19 Partners in Crime

CHAPTER NINETEEN Partners in Crime Vinegar (noun). An acid that is used in many science experiments. It's also good to use as an ingredient for salad dressing, but you wouldn't want to drink it by itself! "LET'S NOT THINK ABOUT TOMORROW," said Birdie as she swung on the monkey bars. "You've got to give yourself a break, Kate." Outside, the sun was shining. It was almost warm enough to shed my coat. "You're right," I said, trying not to think about all of the sabotage. "Let's have a hanging upside down contest." "You'll win." She laughed. "You don't know that. Hey, look, Kate." She pointed to the clouds. "Doesn't it look like a giant question mark? It's like the sky is curious." "Cool!" Birdie always saw things differently than me. Maybe that's what made her a great artist.

Grabbing a bar, I started to swing when I noticed Rory whispering with Elijah. They were friends, so that part wasn't weird. What was weird was that they kept on staring at me like maybe I was a baking soda and vinegar volcano that was about to explode. I continued to swing on the monkey bars, but I could feel their stares burning into the back of my head. "That's it!" I dropped down on the ground with a hard thump. Birdie glanced at me confused. "What's it?" "I'll tell you in a minute." I stormed over to Elijah as he headed toward the line to play tetherball. "What's going on? Why were you and Rory just looking at me? It was weird." Elijah kept on walking on the field. "No reason." A group of shrieking third graders playing tag brushed past us. "There was a reason. Tell me. Plus, this isn't the first time that Rory has been giving me weird looks." Elijah stopped. He seemed reluctant to turn around. "Can't say," he whispered. My hands pressed against my mouth. It all became clear as a crystal.

"You and Rory are trying to sabotage my project," I stated hotly. Elijah squinted painfully as if he were staring into direct sunlight. Only the sun had just gone behind some clouds. "Well, well... you see—" "I caught you! Ha!" Elijah tugged nervously on his hair. "Kate. Don't be mad. Please. It's not what you think. I'd never mess with your project." He looked so sincere. "You've got to believe me." His voice quavered as if he were really upset. "That's not what it is at all." "So, it's Rory, then. You're protecting him. I knew it!' Elijah sighed. "Not about that. It's... Rory's mom is letting him have a boy/girl party for his birthday. And he wanted to invite you. And he was asking me if I thought you'd come." It was all about a party? The tight knot of upset started to soften. "So, it's not Rory trying to ruin my project?" He shook his head. "I don't think so." I was quiet for a second and then I said, softly. "I'd come. If Rory invited me. You can... you can tell him that." Then I walked back to Birdie.

So, it wasn't Elijah. And it wasn't Rory. That just left two people—Jeremy and Avery.