Veronica heard the squashy sound of rubber soles and knew it was Melody. Her feet always announced her entrance. It was kind of theatrical. Veronica liked it.

“Veronica?” Melody said in her unique melodious manner, turning everything into a question.

“Hi, Melody.”

“I checked with my mother, because she is very allergic to animal dander. I think I mentioned that? But she didn’t think it would be a problem if I went trick-or-treating with you, as long as I showered afterward. Did you ask your parents?”

Two weeks ago, Melody had asked Veronica if they could trick-or-treat together, but she’d also made it clear that she had rehearsals and that her parents didn’t believe in Halloween and that they were allergic to dogs and there were so many other complications that Veronica assumed it wasn’t going to happen. But now, it was happening. And she was already going trick-or-treating with the A Team.

“Well, no. I didn’t know you definitely wanted to go with me,” Veronica said, squeezing the button with all her might. She had barely figured out her costume and now she had to decide who to wear it with. She wished she could go trick-or-treating with just Athena. And if Melody came, that would be okay. That would solve everything. Sarah-Lisa was, as usual, the problem.