I was, I realized. It had taken a few weeks—and hanging out with Cleo—to feel like I actually belonged here.
“A-minus is a good grade,” said Dad. “Technology aside, it sounds like you both did a great job.”
“To recognize your hard work on this, perhaps we could help with the fare to Calgary for spring break,” said Mom.
Dad nodded.
“Dee and I have plans,” said Cleo. “With a couple of other kids from school.”
Who knew that hanging out with Drew Galling could be a blast? Especially with Harrison making up the fourth. It turned out he was more than just a nice face.
“Dee?” asked Dad. “Daria is Dee now?”
“Cleo thinks it suits me.”
“I guess I’ll get used to it.” He left the room muttering, “Whatever is next? Piercings?”
He came back right away with my phone. “I think you’ve earned this back. I’m sure you’ve learned from all your recent research. Don’t you think?” he asked Mom.
I reached for the phone. Four weeks had sounded like such a long time.
Cleo grabbed it first. “It’s nicer than mine.”
“You don’t have a phone!” I said.
“Do too! I finally convinced Mom and Dad that they can’t live in the dark ages forever.” She passed me my phone and rooted in her bag. “See?” The phone she held out was an old one, as big as a brick. It probably dated back to pioneer times. “Recycled,” she said. “As you might expect.” She grinned at me. “Now we can connect anytime, unless Stryker has her way.”
Dad smiled slyly at me. “Oh. I’m sure clever girls like you can work something out.”
Did he know I had cheated? If so, there was no sign from Mom that he had told her.
While Cleo pressed buttons on her phone, I picked up mine from the table. It fitted my hand, as if it belonged there. I couldn’t help it. I turned it on.
Nineteen calls. Texts galore. My fingers itched to scroll through them.
Then I looked at Mom and Dad. They were frowning as they watched Cleo punch the keys of her phone, shake it, hold it up to her ear, glare at it.
I put my phone on the counter.
First call I would make would be to Cynthia. Maybe she would let me speak to Caden and Emerson to see if Caden’s hair was growing back and find out how Emmy did with her science project.
I could connect with Josie and Selena later.
I headed to the fridge for the tiramisu Cleo and I had made earlier. While we had mixed and poured, I had told her about the Cool Code of Conduct. She’d asked, “And how has that worked out for you lately?” All I could do was laugh.
She was still fiddling with her phone as I put dessert on the table and passed out forks. “Put that down,” I told Cleo. “I’ll help you figure it out later. But first, let’s eat.”
Lois Peterson wrote short stories and articles for adults for twenty years before turning to writing for kids. She was born in England and has lived in Iraq, France and the United States. She works at a plublic library and lives in Surrey, British Columbia, where she writes, reads and teaches creative writing to adults, teens and children. Lois is the author of several books for children and youth, including Beyond Repair in the Orca Currents series.
Titles in the Series
orca currents
*
121 Express
Monique Polak
Agent Angus
K.L. Denman
Bear Market
Michele Martin Bossley
Benched
Cristy Watson
Beyond Repair
Lois Peterson
The Big Dip
Bio-pirate
Michele Martin Bossley
Blob
Frieda Wishinsky
Branded
Eric Walters
Camp Wild
Pam Withers
Chat Room
Kristin Butcher
Cheat
Kristin Butcher
Cracked
Michele Martin Bossley
Crossbow
Dayle Campbell Gaetz
Daredevil Club
Pam Withers
Disconnect
Lois Peterson
Dog Walker
Karen Spafford-Fitz
Explore
Christy Goerzen
Farmed Out
Christy Goerzen
Fast Slide
Melanie Jackson
Finding Elmo
Monique Polak
Flower Power
Ann Walsh
Fraud Squad
Michele Martin Bossley
High Wire
Melanie Jackson
Hold the Pickles
Vicki Grant
Ann Walsh
Hypnotized
Don Trembath
In a Flash
Eric Walters
Junkyard Dog
Monique Polak
Laggan Lard Butts
Eric Walters
Living Rough
Cristy Watson
Manga Touch
Jacqueline Pearce
Marked
Norah McClintock
Maxed Out
Daphne Greer
Mirror Image
K.L. Denman
Nine Doors
Vicki Grant
Oracle
Alex Van Tol
Out of Season
Kari Jones
Perfect Revenge
K.L. Denman
Pigboy
Vicki Grant
Power Chord
Ted Staunton
Pyro
Monique Polak
Queen of the Toilet Bowl
Frieda Wishinsky
Rebel’s Tag
K.L. Denman
Reckless
See No Evil
Diane Young
Sewer Rats
Sigmund Brouwer
The Shade
K.L. Denman
Skate Freak
Lesley Choyce
Slick
Sara Cassidy
The Snowball Effect
Deb Loughead
Special Edward
Eric Walters
Splat!
Eric Walters
Spoiled Rotten
Dayle Campbell Gaetz
Storm Tide
Kari Jones
Struck
Deb Loughead
Stuff We All Get
K.L. Denman
Sudden Impact
Lesley Choyce
Swiped
Michele Martin Bossley
Watch Me
Norah McClintock
Windfall
Sara Cassidy
Wired
Sigmund Brouwer