Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt Page A

tired.
    He watches me in the rearview mirror and laughs. I laugh, too, and it makes pulling the rope even harder.
    We pull up to a red light and Travis tells me to look at the face of the lady riding the car next to us, and I do. She looks shocked and I think her expression is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.
    Until I see Shay sitting next to her.
    • • •
    As soon as Mr. Daniels steps into the hallway to talk to another teacher, Shay says in her I’m-being-loud-on-purpose-so-everyone-can-hear-me voice, “So, Jessica. Yesterday, I saw that Ally riding in this disgusting green-colored car that I can’t believe was even allowed on the road. Ally had to pull a rope to even get the windshield wipers to work.”
    “You
must
be joking,” says Jessica.
    “Ally? What junkyard did you find that heap in?”
    Jessica laughs like she’s supposed to.
    I try to ignore them. My mom has always said you just ignore mean people because they are only trying to get a rise out of you.
    “I mean, what kind of loser would have a car like that? Probably the only thing your mother can afford.”
    Finally I can’t take it. “It’s my brother Travis’s car. And it is
not
a loser car.”
    “Oh no. It’s a loser car all right. I guess that makes your brother Travis a loser.”
    They laugh.
    “I didn’t think there could be a bigger loser than you, Ally, but I guess I was wrong,” Shay says.
    “Shut up!” I say to Shay just as Mr. Daniels walks back in. “You’re the losers.
You.
Not
him.
”
    “Ally?” Mr. Daniels calls. “Come here, please.”
    “
What?
” I ask, trying not to sound disrespectful.
    “I haven’t known you to name-call before.”
    “They can call me anything they want. And believe me, they do. But they can’t say anything about Travis. Never.”
    “Is Travis your older brother?”
    “He’s my
big
brother.”
    He half smiles. “Is there a difference?”
    “Yeah. There is. An older brother is older. A big brother looks out for you and smiles when you walk into a room.”
    He nods slowly. “I see.” He clears his throat. “I understand you’re upset and I appreciate that you’re defending your brother, but walk away next time. Okay?”
    I nod, but I have to admit that I’m getting awfully tired of walking away.

CHAPTER 21
    B u t t e r f l y W i s h e s
    Our classroom is brainstorming ideas for a community service project.
    Shay raises her hand. “I am having a birthday party and inviting everyone because I don’t want to leave anyone out.”
    “How does that relate to our community service project?” Keisha asks, and the whole class waits for an answer.
    “Well, it’s about community. Everyone being involved.”
    “Yeah, right,” Keisha whispers to me.
    Mr. Daniels compliments Shay on inviting everyone and moves on quickly. Later, as we get our stuff for lunch and recess, Shay speaks to Jessica in her loud voice. “I’m so mad my mother is making me invite everyone.” Then she looks directly at Keisha and me and says, “I hope some people know better than to actually show up.”
    • • •
    My mom insists I go to Shay’s party. Even after I tell her that Shay is mean, my mom asks, “Well, there will be other kids there, right? You may actually have fun.”
    Albert grabbed his invitation from the mailbox before his mother saw it. Keisha’s family is visiting her grandmother. So I’m alone.
    At lunch, I ask Albert and Keisha about some diseases I can use as an excuse not to go.
    “How about bubonic plague? Otherwise known as the black plague?” Albert asks.
    Keisha almost spits out her milk. “
Seriously?
”
    “Uh, that may be a bit much,” I say, but then I begin to wonder. “What does that look like, anyway?”
    “Oh, well . . . chills, fever, cramps. Seizures. Toes, fingers, nose, and lips turn black because the cells die. And you’d likely spit blood.”
    “
Albert,
” Keisha says. “That’s nuts. She can be sick like a normal person, you know. Cough.