No Grown-ups Allowed (3 page)

The truth was he shouldn't have chocolate at all. And he knew it. Chocolate made him very hyper, sometimes sick.

Grandma stacked the dishes on the counter while Jason went to the living room. He sat on the sofa waiting for his big chance. Dessert was calling.

Click!
Jason turned on the TV with the remote control. He found channel 7 and leaned back. It was a loud, shoot-'em-up cop show.

Grandma peeked around the corner. “Is that something your parents let you watch?” she asked.

“Every night.”

“Jason, are you sure?”

“Uh-huh,” Jason lied.

At the commercial, Grandma came in with a cup of coffee. Quickly, Jason
switched to the news channel.

Grandma settled into a comfortable chair and watched. “This looks interesting,” she said, sipping her coffee.

Jason stared at the coffee in Grandma's cup. The dark color reminded him of valentine chocolates—the ones in his mother's closet!

Grandma seemed interested in the local news. So Jason sneaked out of the living room and made a beeline for the hallway.

It was now or never!

SIX

Jason found the valentine box and stuffed it under his shirt. He dashed across the hall to his room.

Whoosh!
He slid under his bed on his stomach. Grandma would never find him here. Under the bed, he opened the lid. One after another, he ate the chocolates. Mm-m! It was chocolate heaven at last.

After the sixth one, Jason's taste buds rolled over and played dead. He couldn't taste a thing!

Then something strange began to happen.
Jason felt shaky all over. Like he could jump up and down and never stop!

He tried to get out from under the bed, but he bumped his head on the box springs. He tried to slide out backward. His foot was stuck in the bed frame coils. He rocked back and forth.

Crash!
His head hit the bed. “Ouch!” he yelled. Jason was trapped. But he couldn't lie still. Inside, his whole body wanted to move. Like tiny grasshoppers dancing and twitching.

He pushed the valentine box aside.
No more, no thanks!

Now Grandma was calling. Jason stared at the half-eaten candy box. The ooey
gooey
chocolates smelled horrible. Besides that, he had a stomachache.

Jason was in big trouble. He hadn't taken his afternoon pill—the pill that helped calm him down. His body needed that medicine.

“Jason,” his grandma called again.

“I'm here,” whispered Jason, still under the bed.

He was too sick to shout.

“Jason, I dished up some fruit for dessert.”

He pushed away from the box springs, trying to get his foot unstuck. He rocked. He rolled. He wiggled.

Bam!
The bed frame came loose on one side. It fell on top of him.

“HELP!” It was easy to scream now. Jason kept howling till Grandma showed up.

“Oh, my dear! My dear!” Grandma lifted the bed frame off poor, sick Jason.

Free at last, Jason jumped up. “You saved me. I could've been framed forever.”

Grandma scratched her misty gray head. “Are you all right?” Then her eyes grew narrow. She studied him. “You're all chocolaty.” The smudges on his face told his secret.

Grandma pointed Jason toward the
bathroom. “Let's get you washed up, young man.”

He plodded off to clean his face. But when he closed the door, he forgot why he was there. That often happened when he didn't take his pills.

Jason pulled a plastic bag down from the cabinet. It was full of cotton balls. One by one, he lined them in a row on the sink counter top.

Soon Grandma was knocking on the door. “Are you all right, dear?”

Jason looked in the mirror. Oops! A chocolaty face stared back. Gooey spots smeared his glasses.

“Jason?” Grandma called again.

“Uh, just a minute.” He turned on the faucet. It was hot water. Too hot, so he added cold.
SWOOSH!
The water splashed over the sink, onto the floor.

“Jason!” Grandma sounded upset.

“I'll be right out,” Jason grumbled. He leaned over the sink and cupped his
hands under the faucet. He rubbed them over his face, spreading the chocolate all around.

Just then, another idea struck. Jason plugged up the sink and floated cotton balls in it. Two handfuls of them.

Grandma called again, “I'm coming in!” The bathroom door swung wide. “What a mess you've made,” she said, and began to clean up.

Jason dried his hands on his jeans. Things had gone crazy. But it was still only Friday.
Plenty of time left before Mom and Dad come home,
he thought.

Friday night! Monster movie night! Jason was dying to see a monster movie. His first ever.

If only he could get rid of the ache in his stomach. If only he could get Grandma to go to bed early!

But how?

SEVEN

Jason jigged down the hallway to the living room. He plopped into his dad's favorite chair. Holding his stomach, he groaned.

