IT WAS A good thing that I was almost finished with my last final exam. Because when Ms. Bouton stopped at my desk and told me she wanted to speak to me after the exam was over, I could hardly concentrate on the remaining questions. Then I had to wait until everyone else finished and left the room before I could find out what she wanted.
“Come up here to my desk, Linda,” Ms. Bouton said finally. “I’m just about finished marking your exam.”
I stood up, knocking my looseleaf to the floor. My fingers shook as I picked up the papers that had scattered all over. I had no idea why Ms. Bouton had singled me out this way. As far as I knew, my grades were all good. What had gone wrong?
“It’s nothing bad,” Ms. Bouton alleviated my fears as I approached her desk. “I marked your final now because I wanted to be sure. As I thought, it’s over ninety, so you’ve earned an A for this term again. In fact, I’ve received your grades from all your teachers. You’ve got another straight A term, which qualifies you for the top ten of the eighth grade class!”
“Really? That’s terrific!” I was overjoyed at the news. Here I thought I would have to wait until Monday night’s final assembly to find out if I had made it, and now. . .
“It is, except for one thing.” Ms. Bouton interrupted my thoughts.
“What’s that?”
“Your club participation. Although I have you down as belonging to the service club, the supervising teacher from the Manhattan School, Miss Wise, never sent in the verification papers. Until I get them, I can’t give you official credit for the club. And if you don’t have credit for at least one club, that automatically disqualifies you for the top ten. That means that Jan Zieglebaum and Samantha Milken will be the two students from our class to be honored at the final assembly.”
“But Jan was in the service club, too” I protested. “How come her verification came through?”
“It didn’t. But that doesn’t matter for her because she’s already gotten credit for being in the art club. And besides, Jan slipped this term in one of her classes, which makes her average slightly lower than yours and Samantha’s. So, if you get your club verification, it will be you and Samantha who are on top.”
“Me and Samantha?” I repeated blankly.
“Samantha and I,” Ms. Bouton corrected. “We can’t have one of our top ten students using incorrect grammar! Now, what I’d like you to do, Linda, is run over to the Manhattan School right now. Go see Miss Wise and get the verification papers signed. I’ll give you a new set in case she misplaced the originals.
‘I’m not leaving school for another hour. If you bring the papers back to me before then, I’ll see that the information gets put on your record in time to have you counted in for the top ten. Now remember, Linda. I’m telling you this in confidence. You’re not to repeat this information to anyone—especially not to Jan or Samantha.”
“Oh no, I won’t,” I promised. “Especially not to Jan or Samantha.”
* * *
I walked to the Manhattan School in a daze, my fingers clutched tightly around the papers I needed to have signed. The papers that would verify my participation in the service club. The papers that would put me up there in the top ten students in the whole eighth grade—the goal I had worked for all year. I was going to be honored in front of all the parents at the final assembly.
I guess I should have been happy about this turn of events, but I wasn’t. The fact that Jan wasn’t going to be up there with me ruined everything.
I still felt guilty about what had happened with Jan. I felt terrible because she was no longer a part of the Gruesome Four. She never hung around with us and the boys after school. She never came to any of our parties. Jan’s mother had gotten her way completely. We had been reduced to the Gruesome Three, and I hadn’t been able to do a thing about it.
But what bothered me the most was that I would be leaving Jan in order to go to Bronx Technology next year. Now on top of everything, I was giving it to her again. I was about to bump her out of the top ten.
I was so engrossed in my thoughts as I entered the Manhattan School that I didn’t watch where I was going. I ran right into someone standing in the front lobby.
“Oops. Excuse me,” I apologized. Then I looked and saw it was Jeremy. Just my luck! I had managed to basically avoid him since turning him down for the prom, and now here I was practically knocking him over! I held my breath, hoping he wouldn’t realize it was me.
I should have known better. “Linda!” he said immediately. “What are you doing here?”
I don’t know what got into me. I guess I just really needed someone to talk to, and Jeremy was there at the right time. Anyhow, I found myself blurting out the whole story of Jan, Bronx Technology, and the top ten at Huntington.
“So, what it all comes down to is that if you get these papers signed now, you’re in and Jan is out,” said Jeremy.
“Exactly. And Jan won’t get first shot at picking her classes next year, which is really important to her.” I shook my head. “You know, Jeremy, I had it all planned out in my mind. The way Jan and I would get up together in front of the whole assembly to receive our honors. It would almost make up for the fact that I was leaving her and going to Tech. But things never seem to work out the way you plan them to.”
“No,” he said with a pained look on his face. “They don’t seem to, do they?”
I flushed as I realized what he was talking about—his relationship with me that hadn’t worked out at all. But I guess I really deserved that one. I couldn’t even find the words to answer him.
