The Truth About Stacey by Ann M. Martin Page B

Kristy.
    â€œWe had you completely fooled!”
    â€œYou’re rats!” I cried suddenly. “Both of you. You did this to make us look bad! That’s—it’s—it’s
dirty.
It’s not fair.”
    Janet and Leslie couldn’t stop laughing. And I couldn’t stop accusing. “You’re liars! And—and dirty businesswomen!”
    â€œWhoa,” said Leslie. “Get that. Dirty businesswomen. Pretty high-class talk.”
    â€œAnd probably
rotten
baby-sitters,” Kristy added.
    Leslie took some offense at that. “We are
not
rotten baby-sitters,” she said, bristling.
    â€œWell, what do you call a baby-sitter who doesn’t show up for a job and doesn’t call the parents to explain why?”
    â€œHmm,” said Leslie. “Janet, what would you call that sitter?”
    â€œI’d call her anything except late for dinner!”
    Leslie and Janet doubled over with laughter at their stupid joke.
    â€œShut up! Shut up!” cried Kristy. “I hope you realize you’re in big trouble.”
    â€œWith who?” said Janet, still laughing.
    â€œWith … with the parents. I’m going to call them and tell them exactly what happened. Then they’ll call their friends, and their friends will call
their
friends. Word will get around. You’ll be sorry.”
    At last, the girls stopped laughing. “You wouldn’t dare,” said Janet, at the same time that Leslie said, “No,
you’ll
be sorry, tattletale.”
    â€œMe? Why should I be sorry?” asked Kristy.
    â€œBecause,” replied Leslie, “Liz and Michelle will be interested in your plans. They’ll just have to work a little harder to be the best sitting agency in town. But they won’t mind that.”
    â€œYou—” exclaimed Kristy, simmering “—you are
pigs
!”
    Janet snapped her gum. “Sorry,
kids.”
She and Leslie separated and walked into their classrooms.
    Kristy, Claudia, Mary Anne, and I were left standing in the hall. For the second time in two days, Kristy began to cry. The rest of us surroundedher and walked her into the nearest girls’ room. It was pretty crowded, but we huddled in a corner and no one paid much attention to us.
    â€œI’m so embarrassed,” Kristy wailed. “It
isn’t
fair. That was a really rotten trick. Besides, a babysitting club was
my
idea, not Liz’s. We worked
so hard
on our club. And even when the agency started up, we never tried to hurt them. We just tried to protect what we had.” She blew her nose on a paper towel. “Now they’re purposely trying to beat us out.”
    â€œSo Liz put Janet and Leslie up to what they did,” I said slowly.
    Kristy nodded. “Yes. And it’s all my fault for being so stupid about taking on new members. Mary Anne was right. I should have checked on them.”
    â€œWell,” said Claudia, “I agree that what the agency is doing to us is really mean. But I think what we have to do is just keep going—the four of us. Okay, so we can’t stay out late. So we’re only twelve years old. Most of our clients like us a lot. We’ll just go on being as responsible and good with children and—and—what’s that word that means you sort of adjust yourself to whatever people need?”
    â€œFlexible?” suggested Mary Anne.
    â€œAlmost,” Claudia replied. “That’s not the word, but it’s close.”
    â€œI know what you mean,” said Kristy. “I guess you’re right. Anyway, I
am
going to explain things to Mr. Kelly and Ms. Jaydell.”
    â€œAnd,” I added frantically, “there’s always lower rates and housework and special deals.”
    â€œNo,” said Kristy. “I’ve decided that’s not the way to go. The club will survive, but we don’t want to become slaves. Besides, I can’t deal with any of that