Fabulous Five 008 - The Runaway Crisis Read online

  "Hunger," said Willie. "Did you know that in this city alone hundreds of people go to bed hungry every night? They sleep on park benches, in vacant buildings, under bridges. And they're not just adults. Lots of them are children."

  Katie let out a low whistle, but before she could say anything, her mother went on, her voice rising passionately, "And those are just the ones the authorities know about. There's no telling how many more there are. It's a disgrace."

  "Why are you having such a hard time writing about it?" asked Katie. "It's obvious you care a lot."

  "Nobody's doing anything new that I can build an article on," Willie said, sounding exasperated. "I mean, there are soup kitchens and collection points where people can drop off donations, but that's old news. Those have been around for a long time. What I need is something different that will grab people's attention and make them want to help out."

  Katie shrugged sympathetically. "I haven't heard of anything around good old Wacko Junior High."

  Willie smiled and shut off her computer. "So what is going on at good old Wacko? Anything worth talking about?"

  "Well, sort of," Katie began. She knew that hunger was a lot bigger problem than one girl's troubles with her parents, but she didn't want to let Shawnie down. "I have a new friend. Her name is Shawnie Pendergast, and her parents are unreal. They won't let her do anything."

  Katie told her mother the whole story of Shawnie and her parents, leaving out only the parts about Shawnie's sneaking around. As liberal as Willie was about some things, Katie wasn't sure how she would feel about that.

  "Anyway," she concluded, "I'd like to invite Shawnie over sometime. We'd have to make it a homework session, and you'd have to call Shawnie's mother and convince her that we were really going to study before she'd give Shawnie permission, but it would be worth it. She needs to get out of the house."

  Willie sighed deeply. "Wow," she said. "It's hard to believe anyone could be that strict."

  "Will you do it?" Katie asked.

  "Sure," said Willie, giving her daughter a hug. "You decide when you want her to come, and I'll take care of the rest."

  Katie didn't know why she felt so relieved. She had known Willie would help once she understood the situation. That was just the kind of person her mother was.

  When Katie got to school the next morning, she went inside the building to look for Shawnie instead of meeting her friends outside at the fence. She found her at the drinking fountain beside the office.

  She had meant to ask Shawnie immediately if she had gotten home from Bumpers before her mother returned from work, but instead her mouth dropped open at the sight of Shawnie's gorgeous outfit.

  "Like it?" asked Shawnie. Then she twirled around so that Katie could get the full effect of the deep-burgundy-colored jumper and matching beige-and-burgundy blouse. Even her lipstick matched, and her blond hair shone like spun gold in contrast to the dark color of the jumper, making her look like a magazine model.

  "It's beautiful," Katie murmured, and tried not to wonder how much it had cost.

  "I like it, too, but it's only a payoff," said Shawnie.

  "A payoff?" Katie echoed.

  "To make up for not letting me do anything or go anywhere," Shawnie said matter-of-factly. "My mom thinks that if she buys me a new outfit to wear to school every so often, it will fix everything." Then her face brightened. "At least I made it home before she did yesterday, but just barely. I hadn't even taken my coat off when I heard her car in the driveway. You wouldn't believe how fast I moved to make it look as if I'd been home for ages."

  "Whoa! I'm glad you made it," said Katie. "By the way, I asked my mom about calling your mom to see if you can come over some evening. I explained that she'd have to promise your mom that we would do homework. She said she'd be glad to."

  Shawnie just looked at her for a moment, and Katie thought she saw Shawnie's eyes get misty. "Thanks a million. Your mom sounds like a real doll." Then her face lit up again and she added with a wink, "We will study, too! At least part of the time."

  Katie laughed along with Shawnie, but at the same time she felt a catch in her throat. Poor Shawnie, she thought. It wasn't fair that her life was so miserable. Merely inviting Shawnie to her house once in a while wasn't going to be nearly enough. There had to be more she could do.

  CHAPTER 4

  At lunchtime Katie brought up the subject of Shawnie with her friends again.

