Fabulous Five 003 - The Popularity Trap Read Free Page A

are getting along."
    "Just fine, thank you," said Christie. Talking so
informally with the principal made her feel self-conscious.
    Mr. Bell leaned toward her and lowered his voice to
confidential tones. "I have a special favor to ask you," he said, and
Christie heard warning sirens going off in her brain. What next? she wanted to
shout.
    "You are a superior math student," the principal went
on, "and I have been approached by the parents of one of our young men.
Frankly, they feel their son needs help. He's a seventh-grader like yourself,
and he's having a little trouble catching on to the math principles you're
studying right now. I would consider it a personal favor if you would agree to
tutor him a couple of days a week after school."
    Christie wasn't sure if she groaned out loud or only in her
mind. How could he ask her to do a thing like that? Tutoring little kids was
one thing, but a boy in her own class? It would be totally embarrassing for
both of them.
    "I doubt if you know him," said Mr. Bell, as if he
had read her mind. "He went to Copper Beach Elementary."
    "But Mr. Bell . . ." Christie started to protest.
    "I assured the parents that you were the sort of person
who would be only too happy to help their son. And of course, as I said before,
I would consider it a personal favor."
    Trapped! thought Christie. Trapped for the second
time today. First she had been trapped into running for class president, and
now she was trapped into tutoring some jerk!
    "I hope it won't take up much time," she said. "I'm
running for president of the seventh-grade class, and I don't have a lot of
spare time. In fact, maybe you should look for someone who isn't so busy."
    Mr. Bell beamed at her. "Class president, eh? That's
wonderful. And it also proves that you're exactly the sort of person this young
man's parents are looking for. I'm sure you'll be a great influence on him."
    The principal didn't notice Christie roll her eyes as he
went to the door and motioned for someone to come into his office. It's
probably the kid himself, she thought angrily. The "young man," as
Mr. Bell had called him. The jerk!
    "Christie Winchell," said Mr. Bell, "I'd like
for you to meet Jon Smith."
    Christie was stunned. She lowered her gaze from the ceiling
very slowly and looked into the same face that had stared at her in the
cafeteria. Jon Smith was still scowling, and now she knew why.

CHAPTER 4
    I know you two are going to hit it off just fine," said
Mr. Bell, smiling and rising from his chair.
    Christie felt her heart begin to pound. Jon Smith's sullen
expression hadn't changed. If this was the meeting her horoscope had
mentioned—the part about a special meeting that would bring either conflict or
romance—she had the definite feeling that it was going to be conflict instead
of romance.
    "If you'll excuse me, I have some business in another
part of the school," the principal went on. "Feel free to use my
office for the rest of lunch period to get acquainted and set up a schedule for
getting together."
    "I'm busy after school today," Christie said
hurriedly when Mr. Bell had left the room. Actually that wasn't true. It was
just that she needed more time. All she could think about now was how
embarrassed she was over the whole thing.
    "I'm busy, too," mumbled Jon, frowning.
    Christie started to say that she couldn't do it tomorrow,
either, but she stopped herself. After all, she reasoned, she couldn't put it
off forever. She had to do it sometime. She might as well get it over with.
    "Tomorrow is okay for me," she offered.
    Jon looked down at the floor for a moment, and Christie
suspected that he was thinking about putting it off, too. "Okay," he
said reluctantly. "Where do you want to meet?"
    Christie bit her lower lip and thought for a moment. "Um
. . . how about a back booth at Bumpers?"
    "NO!"
    Eeek! she thought. Bad move. He doesn't even want to be seen
with me. She tried not to let him see how flustered she was, locking her hands
into tight