The Secret Crush Read Free

normally.
    â€œMe too,” Jen agreed.
    Chloe gave Jasper a firm pat on the back, and Marcus held up his hand high for Jasper to slap.
    â€œI can definitely see myself playing Juliet,” Kathi said.
    Ohmylanta! Zee groaned to herself.
    Â 
    As much fun as the band was going to be, there was one important person missing—Ally. When Zee got home, she turned on her computer.
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    E-ZEE: J came up w an idea 4 the musical. Every1 likes it.
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    SPARKLEGRRL: Even K?
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    E-ZEE: ESPECIALLY K. She plans 2 b the lead.
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    SPARKLEGRRL: LOL! w L as the male lead?
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    E-ZEE: Probably!! LOL. Of course, I am planning 2 b the lead 2.
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    SPARKLEGRRL: w L as the male lead?
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    E-ZEE: LOL! Of course.
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    SPARKLEGRRL: U r lucky. U have a big group 2 hang out w. I wish I did 2.
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    E-ZEE: I thought u said u were making friends.
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    SPARKLEGRRL: Yes—& no.
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    E-ZEE: ???
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    SPARKLEGRRL: People r nice 2 me, & we hang out. It’s not like in CA, though. I had things in common w people there—even K. I don’t know how 2 fit in here. There is 1 guy I like. We had pizza 2gether.
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    E-ZEE: Oh, yeah! What’s his name?
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    SPARKLEGRRL: Jacques. I think he likes me!!
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    E-ZEE: Cool! Go 4 it!
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    SPARKLEGRRL: I plan 2—LOL! GTG. LYLAS.
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    E-ZEE: TTFN.
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    Â 
    Saturday morning Zee was helping Chloe and Jasper with their garden project. She stuck a shovel deep into a pile of dirt, then loaded the soil into the red wheelbarrow nearby and pushed it to where Chloe was kneeling in the garden bed.
    â€œWhere should I dump this?” Zee asked.
    Chloe looked up. “Not here,” she said, wiping her hands on the front of her denim overalls. “I’m all done.”
    Zee wiggled her toes in the navy-blue Converse sneakersshe’d pulled out of the back of her closet. She’d carefully chosen her garden-themed outfit—a pair of long blue shorts that she’d decorated with butterfly patches and belted with a green scarf, topped with a tank top and a pair of big blue sunglasses. She felt bad that she had been purposely avoiding getting as dirty as Chloe.

    â€œYou can dump the dirt over there,” Chloe continued. She stood up and pointed to a plot where Jasper hoed the soil. “I’ll help you guys.”
    Ms. Merriweather, the seventh-grade science teacher, tossed a big pile of dirt on to Jasper’s plot. “Chloe and Jasper, you should be proud of yourselves,” she said from underneath her giant, floppy straw hat. “Your science project is really shaping up.”
    â€œI feel as though we haven’t done nearly enough,” Jasper said.
    â€œThere will always be work to do,” Ms. Merriweather said, “but you’ve accomplished a lot in a very short time. It’s students like you that make Brookdale Academy a true LEED school.” LEED stood for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and meant that Brookdale Academy was a green school.
    â€œI knew composting the cafeteria scraps and planting vegetable gardens was a good idea,” Chloe put in. “But I never realized it would be so much fun. Right, Zee?”
    â€œUm…sure,” Zee said. “I…uh…get to be with you guys. And I’m definitely getting stronger.” She flexed her arms, pretending to show off muscles.
    Chloe laughed. “It’s probably a teeny bit more exciting when it’s your own idea.”
    â€œLike the musical—well, mine and Kathi’s and Jasper’s,” Zee said.
    â€œNow that’s going to be a lot of hard work,” Jasper said.
    Zee laughed. “That’s the difference between us,” she said. “Pushing around dirt is hard work to me. Planning a musical is fun. I’m going to ask if I can write the script, compose the music, work on the costumes, help Mr. P