  "Can you believe a mother who pays off her daughter with clothes for not letting her do things? That's what Shawnie told me this morning that her mother does. And believe me, the new outfit she has on today looks EX . . . PEN . . . SIVE."

  Melanie chuckled. "I wish my mom would pay me off for not doing something. I could use some new clothes. And there are lots of things she could pay me off for. Not baby-sitting Jeffy. Not cleaning my room. Things like that."

  Everybody laughed except Katie. "This is serious. You have no idea how miserable Shawnie is."

  Jana looked at Katie sympathetically. "We didn't mean to make fun of Shawnie's situation," she said. "You know us better than that, don't you?"

  Katie nodded. "Sure. I guess I'm getting a little carried away. But it isn't fair, you know. Shawnie ought to have some rights, too."

  "But what can any of us do about it?" asked Christie. "After all, her parents are her parents."

  "Well, I'm going to invite her over some evening soon," Katie answered. "Shawnie said my mom would have to call her mom and say it would be a study session, though. Hey! I've got an idea! Why don't you guys come over, too? We can do our homework and then listen to tapes."

  "I've got an even better idea," chirped Melanie. "Let's invite boys and make it a real party." Her grin faded immediately as Katie shot her a warning look. "Okay. Okay. I was just trying to be funny," she offered. Then she gave Katie a sly glance. "Speaking of boys, though, didn't I see you kidding around with Tony Calcaterra at your locker yesterday after school and then talking to him later outside Bumpers?"

  Katie could feel her face turning red at the mention of Tony Calcaterra. What was worse, it was Melanie who had brought his name up. Katie was always calling Melanie boy crazy because she had crushes on tons of boys and flirted with every boy in sight. But now Melanie had caught Katie in the act of flirting, and it looked as if she wasn't going to let Katie off the hook.

  "So? There's no law against talking to someone, is there?" Katie asked defensively.

  "Speaking of law," Beth chimed in, "I'll bet she was asking him if he's done anything to land himself in Teen Court this week."

  The flame in Katie's face burned hotter. Just wait until they hear that he will be in Teen Court this week, she thought, and then said quickly, "For your information, I was talking to him about something very important."

  "Oh, sure," teased Christie. "He's probably decided to take up one of your causes."

  "As a matter of fact, he has. He's interested in . . . in hunger." Katie couldn't believe the words that were tumbling out of her own mouth, but she couldn't stop them. "He wants to do something. Maybe even organize a march for hunger. Did you know that every night hundreds of people go to bed hungry in this town alone?"

  "And Tony Calcaterra wants to do something about it?" Jana asked incredulously. "When did he become Mr. Concerned Citizen?"

  "Since he got a major crush on Katie, apparently," said Melanie, rolling her eyes heavenward as if she could hardly believe it either. "Love does strange things to people."

  "So tell us about this march for hunger," said Christie. "It sounds like a good idea."

  Katie took a deep breath and tried to sort out her thoughts. Her mind had been racing ever since she had opened her mouth and told that incredible lie about Tony and the march. Half of her brain was in shock over the fact that she would do such a thing and was chewing her out for letting Tony get to her. The other half was desperately trying to figure out how to get out of the mess she had just gotten herself into.

  "Well," urged Melanie. "
Are you going to tell us? Or is it a deep, dark secret?"

  "It's a secret," said Katie, jumping on Melanie's words. "Well, it isn't exactly a secret," she went on. "We're still working on the details. In fact, we're going to talk more about it after school today."

  "You're really serious, aren't you?" said Jana, nodding her head in approval. "I mean, you're probably the only person in the world who could get Tony Calcaterra interested in doing something for humanity. I have to hand it to you, Katie. You're special."

  "I agree," said Beth. "Most of us just sit back and shake our heads about things and say 'Isn't that too bad,' but you get busy and do something about it. Look at how you're trying to help Shawnie, and now this—inspiring Tony to do something besides get into trouble. You can count me in for both things. I'll come when you invite Shawnie over, and I'll join the march for hunger."

