Triple Trouble (17 page)

“Oh, don't be nervous, Asher.” Cashmere put her hand on his arm. “You're going to be wonderful!”

“Really?” Asher turned to her and blushed.

“Hey, I'm the one who's nervous,” Oliver protested. “I'm the one who thinks we're going to look like idiots and stink up the stage.”

“Toughen up, bros,” Dexter said.

“Yeah, toughen up,” Sydney said scornfully. “And don't think you can use puking as an excuse to get out of the dance tonight either.”

Now Dexter looked a little ill too.

“Guys!” Nick jogged over with Ox behind him. “I just saw Mason and Jason. They've entered a contest, and the VOGS crew is setting up to film it.”

Final Multipalooza Competition (but one that doesn't involve us): Multipaloo-Limbo

“Get ready to limbo!” the announcer announced. “How low can you go?!”

“Do you see them?” Payton asked. We were standing with Ox, Nick, and Lakiya on the sidelines. I looked for Mason and Jason in the long line of younger kids.

“There they are,” Nick said, turning his video camera toward the end of the line. “I can see them with my zoom lens. They're right behind two of the zombies.”

That narrowed it down. I spotted them too. They were both hopping up and down from excitement.

“Mason! Jason!” I yelled. They turned and waved when they spotted us.

“Multipaloo-Limbo is TWIN-bo,” the announcer said. “You have to hold hands with your twin partner the whole time. If either of you touches the rope or the ground, you are eliminated.”

“Mason and Jason working together?” I said. “This is going to be interesting.”

The music started, and the line started moving. At first, the rope was so high, most of the kids practically could walk under it. Mason and Jason held hands and went under easily.

“Go, Mason and Jason!” we all yelled.

Then the rope lowered, and some kids were disqualified.

“Mason and Jason are still in it,” Ox said. “So are the
zombies, although I'm thinking the long princess dress is going to be a stumbling block.”

Ox was right. The princess zombie went down in the next round. We all cheered for them as they left the field.

“They're getting to the head of the line,” Nick said.

“Go, Mason! Go, Jason!” we shouted. I was watching so intently, I didn't notice some people come up next to me at first.

It was the triplets, Sydney, and Cashmere.

“How are Mason and Jason doing?” Cashmere asked.

“They're still in.” I pointed. “You can see Mason's red hat. They're almost up.”

We all waited until the boys got almost to the rope, then we exploded.

“Go, Mason! Go, Jason!”

“GO, LITTLE DUDES!” one of the triplets yelled.

“Go, Geckos!” Sydney called out. She did some complicated kick-jump cheer move, probably to show off for the triplets. But they were busy watching the limbo game.

And we were all watching as Mason and Jason made it under the rope!

“Yes!” we were all screaming. I held up my hand, and Ox high-fived it.

We watched as the line got smaller and smaller each round. Kids were dropping like flies. But not Mason and Jason! They held hands and bent backward, under the rope again.

Now we were all jumping up and down.

“Little dudes are ROCKING this,” a triplet said.

I looked over at them.

“It's nice of you to cheer them on,” I said.

“They're cool little dudes,” Oliver (Dexter?) said.

“We're all Geckos,” Sydney said. “We're all on the same team. GO, GECKOS!”

It was now down to about five teams. And Mason and Jason were still in it! Then the line was moving, but Mason and Jason suddenly stopped.

“It looks like there's a problem,” Ox said, squinting.

“Mason is rubbing his hat,” Nick said. “I can see with my zoom lens. Maybe he's afraid his hat is giving him extra height?”

“Why can't he just take off his hat?” a triplet asked.

Oh. OH!!! I knew why!

“I'll be right back!” I said. I raced across the limbo field. I ran up to one of the people with “Multipalooza Staff” on her shirt and explained the situation. She let me run out to the boys.

“Mason!” I said. “I'll take it! I'll take the hat!”

“Emma,” he said. “You know what's in it, right?”

“Yes,” I said. “I'll take good care of Mascot. We're cheering you on!”

I carried the hat carefully across the field. I peeked inside to make sure Mascot was okay. Yep, the lizard was safe and sound in the hat cage that Jason had made for him.

“Well, Mascot,” I said. “Go, Geckos, right?”

Mascot winked an eye and stuck out his tongue at me.

I shuddered.

“Emma!” Payton was calling out to me. “Look!”

I walked faster and rejoined my sister and our friends. Other teams were falling or touching the rope.

“Mason was worried about Mascot in his hat,” I said, holding the hat carefully.

“The gecko?” one of the triplets said. “That thing is cool.”

“Want to hold him?” I offered. Excellent. He took the hat out of my hands.

“Hey, little gecko dude,” he said gently into the hat. “I'm Oliver. Aren't you a good boy.”

Well. That was helpful.

I turned around to see that Mason and Jason were reaching the front of the line, and there was only one
team ahead of them. Only one other team. Oh wow! It was down to just them and Mason and Jason!

We all watched as the other team bent over backward and limbo'd toward the rope and then—
splat!
They fell!

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh,” Sydney said. “If Mason and Jason make it, they'll win! I'm so nervous!”

She reached out and grabbed my hand. Wow. Sydney held on to my hand for support and camaraderie. We really all were a team. Then she looked over.

“Ick,” she said. “I thought I was standing next to a triplet.”

