7 Leaving It up to Chance

CHAPTER SEVEN LEAVING IT UP TO CHANCE Gas (noun). The molecules have moved farther apart than in a solid or a liquid. They are like bumper cars ramming into one another, completely out of control. AFTER DINNER—AND DELICIOUS brownies that Birdie and I managed to get perfectly fudgy—Elijah, Birdie, and I jumped on the trampoline in my backyard. "We're out-of-control gas molecules," I shouted, throwing my arms wildly and slamming into Birdie, who giggled and plugged her nose like we were stinky. "Does everything have to be about chemistry?" asked Elijah. "Like, couldn't we just be kids jumping on a trampoline?" Birdie stuck out her tongue. "Boring! Don't you ever pretend that you're something else when you're practicing the drums?" "No," said Elijah. "That would be weird."

"Can you two stop it?" I said, plopping myself down on the trampoline. "I want to have a very important conversation: What fall break camp are we going to do together? Don't you think the robotics club sounds cool?" Birdie made a face and plopped down next to me. "My sister did that one a few years ago and brought the stuff home. I already know everything they're going to do. So, no thanks." "Hey, I've got an idea!" Elijah picked up the info sheet and then tossed it so it fluttered, settling near the netting of the trampoline. "The writer's workshop. That's what we should do." "Uh-uh." I shook my head. "Too much sitting. It's break. It has to be fun." I popped up and did a front flip, landing next to my friends. "Something cool." "How about cheer club?" said Birdie. "Veto!" Elijah gave a thumbs-down. "I can't do a very good cartwheel. Or a backflip." "Me either," I said. "Hey, what about the LEGO camp? That might be okay." "Agreed," said Elijah. "Not agreed." Birdie crossed her arms. "I don't want to sit around and watch you two fight it out. With Kate obsessed with following the

directions and Elijah tossing them." I laughed at a recent memory. "Yeah, remember when Elijah built some space station using random parts from the rain forest kit?" "And you had a meltdown," Elijah reminded me. "Ugh. A definite no!" Birdie rolled her eyes. "What about drama?" Elijah spread out his arms like he was about to give a monologue. "Not you, too!" I groaned. "It's not just about acting and dancing and singing," said Birdie. "They need people to paint the sets, run the spotlights, and open the curtains. Oh, and one really organized fifth grader to be the assistant director. That could be you, Kate! You're the most organized fifth grader ever!" "I am?" Okay, suddenly I was, maybe, just a little intrigued. "So it's a deal!" shouted Elijah. "We're all going to go out for the musical?" Birdie squealed. "The show is sooo good! This one unicorn meets a dragon, and they become friends. But the other unicorns don't like that, and neither do the dragons. In the end, the unicorn and dragon BFFs show everyone that they have more in common than they thought, and the rest of the

dragons and unicorns all do a final number together." It did actually sound a little cool. "I want to be the lead unicorn," said Birdie, tossing her hair like it was a mane. "I want to be in charge of lights," said Elijah. "If I flash them back and forth, I can make it look like a lightning storm." "Maybe I could be director," I said. "Assistant director," corrected Birdie. "Mrs. Hansberry is the director." "Right." I suddenly felt a little glimmer of hope that maybe there was something about drama that might suit me. "It's a perfect plan," said Birdie. It was... as long as we all got the positions we wanted.