  "Me, too," said Melanie.

  "Me, too," echoed Christie and Jana.

  "Thanks, guys," said Katie. "I always knew I could count on The Fabulous Five." But deep down in the pit of her stomach a funny feeling was growing. How was she going to get Tony to organize a march for hunger? And worse yet, persuade him that it had been his own idea?

  CHAPTER 5

  Katie spent the entire afternoon worrying about what she would say to Tony. She had never been in such a predicament in her life, and it was all because of a boy. Tony was macho. He was a show-off. He got into trouble constantly. He was all the things that she had never liked in a boy.

  Still, she thought, doodling circles around the edge of her paper in last period English class. He treated her as if she were special. He had stood up for her when Teen Court had first started a few weeks ago, and Clarence Marshall and Joel Murphy were teasing her about her detention. He had followed the dress code rule by not wearing his earring even though his petition had failed. He had a major crush on her. And he was just about the best-looking boy in Wakeman Junior High. But that wasn't all, she mused. There was something else about him. Something she couldn't quite define that made her blush and get totally flustered every time his name came up. Something that even made her think about him at times when she should have been thinking about something else. Like now.

  "Katie Shannon, I asked you a question."

  Miss Dickinson's words pierced her daydream and jabbed her back to reality.

  "I'm sorry, Miss Dickinson," Katie said sheepishly. "I didn't hear what you asked."

  Before Miss Dickinson could answer, the bell rang. "Don't forget, class," she called instead. "Your assignment is to write a two-hundred-and-fifty-word theme on the quotation on the blackboard. It is due one week from today."

  Katie frowned. She hadn't heard Miss Dickinson make the theme assignment, either. As kids streamed past her heading for the door, she hurriedly copied the quotation into her notebook.

  If there were dreams to sell, what would you buy?

  —Thomas Lovell Beddoes

  "Fifty-yard-line seats for the Super Bowl!" Matt Zeboski shouted as he dove for the door.

  "A lifetime supply of pizza!" roared Clarence Marshall.

  Boys! thought Katie as she gathered her books and followed the rest of the class out of the room. They were so shallow. So immature.

  She was still frowning when she rounded the corner and saw Tony leaning against her locker again. He was watching her approach with the same confident smile he had had the day before. But try as she might to stay cool, she felt a warm glow as a smile spread over her own face.

  "Hi, there, Your Honor. Are we still on for today?"

  "Sure. I just have to get my jacket out of my locker," Katie said, but the instant the words were out, she started to worry. Had her voice been two octaves higher than normal? Had she sounded uptight instead of casual?

  She put the books from her afternoon classes into her locker, keeping out only her notebook, and slipped on her jacket.

  Tony was grinning slyly as they started off down the hall. "Since you only have your notebook and I have two big, heavy books, maybe today you should help me out," he reasoned. Then, before she could answer, he flipped his history book toward her.

  Laughing, she reached out with her left hand and caught it.

  "Not a bad catch for a judge," he teased.

  As they left the school ground, Katie hugged her notebook and Tony's history book to her chest and began to panic. She had to talk to him about organizing a march for the hungry, and she had to do it today before one of her friends got the chance to say something to him about it. One of them might, too, especially Christie or Jana. They might stop him in the hall and tell him how much they liked his idea. Her face turned red just thinking about how confused he would be. He might even say something smart, such as, "Yeah, let's march on down to the cafeteria and see what's on for today."

  Bumpers was packed, as usual, and Tony steered her through the crowd as they looked for somewhere to sit. Katie waved to the rest of The Fabulous Five in a booth near the front, and Tony gave high fives to Mark Peters and Bill Soliday as they passed their table. Luckily they had just stopped beside an orange bumper car when two eighth-graders vacated it, and they jumped in before someone else could get it.

  Katie fidgeted nervously and took long drinks of the soda Tony brought back from the order counter.

  "Are you always this quiet when you're alone with a guy?" Tony asked.

  "No . . . I mean, yes . . . I mean, I was just wondering something," stammered Katie.

