By the time I called her back after I got home, Josie had left one message and Selena two.
“That’s great about the festival,” I told Selena as she picked up.
She cut me off. “Yeah. It is. But that not why I called.”
“Bet you’re pleased though. I know you were ticked about the bronze—”
She interrupted, talking fast. “Look, Daria. It’s about our trip. There’s been a change of plans. It turns out Dad’s car needs…well, something real expensive. And see, there’s only room for three in the back of Mom’s Kia.”
“We’ve done it before. Lots of times.”
“Yeah. But not as far as Quebec. With all our stuff.”
“So?”
I could hear her swallow.
“What?” I asked.
“It’s not like it’s the only chance we’ll have. Next year, I’ll make sure…”
“Selena, what are you telling me?”
Her words came out in a rush. “There won’t be room for you. Not this time. Not with me and Justine and Josie.”
“Justine?” I pulled my pillow into my lap. I hugged it. “Justine Marcus is going with you?”
“You know her mom knows my mom? They were talking and before I knew it…”
“Justine?”
“Stop saying it like that. Like I said, there’s only room for three of us. Mom and Dad in the front…”
“I know how many seats there are in your mom’s damn car. I’ve been in it often enough.” The three of us in the back. Sharing magazines. Doing our nails. Playing Scrabble. “We’ve been planning this for ages,” I said. “You, me and Josie. Like always. Now you want to take Justine instead?”
“Not really. But when her mom…”
“Right. Of course. It’s not your fault. It’s her mom’s. Your mom’s. You know what?” I held the phone away at arm’s length. I took a deep breath, then put it back to my ear. “Sure. Go ahead,” I said. “Fine. You and Josie have a good time with Justine. I have better things to do with my hard-earned money than spend it all on a holiday with you…you jerks.” I hung up before she could say another word.
I swiped at the tears and leaned back against the wall. I stared at the screen, willing Selena to call back, to text me. While I waited, I ran through all the mean and awful things I would say to her.
The phone did not ring. The screen stayed blank.
I shoved my pillow back under my head and jammed the phone underneath.
When Mom called me for supper, I yelled that I didn’t want any. When she knocked on my door later, I pressed my face into the pillow so she wouldn’t hear me crying.
I pulled out my phone and punched in a whole bunch of texts to Josie.
That cow Selena!
Remember the CCC? #3? Stick together?
U kno that gry skirt? I do hav it. It’s perfect wth the blu shirt!
I hate this. Call me.
BFF my ass.
Dont u dare try 2 make xcuses.
I deleted them all.
I turned my phone off and threw it across the room. When it fell behind my chair, I didn’t bother to check it was okay.
I crawled into bed, pulled the covers up to my head.
Mom and Dad knocked during the evening. When I didn’t answer, they whispered to each other and then went away.
Next morning, my phone worked. But there was nothing from Selena. Or Josie.
All the way to school, I worked on what I would say to them. If we ever spoke again.
By lunch, they had still not called or texted me. “Want to see a movie on the weekend?” I asked Cleo at lunch.
“Sure you’ve got time for me between keeping in touch with old friends and babysitting?” She peered inside her wrap, then rolled it back up.
“You said you liked movies.”
“I thought you were saving all your pay for your trip to Calgary?”
“I’m not going.”
“How come?” Cleo asked.
“Josie and Selena are taking this dumb girl they hardly know. Justine,” I sneered. “Justine Marcus. It’s not like she’s a friend or anything. She just stands next to them in the choir.” I would have told Cleo that used to be my spot, but I didn’t want to start crying again.
“So did you have a big bust-up when they told you?”
“Kind of. I guess so.” I never wanted to speak to Selena again. Josie neither. She could have voted Justine out of the trip and insisted I came along. She should have. But she didn’t.
Cleo eyed my fries. “I had this friend in Westbank, Lauren, since kindergarten. In grade seven she came with us on a road trip into the Rockies. In exchange, I was supposed to go to Disneyland with her family. Somewhere my parents would never go.”
“You haven’t been to Disneyland?” I asked her.
Cleo flapped a hand as if that wasn’t what mattered. “The point is, when they finally went, they said they wanted a family trip. So they took a cousin Lauren had never even met.”
“Ouch.”
Cleo flipped her hat strings. “When they got back, they were buddies. The cousin was in, and I was out.” She grabbed a fry. “Your friends are dumb if they don’t invite you to go with them.”
“Well…” I wanted to defend Josie and Selena. Rule number three in the Cool Code was Stick Together.
Though why should I care? I’d been gone less than two months, and I’d already been replaced.
“It’s like little kids on a playground,” said Cleo. “I can’t be friends with you because you are friends with someone I’m not friends with,” she went on in a singsong voice. “Like there’s not enough friendship to go around.” When she flung her arms out, a guy carrying a loaded tray nearly dumped it on the giggling girls at the next table. “There’s enough love in the world for everyone,” Cleo announced.
Was it them she was talking about? Or me?
I got busy plucking sprouts out of my sandwich.
Cleo laughed. “That’s how my parents talk.” She grabbed a fry from my plate. “You don’t have to worry about that lot and their fancy holiday in la belle Quebec. You’ve got me!”
I took a long drink of pop. “You want the rest of these?” I shoved my plate toward her.
As we headed out of the cafeteria, Cleo asked, “How’s Emmy doing with her science project?”
“She wants me to help her decorate the tin cans tonight.”
“One of my collages hung in the hallway at Westbank Central for a whole term.”
Of course it did. As soon as I caught the mean thought, I said, “So, Van Gogh. You want to come over and help?”
She grinned and put her arm through mine. “Sure.”
“Great. Do you need to let your mom know you won’t be home right away?”
“Shoot.” Cleo slapped her forehead dramatically. “I have to help her assemble her new loom. Tomorrow, though? I’ve got loads of cool craft stuff at my house I can bring over.”
“Okay.”
“What about that movie?” she asked. “Shall I check the papers to see what’s on?”
I thought we would download something to watch at my place. I could impress her with our new huge flatscreen. But she’d probably just tell me about growing up watching magic lantern shows, or whatever they use on Little House on the Prairie. “Tell you what,” I said. “Let’s talk tonight, and we can figure out what to do.”
“Sounds good,” said Cleo. “Give the kids a hug from me. Especially that sweetie pie Cade.”