Fabulous Five 006 - The Parent Game Read Free Page B

be friends."
    Jana felt as if she were going to be sick. Taffy and Randy
acting as make-believe parents for two whole weeks? She didn't know whether to
laugh or cry. How different would that be from Laura and Randy's being
partners? she wondered. Was either one of the girls less likely to try to steal
Randy away from her than the other?
    Taffy did say she wanted to be friends, Jana reminded
herself. And she wouldn't ask Randy to be partners if Jana didn't want her to.
Did Taffy really want to be friends? Jana couldn't imagine going to
Bumpers or to a movie with Taffy the way she did with The Fabulous Five. She
felt trapped. What could she do?
    "You have to decide real soon," Taffy said,
gripping Jana's arm dramatically. "Laura may have already asked him."
    Jana thought the expression on Taffy's face must be right
out of one of her acting classes.
    "I don't know," Jana answered. She needed time to
think. "This is awfully sudden. I don't know if I want to butt into
something Randy is doing."
    "I know you need time to think about it," Taffy
said sweetly. "But Laura could ask him any minute. You've got to hurry and
decide."
     
    On the school ground the next morning Jana found Katie and
Melanie waiting at their special place by the fence. Christie and Beth came up
just as she was starting to repeat Taffy's offer.
    "Don't tell me you believed her!" squealed
Christie.
    "I just can't figure out why she would lie to me,"
Jana answered defensively. "What can she gain? She could ask Randy to be a
parent without even asking me, couldn't she? I couldn't do anything about that.
And I'm certainly not going up to Randy and tell him he can't be Taffy's
partner."
    "You're right," said Katie. "That's what's so
puzzling. But I just can't believe she'd do it out of the goodness of her
heart."
    "Maybe she has changed," said Melanie. "We
haven't seen that much of her, and we certainly haven't had any fights with her
lately."
    "Taffy change?" asked Beth, rolling her eyeballs
back in her head. "Not in a million years."
    "So you haven't talked to Randy about it?" Christie
asked.
    "What would I say? Hey, Randy, don't be partners with
Laura or Taffy on the Family Living project. They're just trying to steal you
away from me. He'd think I was acting jealous."
    "I guess so," agreed Christie. She seemed to be
thinking the situation over. "I wonder if it is possible that Taffy
feels differently about us," she said slowly. "Why don't we each try
to talk to her and sec how she reacts? You know, just make casual conversation.
If she really feels differently about you, she ought to be friendly with all of
us."
    "Good idea," said Jana.
    "Gosh," said Beth. "I don't think I can stand
to go through life without Taffy Sinclair hating me."
    Everyone laughed at that, and soon the conversation drifted
back to the parent project.
    "I can't wait to be parents with Scott," said
Melanie. "It's going to seem just like we're married." She got the
dreamy look in her eyes again.
    "What about Shane Arrington and Garrett Boldt?"
asked Christie. "I thought you liked them, too."
    "I do, but Scott was my first true love. Then
Shane was my second, and Garrett was my third."
    The rest of The Fabulous Five giggled.
    "I don't know how you can be so fickle," said
Katie in an exasperated voice. "You act as if you want all the boys in
Wacko Junior High for yourself."
    "Yeah," answered Melanie. "But wouldn't
it be fantastic? Besides, you're just saying that because Tony Calcaterra's not
in your class."
    This time Katie stuck her tongue out at Melanie.
    "There's no one in my Family Living class that I want
to team up with," said Beth.
    "How about you, Jana?" Christie asked.
    "Randy's not in my class, and I don't know if I want to
team up with anyone else or not."
    "Well, if you're going to object to Randy's teaming up
with someone, I don't think you should have a partner," said Beth.
    "I'm not against Randy's being partners with
someone. It's just who he teams up with, that's all." Then she