50 - Calling All Creeps! Read Free Page B

hair.
    “But why did you tell Tasha?” Wart asked nastily.
    “Because he’s a wimp,” David chimed in.
    “Because he was scared,” Brenda said.
    “Because you’re a snitch,” Wart accused.
    “But it was your fault!” I cried. I tried to climb up, but they pushed
me down again.
    Iris let out a short cry, then covered her mouth with both hands. I could see
she was really scared. “Don’t worry,” I called to her. “They’re not really going
to hurt me.”
    I turned to Wart. “Right?”
    All four of them laughed.
    “What should we do to Ricky Rat?” Brenda said.
    “Hurt him,” David replied.
    They laughed again.
    “No. Let’s make him sing,” Wart said, grinning at me.
    “Oh, no!” I groaned. “Not again!”
    They think it’s a riot to make me sing songs to them. They force me to sing
all the time. It’s because I have a terrible voice, and I can’t carry a tune.
“Please—” I begged.
    “Yes. Sing a song—for your new friend,” Brenda said, motioning to Iris.
    “No. No way!” I insisted.
    David and Jared bent down and grabbed my shoulders. They started to push me
deeper into the mud. “Sing a song,” Jared ordered.
    “Sing The Star-Spangled Banner,” Wart said.
    The others cheered and clapped. “Yes! The Star-Spangled Banner ! That’s
the best!”
    “Noooo,” I groaned. “Not again. Please, guys! Please! I don’t know the words.
Really. Don’t make me sing that song again!”
    I begged and pleaded. Iris begged and pleaded.
    But the four of them stood over me, staring me down, not letting me up from
the mud.
    What choice did I have? I knew only one way to get them to leave. So, sitting
there on the cold, muddy ground, I started to sing.
    “Oh, say can you see… ?”
    They burst into loud laughter. They hooted and howled. They shoved each other
and slapped each other high fives. They practically fell down in the mud
themselves, they were laughing so hard.
    “… and the hooooome of the brave.”
    Somehow I made it through the whole song. Of course, I forgot most of the
words. And of course my voice cracked at the high parts.
    And of course I’d never been so embarrassed in all my life.
    Iris must think I’m the biggest jerk on the planet, I told myself. She must
think I’m a total loser.
    I wanted to sink into the mud like a worm and never come back up.
    I took off. I just started to run.
    I didn’t glance back. Not at my four enemies. Not at Iris.
    Especially not at Iris. I didn’t want to see her laughing at me too.
    Or feeling sorry for me.
    I ran all the way home without slowing down. Then I burst into the house.
Slammed the door behind me. And ran up to my room.
    This is all Tasha’s fault, I decided.
    First Tasha kicked me off the newspaper staff—because of an accident. Then
Tasha told Wart that I had blamed him.
    So Wart and his pals had no choice. They had to chase after me and
embarrass me in front of Iris.
    All Tasha’s fault… all Tasha’s fault…
    I was still thinking about her as I struggled to fall asleep that night.
Still thinking about how I’d pay Tasha back some day.
    It took hours and hours to fall asleep.
    The phone beside my bed rang and woke me up Saturday morning. Sleepily, I
grabbed up the receiver.
    Guess who was on the other end?
    Tasha.
    Yes. A surprise call from Tasha.
    A call that would change my life.

 
 
7
     
     
    “Huh?” I managed to choke out, still half asleep. I cleared my throat.
    “I need your help,” Tasha said.
    “Huh?” I sat straight up in bed. Tasha needed my help? Was I totally asleep? Was I dreaming this?
    “I need you to cover a story for me,” Tasha continued. “For the newspaper.
I’ve tried everyone else I know. They couldn’t do it. You are the last person I
wanted to call. But you’re my only hope.”
    “Huh?” I replied.
    “Ricky—is that all you can say?” Tasha demanded shrilly. “Did I wake you up
or something?”
    “Huh? Uh… no.” I cleared my throat again. I shook my head,