‘What?!’ Ivy’s mouth dropped open. She turned slowly around . . . and found Holly and Sophia bouncing in place, getting ready to pounce all over again.
‘Ohhhh, fine.’ She sighed. ‘I guess I can do it again. Probably.’
‘Good,’ Charlotte said. ‘Because I have a few more notes.’
‘Of course you do,’ Ivy mumbled. This is going to be a long evening.
But as she took her position at the doorway, facing the full Hallway Gauntlet, with her twin giving her a surreptitious ‘thumbs-up’ gesture near the end of it, Ivy felt a sudden charge of energy run through her body. Just look at all of them!
The whole Franklin Grove Middle School gang was back together, for the first time since high school had begun – and with special new members in Holly and Charlotte! This actually feels like old times. This is good!
Ivy looked round at her friends and her sister, all gathered to help her. Her eyes stung even as she prepared to run the gauntlet all over again. I know the old times can never really come back, she thought, blinking back the would-be tears, but it’s nice to remember them . . . at least for a little while.
Chapter Eleven
The next morning, it was time to put theory into practice. This is not a drill. Ivy took a deep breath as she stepped up to the main entrance of Franklin Grove High. The school bus had pulled away five minutes ago, and Brendan, Sophia and Olivia had all gone in ahead of her, giving her space to tackle the Hallway Gauntlet head-on.
She reached out for the door handle. Then she stopped. Oh, come on, she told herself. Don’t be a wimp! Remember how well it went last night?
They’d run through the scene over a dozen times at her house, and even Charlotte had been impressed by the end of it. When they’d finished the final take, Camilla had announced, ‘We have gold in the can!’
Ivy had barely understood a single word in that sentence, but at least it had sounded like a compliment. And even if it wasn’t . . .
Right. She reached out and pulled the door open. It’s show time!
Just as she’d practised, Ivy kept her gaze fixed on her locker up ahead, where Brendan, Olivia and Sophia were waiting. Before she could take two steps, though, two clingy goth-girls came racing towards her.
‘Wasn’t the homework boring, Ivy?’
‘What did you do last night? I bet it was cool.’
‘Of course it was cool. Ivy’s always cool!’
‘I wish I was like you, Ivy!’
Normally, Ivy would have panicked as they plucked at her sleeves and blocked her in every direction. This time, though, she had to restrain a burst of incredulous laughter. It was almost eerie how good Sophia and Holly’s impression of these girls had been.
I think I’ve had this conversation before, Ivy thought. Over a dozen times before, actually!
Holding back a smile, she forced her forehead to crease. She glanced at her watch.
Almost imperceptibly, the two girls began to shift back, automatically starting to make space for her to leave, even as they kept on talking.
‘Are you ready for the poetry reading in English?’
‘I can’t wait to hear what you chose!’
Ivy’s mind went blank. Then she bit back a groan. Oh, no! I was supposed to choose a poem to read today! She’d been so busy doing her hallway homework, she’d forgotten all about finishing her English homework.
She shrugged, trying to look impatient instead of horrified. ‘I’ll have something by the time class starts.’
‘Ooh.’ The two girls fluttered back, eyes wide. ‘You’re so cool. I could never wing it so close to show time.’
‘I’ve been agonising all week!’
‘Oh, well, I’m sure it’ll be fine.’ Carefully keeping her nose – but not her chin! – in the air, Ivy walked forwards with subtle determination. Just don’t laugh! she ordered herself.
It was hard not to laugh, though, as the two goths fell into a heated debate over their own poetry choices.