Rebel's Tag by K. L. Denman Page B

could just take the twenty and get a new CD .”
    Indi rolls her eyes. “I think you should do what your grandpa asked. If you’re nervous or something, I’ll go down there with you.”
    I give her a look. “You think I’m scared?”
    She grins. “Aren’t you?”
    â€œAs if,” I say. “Fine. I’ll go. Greed wins.”
    â€œAnd you want me to go with you?” Indi’s still smiling.
    â€œNo, I mean, you can come if you like but it doesn’t matter.” I really do want her to come with me, but no way am I telling her that.
    â€œFine,” she says. “When should we go? This is sort of cool, isn’t it? Like being in a mystery book. What do you think he’ll give you? A gold ring? A painting? Or maybe a treasure map! Should we go on Saturday? What if Joe isn’t working that day?”
    I hold up my hand. “Indi, you’re doing it again. Chill.”
    She giggles. “Sorry. Can’t help it.”
    This has to be the worst part about having a girl for a best friend. She talks too much. Mostly she’s fine, but man, there are times when I want to put a sock in her mouth. Okay, so one time I did put a sock in her mouth. It shut her up all right, but then she didn’t talk to me for a month. It took some serious sucking up to get her to forgive me. See, that’s another thing. You could shove a sock in a guy’s mouth and he’d just punch you in the head and that would be it. Simple.
    Still, Indi and I have this bond. Probably because we’ve been neighbors since we were old enough to drool Popsicles on each other. And now, even though she mostly hangs out with her girlfriends and I mostly hang out with the guys, she’s the one I go to when I have a problem. Or when I need to go roofing.
    â€œYeah,” I say, “we’ll go for the burger on Saturday.”
    She frowns. “And what if Joe isn’t there that day?”
    â€œThen I guess he isn’t,” I say.
    Indi crosses her arms. “Maybe we should call the café and ask.”
    That’s the upside of having a girl around. I wouldn’t have thought of that. “Sure. Are you going to call?” I ask.
    I get another eye roll as Indi goes for the phone book. She’s flipping through it when her father walks in and asks, “Indira, did you finish your homework?”
    Indi’s dad doesn’t say hi to me. He used to like me fine when we were younger. Now? Not much. I think he figures I’m abad influence on his honor roll daughter. And Indi says her dad is always complaining: “Your friend being a boy is not right.” We know what he means, but we laugh about the way he says it. It sounds like being male is a mistake I should fix.
    Indi glances up. “Not yet, Dad.”
    â€œWell, and when do you intend to do it?” Mr. Bains glares at Indi. “Next year?”
    â€œDad, I’ll do it soon, okay? I just need to make a phone call first.”
    Mr. Bains mutters something under his breath and stomps away.
    Indi makes the call, jots down the address and tells me we’ll catch the bus on Saturday at 11:30 AM . “And you’re buying me lunch too,” she says.
    â€œAnything else, Princess Indira?” I ask.
    She sticks her tongue out and says, “Shut up. And go away. I have to do my homework.”
    I pick up the letter and head for the door but before I get there, I turn back. “Indi?”
    She knows what I want, but she shakes her head. “I can’t go tonight, Sam. I really have a lot of homework.”
    â€œThen maybe I’ll go on my own,” I say.
    Indi plunks her hands on her hips. “You promised me, Sam. Never alone. It’s too dangerous.”
    â€œWhat’s dangerous?” Mr. Bains is back in the room, his eyes darting between Indi and me.
    â€œNothing, Dad.” Indi’s quick answer doesn’t cut it with Mr.