Wild Rescue Read Free

much?” Ashley said.
    “You can negotiate with him Saturday.”
    “They’ll be sleeping in after the band trip,” Mom said.
    Sam stood and picked up a couple of plates. “Not all day.”
    Mom followed him to the kitchen. I sure hoped Sam won this battle.

Chapter 11

    Tuesday night we took our seats in the left side of the auditorium and listened to the sixth graders’ performance. They’d come a long way in the past few months, but they still sounded like tennis shoes squeaking on a gym floor.
    When we took the stage, the curtains closed. I put my music on the stand and was about to sit when someone called me from the hallway. I turned, but the doorway was empty. I went to the hall, but Liz was the only one there, and I didn’t think she would be calling me.
    I returned to my seat and the curtain opened. I saw Sam holding Dylan on his lap. Mom sat beside them, clapping. Then she pointed behind me, and I turned to see Bryce waving and pointing at my music stand.
    Mr. Scarberry tapped his baton, and the flutists’ instruments went to their mouths. Everyone’s but mine. The music in front of me was spread out to our second song. Beside me Denise fought a smile.
    The auditorium fell silent, and Mr. Scarberry stared at me. I held up a hand and tried to rearrange my music. Pages floated to the floor.
    Mr. Scarberry stepped toward our section. “You ready?” he said, squinting.
    “I’m sorry,” I said, hands shaking. “Somebody rearranged my music.”
    He looked at Denise and Liz. “Who would have done something like that?”
    “Beats me,” Liz said, and I almost believed her.
    Mr. Scarberry checked my music and whispered to Liz and Denise, “See me after the concert.”
    Our performance stunk. I could hardly hold the flute to my lips, my hands trembled so much. After the first song, when all the parents and siblings clapped, I looked out at Mom and rolled my eyes. See what I mean?
    Bryce caught my eye and held his chin up, as if to signal me to keep mine up too, I guess. It felt good to have someone on my side.

Chapter 12

    When the curtain closed I helped get the percussion instruments back to the band room. Mr. Scarberry pulled my sister and the other two aside. I heard him say, “. . . jeopardize our performance . . .” All three girls wiped tears.
    Later I followed Ashley into the auditorium.
    “What happened up there?” Mom said, hugging her.
    Before she could answer, Liz and Denise came down the walkway, and their moms and dads met them.
    “Ashley got us in trouble,” Denise said. “She made it look like we messed up her music.”
    I wanted to tell them I’d seen them switch Ashley’s pages.
    Mom held Ashley close, and Dylan skipped up the aisle and hugged her legs. “I heard your fute!” he said.
    Liz’s and Denise’s parents glared at us. “I’ll have a talk with that director,” one of the dads said.
    “No,” Liz said. “Let’s just go.”
    Sam cleared his throat and stood with his back to the others. “How about some milk shakes at the Toot Toot Café?”

Chapter 13

    The milk shake helped, especially since the owner, Mr. Crumpus, put an extra scoop of ice cream in Bryce’s and mine. Ice formed on the outside of the glass, and I scratched it away with a fingernail. I tried to keep thinking about good things, like the alpaca-sitting job, but my mind returned to Liz and Denise.
    I had seen Hayley after the concert. “I’m sorry,” she had said. “I didn’t see them do it.” I told her it wasn’t her fault, but I kept thinking about the trip Friday and wishing I could stay home.
    I was stunned when Mom said, “Why don’t you and Bryce rent a movie tonight?”
    She didn’t normally let us stay up late on school nights, but she said, “You’ve earned it.”
    Bryce gave me a look like he wanted to hurry before Mom changed her mind. While Dylan finished his ice cream, which was everywhere on his face except in his mouth, Bryce and I rushed to the video store.
    We were