Pink & Green is the New Black by Lisa Greenwald Page B

want to ask Mom, Dad, or Grandma if they’ve heard from Claudia or Bean, but if they haven’t they’ll start to worry, and I don’t ever want to be the person who causes others to worry. As a worrier myself, I know the feeling quite well. And it’s not fun!
    Sunny calls me a few minutes later to tell me a Zoe story. “You’re not going to believe what happened in social studies.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œWe had to act out a moment in history. But we could do whatever we wanted—a skit or a song or whatever. You know what I mean?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œSo, that kid Gavin gets up to do a rap about the Civil War—and then Zoe just runs up and joins in! She didn’t know the words at all; she just made stuff up, and did weird arm movements and stuff.”
    â€œLike, in front of the class?” I ask. My heart starts pounding. Maybe my way of helping Zoe with Gavin wasn’t sohelpful. Maybe it was a disaster. Suddenly I’m regretting everything.
    I stop my Claudia stalking so I can pay attention to what Sunny is saying. But I’ll have to get back to that soon. Claudia hasn’t been on any of her social media sites lately, and she hasn’t updated her blog. It’s starting to really worry me.
    She’s missing.
    â€œHello? Are you hearing me?”
    â€œYes, yes, she did weird arm movements and joined the rap!” I need her to get to the end of this story. I’m scared that I’m responsible for something really terrible.
    â€œAnd then she hugged Gavin in front of the class when it finished!” Sunny yelps. “How ridiculous is that?”
    â€œPretty ridiculous, but also pretty cool.” I sigh with relief. Hugging seems okay. Not too crazy. She didn’t say Gavin ran away screaming or anything. “I guess she doesn’t need my help anymore.”
    Sunny laughs. “Well, the bad news is I don’t think he likes her.”
    â€œReally?” My heart sinks like a brick in a swimming pool. I don’t know Zoe that well, but I want her to be happy and get what she wants. “What makes you say that?”
    â€œJust a hunch.”
    I can’t tell Sunny that I actually gave Zoe the idea aboutjoining the rap. At the mall, I overheard Gavin talking about it, and I figured it would be a perfect way for Zoe to interact with him. At least, I thought it was a good idea at first. But now I’m not so sure.
    I did try to help her, though. That should count for something.
    My phone alerts me that I have a new e-mail so I get excited, but it’s just a notice about a sale at the yoga store near the pharmacy.
    Sunny and I are quiet on the phone for a moment, which isn’t unusual for us, but then I hear something in the background.
    Laughter. Girl laughter.
    â€œWho’s at your house?” I ask, assuming that Annabelle came to do homework, though it would have been weird if Sunny didn’t invite me.
    â€œYou don’t want to know,” Sunny says.
    â€œHuh?”
    â€œThat girl Sienna is here. Allegedly working on a science project with my brother.”
    I remember that feeling I had at sushi the other night, when my heart was hopping out of my body, but I realize that right now I am experiencing the exact opposite feeling: myheart is shriveling into a tiny raisin, dropping to the floor, and landing beside my feet.
    â€œOh,” is all I can manage to say.
    â€œShe’s one of those giggly girls.” Sunny pauses. “It’s driving me crazy.”
    â€œSun, I have to go. Talk to you later.” I hang up when the tears start pooling in the corners of my eyes and trickling down my cheeks.
    If Yamir invited Sienna to his house to hang out, two things are very, very clear: first of all, Yamir and I are over. And I don’t even know when it happened. Or why it happened. Or if there’s anything I could have done about it.
    Second of all: my whole plan for a perfect last