Grandma came in looking worried. “Let's get some warm tea in you.” She touched his arm. “Come in the kitchen, dear.”

Jason wasn't paying attention. He reached for the TV section of the paper instead. Something caught his eye. A sale at the pet store—tomorrow!

Jason read the ad.
VALENTINE SPECIAL: FROGS AND LIZARDS HALF PRICE.

A frog! For as long as he could remember, Jason had wanted a frog. He would do anything for one.

He dropped the newspaper. “Grandma, can we go downtown tomorrow?” He turned on the charm. “Please?”

“If you behave yourself, we'll see about it,” she said from the kitchen.

Jason burst out laughing. “It's a deal!” But, of course, he had no plans to behave. And he would wait to tell Grandma about the frog.

“Your tea is ready,” Grandma said.

Jason hurried to the kitchen. “I'll clean up the kitchen for you,” he said. Jason wiggled all over waiting for her answer.

“What a dear boy,” Grandma said. She pulled out a chair for him. Then she served him a cup of mint tea. Stirring in a little honey, his grandma smiled. “We're having a lovely time together, aren't we?”

Lovely?
Jason rubbed his stomach and groaned. “I feel horrible,” he said.

“Sip your tea slowly,” Grandma said. “It will help.”

Jason held his breath and pretended to sip and swallow. “I'm done.” He pushed the cup away.

Grandma frowned at him over her glasses. “Perhaps an early bedtime will help.”

“After I do the dishes,” he said. “And you can watch TV while I do that.” He was hoping she'd get sleepy and go to bed early.

“Why, thank you, dear,” Grandma said, heading for the living room.

Jason turned on the water at the sink. Next came dish soap. He squeezed out too much, and it made tons of bubbles. Soon, they were dripping down the sides of the counter. And onto the floor.

Jason was getting more and more hyper. His last pill had been at breakfast.
His mother had placed it beside his hot oatmeal and toast. Right in front of his nose.

When Jason finished in the kitchen, it was messier than when he started. He held his stomach as he went to his room.
It's too early to go to bed,
he thought.

Peering out the window, he saw lights across the street. Abby and Carly Hunter and their Korean brothers were still up. And Dunkum's lights were on next door. Stacy Henry's, too.

“All the Cul-de-sac Kids are up,” he muttered. “It's only 7:30.” Shoving the curtains closed, he planned his next move.

He hopped like a frog over to his closet and pulled out his robe and pajamas. “Er-r-rib-bit!” he croaked over and over. Then he got undressed.

His plan was perfect! Now if he could just stay awake till Grandma went to bed.

EIGHT

Grandma tucked Jason in and gave him a kiss on the forehead. “Sleep well, dear,” she said.

“Good-night, Grandma,” he whispered, pretending to be tired.

“I think I'll read awhile. It's early. If you need anything, I'll be across the hall in your parents' room.”

“Thanks, Grandma.” Jason wanted to sound polite. More than that, he wanted to trick his grandma. Late-night TV was on his mind. Once she was asleep, he would get up.

Jason listened to the clock in the hall. He counted the ticks, but he couldn't lie still. At last, he sat up in bed. Was Grandma asleep yet?

Tiptoeing across the hall, Jason peeked into the room. His grandma was sitting up in bed, but her eyes were shut. And a book lay open on her lap.

Yes!
Jason closed her door softly and dashed to the living room. He lay on the floor in front of the TV. Some scary show was on. He could tell by the music.

Jason gritted his teeth as a giant snowman roared down from the mountain. It had a monster face.

A snow creature?
thought Jason.
Νah, couldn't be.

Suddenly the music changed. It got louder and higher in pitch. Jason turned down the volume. He didn't want Grandma to wake up.

Phooey on grown-ups!
thought Jason.

He sat close to the TV. The giant snowman
clumped down the mountain and across the field. It was heading straight for two boys. They were shoveling snow.

Jason watched, eyes glued to the screen. What was the snow giant going to do? Why didn't the boys turn and run?

Jason held his breath.
Yikes!
His stomach knotted up as the snow giant crept behind the boys.

Leaping up, Jason stood in the middle of the living room. The snow giant roared and the boys ran for their lives. Jason's muscles felt frozen. His breath came in short puffs as he watched the boys run. Jason wished they'd hurry. The snow giant was catching up with them.

“Hurry! Get away,” Jason said to the TV.

Just then—
cre-eak!
—Jason's front door inched open.

Jason jerked around, ready to fight off the snow monster. “NO!” he yelled as a furry hand touched the doorknob.