Then his face brightened. “But you never know, Linda. Sometimes the way they do work out turns out to be for the best. Take the girl I wound up bringing to the prom. She was in my English class all year, but I never paid much attention to her until you turned me down. Then I discovered she was really worth knowing. What seemed to be a bad thing turned out to be the start of something good.”
“Really? I’m so glad to hear that, Jeremy.”
He smiled. “Well, whatever your decision is—I have the feeling it’ll be best for you, too.”
I sighed. “Maybe. But I don’t see how. But anyhow, Jeremy—”
“Yes?”
“Just thanks for listening. I’ll really miss having a friend like you.” I took his hand and squeezed it. Then I walked off to bring my papers to Miss Wise.
* * *
My birthday, like the end of the school year, fell in late June. That weekend, Danny threw a party that was supposed to be in my honor. It was a nice gesture, but with me the only girl in the crowd to have no boyfriend, I would have been better off staying at home.
The party turned into a kissing session, and I had no one to kiss. Danny and Fran and Roz and Sheldon went into the living room and sat on the sofa. Louie and Renee plopped down on the rug. So did Nicky and Ellen, who had surprised everyone recently by getting together as a new couple.
I was miserable. I was left with Norman and Lenny. We stared at one another for a few minutes.
“This party stinks,” Lenny said bluntly. “I’m leaving.” He took one last look at Ellen and Nicky, who were kissing; then he walked out the door.
I was angry at Lenny for being so cruel, but I knew he was right. This was a party for couples. It was dumb for me to hang around with everyone paired-off and kissing. But, then again, this was my birthday. Unlike Lenny, I couldn’t leave because the party was given for me.
There I was with everyone around me having a great time kissing. I sat on the window with Norman and played dumb games. I stuck out my hands, palms together. I tried to pull them back before he could slap me with his hands. If I did, he had to stick out his hands, and I got to try to slap him.
It hurt when he slapped me. Each time he hit me, I would get mad. That made me hit even harder when it was my turn.
“Ow!” he said, finally. “I’ve had enough of this game!”
I sighed and looked around the room. I had had enough of the entire scene! Even in the dark, I could see how Louie was enjoying himself kissing Renee. Watching them brought back all the pain I had felt when he rejected me.
I looked away to Nicky and Ellen. It was strange how they had found each other. I wondered if Nicky ever thought about me at all. It sure didn’t look that way to watch him with Ellen. I didn’t matter to anyone. I bet no one would notice if I left the party.
“Norman,” I whispered. “I’m going home. Tell everyone good-bye for me.” I headed for the door.
At that moment, I heard a key click in the door. Danny’s parents must have decided to come home early!
“The lights! Put on the lights!” I called. Norman ran to flick them on, but it was too late. Mr. and Mrs. Kopler could see just what had been going on!
They called Danny into the kitchen. The rest of us sat in his room and waited. We could hear the screams coming through the walls. Norman tried to crack a joke, but no one laughed.
Mrs. Kopler came storming into the room. “Get out of here!” she yelled in a high-pitched voice. She was a small fragile woman, but she had a temper. “Get out of my house and never come back!”
Danny was right behind her. He grabbed his mother roughly by the arm and shoved her aside. I was frightened. What was wrong with Danny to treat his mother that way?
“I’ll tell my friends when to leave!” he shouted. “Let’s get out of here, gang!”
We were only too happy to leave. As we rushed through the door, Mr. Kopler got into the act. He lunged after Danny and tried to grab him. Danny jumped aside and ran down the stairs.
We all went into the candy store. Danny kept marching back and forth, mumbling under his breath. No one had the courage to ask him what had happened.
Finally, Fran went over and put her hand on his arm. “What happened, Danny?” she asked. “Why did you flip out at your mother?”
He shook her off angrily. “They can’t do it! I’ll just refuse! I won’t let them!” He smashed his fist down on the counter.
“Hey you kids! Out of here!” Harry, the candy store owner, hollered. “No one is buying anything! Get out into the street where you belong!”
No one was in the mood to argue. We left the store and stood on the corner. It wasn’t a good feeling to be thrown out twice in one night. Some birthday celebration this was!
Danny seemed a bit calmer. I tried approaching him. “Come on, Danny. Will you please tell us what’s going on here?”
Danny looked at everyone, his eyes full. “They’re moving!” he sputtered. “They’re sick of having kids up at the house. They want to get me away from the crowd. They took an apartment clear across the city in Forest Hills. I’ve got until the end of July. Then, I’ll be gone!”
We stood speechless. Fran began to cry. I think I felt worse than she did. True, Danny was her boyfriend, but to me he was like a brother. Whenever I needed someone to talk to, Danny had been right there, in the apartment above mine. What would I do without him now?
“It can’t be true,” I moaned. “We can’t let it happen. We have to think of something!”