Chapter Five:

FRENEMIES

Every time I saw Miles, I looked the other way. I couldn’t believe he would start a rumor about me. But RJ said Miles told him. He even dared me to ask him. How else would he find out? It seemed like everyone was talking about the big freeze at the tryouts and wondering if I was going to turn icicle again. Kids would whisper when I came near and then stop and whisper again when I walked by.

At lunch, Miles and I usually sat next to each other, or just with a couple of kids between us. But now . . . I looked down at the opposite end of the table and saw Miles next to RJ. We might as well have been on different planets. Simone, Lena, Carson, and other jumpers lumped together on my side. RJ, Kyla, and the rest of the kickball crew clustered around Miles. The chorus kids and the science clubbers sat in between.

At recess, Miles and I avoided each other. Then he came to the side of the playground where we jumped, near the monkey bars and slide.

“I’m sorry, Jada,” he said. “I didn’t mean to tell RJ. I was just—”

“Whatever.”

I turned and pretended like I didn’t hear him talking after that. I didn’t like treating Miles that way, but he hurt me.

“Maybe you should listen to him,” Lena said as he walked away. “He seems pretty sad.”

I saw Miles leaning against the fence with his head down. I felt bad but thought about how much RJ’s nasty words stung and looked away.

But one thing RJ’s actions did was give me motivation. Knowing he wanted me to fall apart made me determined to do my best. I practiced my speech with Mom and Dad. I said it for Jax and his Star Wars action figures. I read it in front of Simone and Lena when they came over during the weekend.

“That was good,” Simone said, leaning on a beanbag. “Talk slower and louder next time. Keep your head up. If you get nervous, breathe. And don’t forget to tell everyone you’ll get us more recess and field trips. That will get you votes for sure.”

My stomach flip-flopped as I thought about the pledge. I couldn’t guarantee those things. But Simone and Lena helped me. What if they were mad at me for not including what they wanted? I already lost Miles as a friend. I couldn’t lose them, too.

I sighed and took a breath.

“What’s wrong, Jada?” Lena asked.

Maybe I should just make the promises. Breaking the pledge would take me out of the running for student council. Maybe everything would go back to normal, and Miles and I would return to being friends. But I really wanted to make a difference. Or at least try. I inhaled again.

“I can’t say that.”

“Why not?” Simone said.

“Miss Taylor said we can’t make promises we can’t keep. If I make student council, I can share what our class wants. But I’m not going to say I can deliver.”

“Okay,” Simone said.

“Okay?”

“Yep. We’re BFFs, right?”

“Yes!”

All of that worry for nothing. It just took me being honest to clear it up. I felt like I could float around the room. If only it was that easy to deal with Miles and his crew.