On the Back Burner by Diane Muldrow Page B

felt hot, but her hands were freezing. And her throat was getting sore, too. Molly took a sip of her milkshake to try to soothe her throat, but it didn’t help. She put the glass on the table and rested her head against the back of the couch. After the last movie ended, Shawn and Natasha got up to go home. Molly walked them to the door with Amanda, but as soon as they closed the door, Molly slumped against the wall, sighing heavily.
    “Molls, what’s the matter?” Amanda asked.
    Molly realized that her body felt incredibly heavy and that her head throbbed dully at her temples. “I think I’m sick,” she told Amanda.
    “Your face is red,” Amanda said, looking worried. She placed her hand on Molly’s forehead. “You’re hot, too. Mom!” she yelled. Mrs. Moore quickly appeared at the top of the stairs. She took one look at Molly and helped her up to bed.
    In the twins’ room Molly quickly changed into a nightshirt while Mom got the thermometer. Molly pulled back her covers and crawled right into bed. When Mom returned with the thermometer, everyone waited silently to see what Molly’s temperature was.
    “One-oh-two,” Mom said. “No wonder you’re feeling so lousy, Molly. Amanda, go get an extra blanket from the hall closet and a glass of water. I’m going to get some medicine.” After Molly gulped down the medicine, she fell right asleep.
    “She’s really sick, isn’t she?” Amanda asked Mom as they went downstairs.
    Mom nodded, looking very concerned. “Probably just the flu. It’s been going around. Fortunately, I can take tomorrow off to take care of her. There’s no way she’s going to school tomorrow.”
    After finishing her social studies homework, Amanda decided to go to bed early. She looked at Molly’s flushed face as her twin tossed fitfully in her bed. Ugh, thought Amanda. I sure hope I don’t get sick, too.

Chapter 10
    A manda went to school on M.onday morning, but Mom picked her up by lunchtime—she’d come down with the flu, too.
    Peichi arrived at school on Monday excited to see her friends. All weekend she’d worked on her Chinese New Year film and she’d loved every second of it. “I might be a filmmaker when I’m older,” she told her parents. “I really like working with the camera.” During the past weekend, she’d walked around Chinatown with her parents and filmed the sayings people tacked to their doors and to the fronts of stores. All your hard work will soon pay off read one card that was tacked to the front door of an apartment building. Peichi filmed it, then turned the camera to face herself and spoke into it, saying: “I sure hope that one is true for me.”
    Since being grounded, Peichi had started to really like going to school every day. It was the only time she could be with all her friends. But on Tuesday, she couldn’t find anyone. That’s weird, she thought. Molly and Amanda are home sick, but where are Shawn and Natasha?
    By lunchtime, Peichi had figured out that Shawn and Natasha had stayed home from school. Uh-oh, thought Peichi. They must all have the flu! I bet the only reason I’m not sick is because I’ve been grounded and haven’t been hanging out with them. Peichi walked into the cafeteria all by herself. Even though she had lunch there every day, it suddenly felt overwhelming—large and bright and loud. Oh no, she thought suddenly. Who can I eat lunch with today? I’ll feel so lame if I have to eat all by myself!
    Without her friends there, the day seemed to drag on slowly. At lunch, she ended up sitting alone and studying for an English test she would take that afternoon. She’d reviewed her notes carefully the night before, but now she reread the poems and the notes she’d taken in class.
    Wednesday after school, Peichi walked to each of her friends’ houses to drop off their textbooks and make-up homework. She hoped that at least one of them would be feeling better and be able to talk with her for a few minutes, but they were