“Oh, let's cheer together, Sydney,” I said. “We're all on the same team. GO, GECKOS!”

“Go, Geckos!” Sydney yelled. Then she did some elaborate cheer jump that practically knocked me over. We might be on the same team, but she was still Sydney.

“Okay,” Nick said. “They're up.”

“Eeee!” Payton squealed, her hands covering her eyes. “I can't look! Tell me what happens!”

“GO, MASON AND JASON!” I yelled. I looked at the triplets and grinned. “Go, little dudes!”

“GO, LITTLE DUDES!” we all yelled together.

“They're bending backward,” Nick reported for Payton. “Farther, farther, and . . .”

THEY DID IT! Mason and Jason limbo'd under the rope!!! They won! They won!

WOO!! We were all cheering and jumping up and down! Everyone was high-fiving one another! Even the triplets! I jumped up, and Ox caught me in a hug!

Woo-hoo!

Mason and Jason accepted a trophy from the announcer. They turned to us and started waving. I could read Mason's lips: “Emma! I WON SOMETHING!”

Go, little dudes.

IN OUR BEDROOM, FOUR HOURS LATER

I looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was piled on my head in a soft updo. Little curls fell along my face. I loved my hair! I also loved my dress. The jewel-toned sapphire blue looked nice against the slight tan I'd gotten today at Multipalooza. My tights also covered up the bruises I'd gotten from the last round of Tug-of-War.

Which, by the way, we had lost. We'd competed with the triplets and one of the Rock Guys but . . . the other team consisted of five massive teenage boys and their equally massive younger sister.

I smiled at myself in the mirror. What was important
was that we'd had fun. And also, according to Mrs. Burkle, I'd done an incredible VOGS cast. Squee!

Suddenly, I was seeing double! No, not really. Emma was standing behind me in the mirror. She had also put her hair in an updo. She looked amazing in her silvery dress. Her tights covered up the scrape she'd gotten when I'd landed on her in the Three-Legged Race.

“Emma,” I breathed. “We're going to our very first dance.”

Squee!

Double squee!

AT THE AUTUMN DANCE!

Wow.

Our school gym had been turned into an autumn wonderland. Hundreds of leaves—red, orange, yellow, and green—decorated the walls. Red and gold streamers crisscrossed the ceiling, and shimmery gold spirals hung down from them. In the center was a giant disco ball. Tess and Quinn had been working really hard today.

In one corner of the gym stood a three-dimensional tree with red apples hanging from its branches. And in another corner was a giant, glittery stack of hay, surrounded by real pumpkins and gourds.

But what made all of it so beautiful were the lights.
Streaks of gold light danced across the ceiling and walls and . . . dance floor.

Which was empty.

Whew.

Nick and Payton walked in together first, with Ox and me close behind. Groups of people stood around the perimeter of the room, talking or laughing or just standing there.

It was just a middle school dance. Why was I feeling so shaky?

“Emma! Payton!” Quinn emerged from one of the groups. “What do you think?” She waved her arms around the room.

“I think it looks wonderful,” I said.

“And so do you,” my sister added.

Quinn wore a blue dress with a gold belt and gold ballet shoes.

“You sparkle under the lights,” I told her.

“Did you guys see the refreshments table?” Quinn pointed toward a crowded corner. “There's doughnuts and caramel apples and cookies and soda pop and apple cider.”

“Oh yeah,” Nick said. “I'm there.”

”I'm coming with you,” Ox said. “Uh, do you girls want anything?”

“A doughnut,” Payton said.

“A cookie,” I said.

“And cider,” we both finished. “Please.”

“I'm good,” Quinn said, and we watched the boys walk quickly away. “Boys love their food! Good thing the parents donated a ton of refreshments.”

We stood there, admiring one another's dresses and hair. Tess came over and joined us.

“Hey,” she said.

“Hi!”

“You look great!” We gushed over her floral dress and her updo.

“Thanks,” she said, smiling. “But I really meant ‘hay,' as in, I've got hay down my back. Some guys were having a hay fight.” She jumped up and down and, yep, pieces of hay fell out.

I admired the autumn leaves, some of which were peeling from the wall and fluttering to the ground. Like real autumn. I smiled.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” a voice blasted through the room. “Welcome to the Autumn Dance, sponsored by the Parents Association and Student Council! I'm MC Adam, and I'll be your deejay tonight!”

Everyone cheered.

“The dancing is starting!” some girl yelled, and just then music started playing. Within seconds, a bunch of people were out in the middle of the floor, jumping and dancing around.

“It's all girls,” Quinn laughed. She was right. The boys were either stuffing their faces with food or standing far away from the dance floor.

“Here you go.” Ox and Nick came back with little plates and cups. I bit into a cookie and thought,
Mmm. Girls love their food too.

“Oh no!” Quinn said. “The papier-mâé tree is leaning to one side. I've got to go save the tree!” She raced off.

“Is it all right if I hang out with you guys?” Tess asked shyly. “I mean, you have dates, so I don't want to be in the way.”

“What?” Payton said. “Of course!” Soon a couple of Tess's friends came over, then a few of Nick's and some boys from the football team. Everyone was eating and talking.

And—I exhaled in relief—no one was dancing. Maybe . . . just maybe you didn't have to actually dance at a dance! A fast dance wrapped up.

“Let's give a special shout-out to our chaperones,” MC Adam said.