Fabulous Five 025 - The Fabulous Five Minus One by Betsy Haynes Page B

semester even
better for the PEAK class. Call it my contribution to England through you. Lots
of luck, Christie."
    Tears welled up in Christie's eyes as she said, "Thank
you, Mr. Dracovitch. I want you to know something, too. I think your classes
are super. You make learning fun, and I can hardly wait to get to your class
each time to see what we're going to do. I think that's special."
    "Some kids are just fun teaching," Mr. Dracovitch
said with a smile.
     
    The Fabulous Five were sitting in a corner booth in Bumpers
when Christie got there.
    "Don't forget all those rock stars in London,"
Melanie said to Christie. "You've just got to get some autographs
for me."
    "I'll do what I can," said Christie, smiling.
    "You know, it could be worse," said Katie. "Your
father's job isn't permanent. I bet you'll be back before any of us know it."
    "Not before I know it," protested Christie.
    She glanced around the room and saw Chase talking to Bill
Soliday near the Wurlitzer jukebox. He was smiling and acting as if nothing had
happened.
    Just then Richie, Clarence, Joel, and Matt stepped into the
center of the room. They were wearing ugly green T-shirts with the word PUKES printed
on the front in black.
    "Where are the PEAKs! Where are the PEAKs!" they
shouted.
    "We're right here!" said Curtis, accepting the
challenge. "Come on, PEAKs. Let's show them we're proud of ourselves."
He pulled his T-shirt on over his head and marched to the center of the room to
confront the other boys. Whitney followed as she pulled on her T-shirt, too.
    "Come on." Curtis waved at the other PEAKs, trying
to get them to join him.
    "Oh, boy," said Katie. "I can't believe this."
    "Me, either," said Christie, but she got up and
went over to where Curtis was standing. Melissa and Melinda reluctantly did the
same.
    "We're prettier than you," said Joel, dancing
around in a circle to show off his T-shirt. "That just goes to show that
beauty doesn't always go with brains."
    "Put on your T-shirts," Curtis said to Christie,
Melissa, and Melinda.
    "No," said Christie.
    "No?" said Curtis incredulously.
    "Ha!" said Richie triumphantly.
    "I am proud to be in the PEAK class, but I'm not going
to put on the T-shirt," said Christie. "I'm not going to be at
Wakeman much longer, and I don't intend to spend any of the time I have left in
silly arguments. This whole thing is ridiculous, anyway."
    "You just don't want to be . . ." Richie started
to say.
    "Wait a minute!" said Clarence, sticking out his
hand to stop Richie. Even though they had never been close friends, Clarence
and Christie had known each other most of their lives. They had gone to Mark
Twain Elementary together, although he had spent most of his time getting in
trouble, while she had been a model student.
    "What did you say, Christie?" Clarence asked,
looking at Christie closely. "The part about not being at Wakeman much
longer?"
    "She's moving," said Melinda. "To London."
    Clarence looked surprised. "To London? How come? When?"
    "My dad has a new job there," answered Christie. "We're
moving between semesters."
    Clarence stared at her. "Jeez!" he said. Then he
said it again. To Christie's amazement, Clarence pulled off his T-shirt. He
frowned at Richie, Joel, and Matt, and they quickly did the same.
    "I didn't know you were moving," Clarence said to
Christie. He seemed to genuinely care.
    After things had settled down, Christie and her friends
talked about how often they would write.
    "I want you to send me some souvenirs, too," said
Beth. "I hear the queen's jewelry is really something. Maybe you could
send me a couple of crowns with all kinds of diamonds on them."
    "You can send me something from the Hard Rock Cafe in
London," said Jana. "A T-shirt would be neat, if you don't mind
talking about T-shirts right now."
    "I'll just take letters," said Katie. "Lots
of them."
    "If I send you guys everything you want, I'll be broke
in no time," said Christie, laughing. She looked at her watch. "I'd
better get home and