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Megan had to get the notebook back. She had no choice. Inside those pages were her notes about the cure and her friends at home and every day she’d been at ZA. It would be embarrassing if that stuff was made public. And she knew the Bs would relish any opportunity to humiliate her. There was no way they’d keep that stuff to themselves. Especially when they discovered she’d been investigating them.

Pushing all her fears aside, Megan dashed back out into the hall.

But she was too late. Brooke was already standing in the doorway of her room holding it. “Whose is this?”

“It’s mine.” Megan used her fastest soccer kick to knock the book out of Brooke’s hand. It fell back to the floor, where Betsy quickly scooped it up.

Imagining she was going after a ball, Megan stretched her leg forward the way she would for a penalty kick, and using the side of her foot, shoved the notebook hard. It slid under Brenda’s bed.

Megan dove for it, but Brenda was closer. “What’s your notebook doing in our room?”

“I —” Megan didn’t have an excuse. If she accused the Bs right now, they might never let her go. She was in enemy territory. “I dropped it and accidentally kicked it under your door. I’ve been waiting for you guys to come back so I could get it. Can I have it now?”

“I don’t think so,” Brenda said. “I’m going to read it.”

“Don’t!” Megan protested as Brenda opened the notebook.

On the first page, Megan had written a paragraph about meeting Sam. To her horror, Brenda began to read it out loud.

“‘He’s cute.’” Brenda imitated Megan’s voice. “‘In a nerdy kind of way.’” She giggled.

“Noooo!” Using every ounce of energy she had, Megan dove for the notebook again.

Brenda pulled it away at the last second, tossing the notebook across the room to Brooke. Megan was moving too fast to stop herself, and she crashed. Hard. Her head hit the side of Betsy’s desk. Blood dripped down her cheek. “Head wounds don’t heal,” Megan muttered as she closed her eyes against the pain. She needed a minute to get herself together.

“‘I invited Rachel to Visitors’ Day,’” Brooke read.

“I know Rachel,” Brett chimed in. “We do …” He was struggling to remember. “An after-school activity together.”

“‘I told Rachel to come to ZA early on Sunday,’” Brook recited.

It’s like my life is flashing before me, Megan thought. One page at a time.

“Hey, look, Brett!” Brooke said suddenly. “Megan glued your old online profile in here.”

Megan gasped as Brooke tore the page out of her notebook. “That’s mine!” she pleaded. “Give it back.”

“Let me see.” Brett took the page from Brooke. “I have a sister. A dog.” He pinched his lips together. “Yep. That’s true. But what’s this other baloney-maloney? I act in the theater? My favorite color is brown? I don’t remember that stuff.”

“And you love pepperoni pizza,” Megan added. “At least, you used to.”

Brett folded the profile page in half. “It all sounds familiar. But I’m not that guy anymore.” He waved the printed paper at Megan and then stuffed it in his pocket. “I’m a B.” Brett laughed. “A Zom-B!”

The other Bs laughed with him.

“I want my notebook,” Megan said.

“No,” said Brooke.

“No way,” said Betsy.

“It was in our room,” Brenda said. “Finders keepers.”

“Give her back the notebook.” Happy stood in the open doorway. The movie must have ended. “Now.”

“Or what?” Brooke said.

“Or I won’t do your project,” Happy replied.

Megan looked at Happy, relieved to see her. “I thought …”

“I know what you thought. And if you think I’m so weak that these Ghouls can blackmail me, then you better rush down to the nurse and have your brain examined. I told you to do that, right?”

“Yeah. You did.”

“Well? Did you?”

“No,” Megan admitted.

“You should.” Happy then turned to Brooke. “The notebook. Now.” She held out one hand.

Roles had been reversed. The changes both Happy and Brooke had made when they came to Zombie Academy no longer applied. In this moment, Happy was the tough, popular girl she’d been in middle school in New York.

“If you want your Visitors’ Day surprise” — Happy stared at Brooke — “you’ll give her the notebook.” When no one moved, Happy said, “You need me. I know what you are up to.”

“How —?” Brooke really was scared of Happy. Her pale skin seemed more translucent than ever. “Who told you?”

“It all became clear once my parents informed me they were coming to the castle. I’m smarter than you think.” Happy squinted. “Now, are you going to give Megan back her notebook, or should I tell Mr. Franko that I quit? You know I’m only helping you because it got me out of PE. I hate shuffle ball. I can ask Mr. Jones for a different project….”

Glancing at her shoes, Brooke handed Megan the ZA notebook.

“We’re done here.” Happy rotated and left the room. Without looking at the Bs or Brett, Megan clutched her notebook to her chest and followed Happy into the hall.

“I don’t understand,” Megan said. “After everything I said to you, you didn’t have to help me.”

“I know.” Happy stared hard into Megan’s eyes. “Do you still think I helped them steal the cure?”

The vials were in a crate in the room next door. The Bs had definitely taken them, but Megan wasn’t sure who else was involved. Was Mr. Jones? Was Happy? Megan’s hesitation was answer enough for Happy.

“That’s what I thought.” she said. “Have a pleasant night in the library.”