Acting Out Read Free

let’s go,” Brenna says.
    “Thanks for your help, Josh and Jules, Maggie and Zoe. And I’ll see Brenna and Sunita sometime this week,” Gran calls from her paperwork. Poor Gran. The pile does not seem any smaller.
    “Hang on, guys,” I say. “Let me get changed. I’ll be right back.”
    I rush upstairs and throw on one of my new pairs of jeans with a lime green sweater and matching ballet flats. I give myself a quick glance in the mirror and add a necklace of multicolored glass beads. It’s nothing too special, but I’m short on time. I run a comb through my hair, grab a lip gloss and rejoin the rest of the group.
    We head across the street to David’s house. I’m glad my first day back is one with all the VetVolunteers. Everyone seems excited to see me. But I sure do wish I knew whether Maggie was happy to have me back or not.
    I take a hard look at my cousin to see if I can find the answer in her face, but she is busy twirling the cat toothbrush Gran sent along for David’s cat at Sunita. Josh, Jules, and Brenna are talking about some Stream Cleanup Day they did. And I just trail behind, wondering how I’ll fit back in—
if
I’ll fit back in—with this tight group of friends: the Vet Volunteers.

Chapter Two

    C ome on, come on, come on!” David says, opening the door. “Just wait till you see this cat. Oh hey, Zoe. Um. Nice to see you.” David Hutchinson hasn’t changed at all. His hair is as messy as the stained sweatshirt he’s wearing and he’s talking fast. “Let’s go upstairs. He’s in my room,” David continues as he rushes us into the house and past the kitchen.
    “Hi, kids,” Mrs. Hutchinson calls out. “I’m making mini pizzas.”
    We stop in the hall. Mrs. Hutchinson has drinks and paper plates lined up on the kitchen counter.
    “I hope you all like them.” She looks at me.“Welcome back, Zoe. Do you eat pizza? I can fix you a salad if you prefer.”
    “I like pizza,” I reply. I usually eat healthier food than that, but I don’t want Mrs. Hutchinson to see me as some kind of problem child. The refrigerator door behind her closes and I see a cute older boy drinking milk straight from the carton. Oh, wow. It’s Brian. David’s older brother has turned into somebody who belongs on the cover of
Entertainment Weekly
. I check my sweater and my hair to make sure they’re both smoothed down.
    Mrs. Hutchinson looks at me and back at Brian. Then she raises an eyebrow and chuckles. “Lunch will be ready in about fifteen minutes, David.”
    “Cool, thanks, Mom!” David says and leads the way once again to his room. When we enter, his cat is curled up on his bed.
    Sunita, of course, is the first to pull Rover into her arms. “Ohhh, such a pretty cat,” she purrs at him, cuddling the tabby on her lap.
    Click
. Brenna takes a picture. “That’ll be a good one,” she says. Now I’m happy she brought her camera. Maybe she can get a picture of Brian before we leave, too. Wonder how I can suggest that?
    Brenna stands on a chair and aims the camerastraight down at Sunita and Rover.
Click
. Then she lies down on the floor and gets one from that angle.
Click
. Rover turns his head at the sound of the camera. Then he bats a paw at it.
    “That’s my guy.” David grins.
    Maggie laughs and holds her arms out to Rover. Sunita quickly hands him over, even though she looks a little sad to give him up. But in Maggie’s arms Rover isn’t so calm. He twists to get free.
    “Okay, little boy, you can explore,” Maggie says. She sets Rover on the floor, and Brenna takes another shot. Rover’s on his hind legs now with his front paws on Brenna’s camera. He is so cute.
Click
.
    “That’s going to be your close-up, Rover!” Brenna says.
    Maggie, Sunita, and I sit down on the floor. Josh and Jules stay standing by the door—they still seem a little shy around the group, or at least Jules does. Brenna keeps moving all over the place to get her pictures. David belly flops on his bed and