  "Something about me?"

  Katie nodded. "How do you feel about hunger?" she blurted.

  Tony was looking at her as if she had just asked if he had ever walked on the moon. She knew her face was blazing. Why couldn't she keep a cool head and talk like a normal person when she was around him?

  "Well, it's a constant struggle," he said with mock seriousness. "I fight it with at least three meals a day and a bunch of snacks in between." Then he gave her a puzzled look. "What do you mean, how do I feel about hunger?"

  "I'm very concerned about it," she said over the hammering of her heart. "You see, my mother is writing an article about hunger, and she says that hundreds of people right here in this city go to bed hungry every night. She also said that nothing new is being done about it, and I think that's awful. Don't you?"

  "Well . . . sure. I guess so," said Tony. "But what does that have to do with me?"

  "I just thought that if you were concerned, you might want to do something about it. That's all."

  The puzzled expression was still on Tony's face. "Like what?"

  Katie took a deep breath and charged on. She couldn't stop now. "Oh, something fun . . . such as getting all the kids at Wacko to put on a march for hunger."

  "Who, me?" Tony asked incredulously.

  "Sure. Why not?" said Katie. "I'd be glad to help."

  Tony drank his soda in silence for a moment, and Katie could practically see little wheels turning in his brain as he thought over the idea. She chewed the end of her straw, not daring to wonder what she would do if he said no.

  "You'd help, huh?" he asked, and then without giving her time to answer he went on, "I know what you're doing. You're trying to make me look good for Teen Court and also for Mr. Bell and the school board so that when the petition comes up again to allow earrings at school, they'll think I'm a great person instead of a juvenile delinquent. Is that it?"

  Katie stared at him. She hadn't thought about it that way, but it wasn't such a bad idea. "It wouldn't hurt," she offered. "But also it could really help a lot of people. And I honestly would help get it organized. I promise." Gulping hard, she said, "We could work on it together."

  Tony cocked one eyebrow and looked at her appraisingly. "Okay," he said. "You've got a deal."

  CHAPTER 6

  Katie could hardly wait to get home and tell her mother about the march for hunger, and she sprinted all the way to her front door after she said good-bye to Tony. She had been trying for a long time to think of a way to bring up the subject of Tony
to her mother. Not that Willie would mind that she was interested in a boy. It was just that she hadn't been sure if she really was interested—until now.

  She and Tony had talked a little bit more about how to get the march organized before they left Bumpers, and she had suggested that they go together to talk to Mr. Bell tomorrow morning before school. They would have to get the principal's permission in order to get the school involved.

  "Katie? Is that you?" her mother called as the front door slammed behind her.

  "Yeah, Mom."

  Willie appeared in the living room doorway. "Your friend Shawnie Pendergast called a few minutes ago. She wants you to call her back as soon as possible."

  "Is something wrong?" asked Katie.

  "I honestly don't know, honey," her mother replied. "But she sounded extremely anxious to talk to you."

  "Thanks," said Katie. "I'll call her right now."

  The phone had barely finished its first ring when Shawnie answered. "I'm so glad you called," she whispered when she found out it was Katie. "I've just got to get out of this house. Could your mom call my mom about coming over to study tonight? Believe me, it's an emergency."

  "An emergency?" Katie whispered back. "What kind of emergency?"

  "I can't talk now."

  "Okay, Shawnie," Katie said. "You know I want to help. Hang on while I ask her."

  "I have to go. I think I hear one of my parents coming. Have your mother call here if it's okay."

  Katie slammed down the receiver and raced to find her mother. "Mom," Katie began in a shaky voice. "Shawnie wants to come over tonight. She says it's an emergency. Will you call her parents?"

  Willie looked up from her desk and frowned. "Did she say what sort of emergency?"

  "No. She was even whispering so that no one would know she was on the phone. Then she said she had to hang up because she thought someone was coming."

  Her mother sighed. "Gosh, Katie, I don't know. It sounds as if we might be interfering in something that isn't any of our business."