to no one in particular. “How can we make sure the hearts are symmetrical without one?”
“The art room has rulers,” a short, dark-haired boy said, holding one up for Betsy to inspect.
Betsy rubbed a finger along the ancient wooden edge. “It’s full of dents.”
Isabel held back a laugh. She was totally messy when it came to art…papers and brushes and paint flew everywhere, and she never needed a ruler! In fact, reminder for later, she was going to have to tell Betsy that the hearts would look more fun if they were all different shapes and sizes and a little off kilter. But she would do that in a minute, after Betsy calmed down.
“Are you seriously going to attack the hoops with all that pink stuff?” Avery pointed to the pile of pink and red streamers, balloons, glitter, and metallic papers Betsy had dumped out of the shopping bags.
“Not today,” Isabel assured her sporty friend. “Today we’re just making decorations. We’ll put them up tomorrow.”
Avery took a few steps away from the door. “Well, it’s wayyy too much pink for me! If you finish early, Dillon and I could really use you at b-ball.” And with a wave, she was off to the gym.
“Ave, wait!” Isabel followed her out into the hall, letting the art room door close. Ever since lunch yesterday she’d been meaning to talk to Avery. Isabel wished Charlotte had said something about Dillon—she was so much better with words—but Charlotte was too upset about Nick to pay attention to anything else.
“Look,” Isabel said. “I have to ask you something, and it’s a little…awkward…but…I guess…well, here goes….” She took a deep breath. “How do you feel about Dillon?”
“Uhhh…he’s my friend,” Avery answered, looking at Isabel like she had two heads. “Why?”
Isabel looked around to make sure no one was in earshot. “Do you like, like him?”
Avery stared at Isabel, a confused look on her face. “Yeah, everybody likes Dillon!”
“Ahh.” Isabel sighed. This was going to be more difficult than she had anticipated. Avery Madden clearly was not processing the subtleties of romance. She was just going to have to spell it out for her. Isabel looked around the hall again to make sure no one was listening.
“Izzy, I have to go,” Avery said impatiently. “The guys are waiting for me.” And she began walking away.
“Just a sec, Ave. This is important.” Isabel lowered her voice and followed Avery.
“Here it is in a nutshell, Ave. Maeve likes Dillon asin, really likes him, as in, has a huge crush on him.” Isabel explained. “But he only ever pays attention to you, so she’s, well, I think she’s pretty jealous.”
Avery fished a quarter out of her pocket and ran it along the grate on a nearby locker. “So that’s why she’s been acting all bizarre-o around me.”
Isabel shrugged. “Yeah, I guess.” She was a little surprised at Avery’s laidback response to the situation. But, that was Avery.
“So what am I supposed to do?” Avery spun the quarter around in her fingers. “Dillon’s my friend. I can’t just stop hanging out with him!”
“I don’t know.” Isabel sighed, glad that she’d finally said something. “Maybe talk to Maeve?”
Avery nodded. “Sure. I can do that. We wouldn’t want our buddy Maeve moping at the dance! I’ll talk to her later. Gotta go.” With that, she bounced off down the hall.
Isabel headed back into the art room hoping she had done the right thing and wondering whether Avery understood how complicated a “love triangle” could get.
A Forget-Me-Not
Isabel was hard at work painting a gigantic cardboard heart when a familiar figure strolled into the art room.
“Kevin!” she waved.
He lifted a drawing out of his portfolio and laid it on the table next to her. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Hearts, hearts, and more hearts!” Both of them laughed. Isabel’s table was covered with pink and purple hearts of all shapes and sizes.
“You definitely
“The art room has rulers,” a short, dark-haired boy said, holding one up for Betsy to inspect.
Betsy rubbed a finger along the ancient wooden edge. “It’s full of dents.”
Isabel held back a laugh. She was totally messy when it came to art…papers and brushes and paint flew everywhere, and she never needed a ruler! In fact, reminder for later, she was going to have to tell Betsy that the hearts would look more fun if they were all different shapes and sizes and a little off kilter. But she would do that in a minute, after Betsy calmed down.
“Are you seriously going to attack the hoops with all that pink stuff?” Avery pointed to the pile of pink and red streamers, balloons, glitter, and metallic papers Betsy had dumped out of the shopping bags.
“Not today,” Isabel assured her sporty friend. “Today we’re just making decorations. We’ll put them up tomorrow.”
Avery took a few steps away from the door. “Well, it’s wayyy too much pink for me! If you finish early, Dillon and I could really use you at b-ball.” And with a wave, she was off to the gym.
“Ave, wait!” Isabel followed her out into the hall, letting the art room door close. Ever since lunch yesterday she’d been meaning to talk to Avery. Isabel wished Charlotte had said something about Dillon—she was so much better with words—but Charlotte was too upset about Nick to pay attention to anything else.
“Look,” Isabel said. “I have to ask you something, and it’s a little…awkward…but…I guess…well, here goes….” She took a deep breath. “How do you feel about Dillon?”
“Uhhh…he’s my friend,” Avery answered, looking at Isabel like she had two heads. “Why?”
Isabel looked around to make sure no one was in earshot. “Do you like, like him?”
Avery stared at Isabel, a confused look on her face. “Yeah, everybody likes Dillon!”
“Ahh.” Isabel sighed. This was going to be more difficult than she had anticipated. Avery Madden clearly was not processing the subtleties of romance. She was just going to have to spell it out for her. Isabel looked around the hall again to make sure no one was listening.
“Izzy, I have to go,” Avery said impatiently. “The guys are waiting for me.” And she began walking away.
“Just a sec, Ave. This is important.” Isabel lowered her voice and followed Avery.
“Here it is in a nutshell, Ave. Maeve likes Dillon asin, really likes him, as in, has a huge crush on him.” Isabel explained. “But he only ever pays attention to you, so she’s, well, I think she’s pretty jealous.”
Avery fished a quarter out of her pocket and ran it along the grate on a nearby locker. “So that’s why she’s been acting all bizarre-o around me.”
Isabel shrugged. “Yeah, I guess.” She was a little surprised at Avery’s laidback response to the situation. But, that was Avery.
“So what am I supposed to do?” Avery spun the quarter around in her fingers. “Dillon’s my friend. I can’t just stop hanging out with him!”
“I don’t know.” Isabel sighed, glad that she’d finally said something. “Maybe talk to Maeve?”
Avery nodded. “Sure. I can do that. We wouldn’t want our buddy Maeve moping at the dance! I’ll talk to her later. Gotta go.” With that, she bounced off down the hall.
Isabel headed back into the art room hoping she had done the right thing and wondering whether Avery understood how complicated a “love triangle” could get.
A Forget-Me-Not
Isabel was hard at work painting a gigantic cardboard heart when a familiar figure strolled into the art room.
“Kevin!” she waved.
He lifted a drawing out of his portfolio and laid it on the table next to her. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Hearts, hearts, and more hearts!” Both of them laughed. Isabel’s table was covered with pink and purple hearts of all shapes and sizes.
“You definitely
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