20 On Cloud Nine

CHAPTER TWENTY On Cloud Nine Cloud chemistry (noun). The study of chemical changes that take place in the atmosphere. If your head is in the clouds, this might be the branch of chemistry for you! I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT was finally Friday and STEM Night. And I was participating in my first science competition. And Dr. Caroline would be there. My Rube Goldberg machine was working. I had enough lemons. The fan spun perfectly. After testing the machine out a zillion times, I was able to get the tissue paper to turn soggy, which released the plastic arm, which turned on the calculator! My poster board looked better than ever (thank you, Birdie!). Now I just needed to wear something special. In my bedroom, I pulled on my cable-knit sweater because it was new and blue and looked awesome. Then I pulled it off. It was itchy.

I couldn't be scratching myself as I was explaining all about electrons. I had to be a non-itchy person. I was sure that scientists like Dr. Caroline probably had non-itchy skin. My dog came up to be scratched. "Hi, Dribble. This is one of the most important nights of my life. And I would love to pet you for ten hours, but I've got to get ready." I put on a cream ribbed turtleneck and skinny jeans. Then I took my turtleneck off again and put on a NASA T-shirt and my lab coat. And of course, I wore the pink cowboy boots my grandparents got me for good luck. Fifteen minutes later, I hurried downstairs and was raring to go. Mom was already at school. In fact, she had never left. I gazed outside the window. It was five and the sunset was swirls of orange, red, and pink. And in that moment, I wanted to understand everything. Why the sunset was so beautiful. Why my heart was beating so fast. I'm pretty sure it all had to do with chemistry. "Kate, we don't have to leave for another"— Dad looked at his watch—"thirty minutes." "I just want to be on time," I said. "Me too!" shouted Liam. "'Cause I want to make slime."

"All right, you two," said Dad. "Let's go!" Dribble barked. "I think Dribble wants to go, too!" said Liam. "He would be a good scientist, don't you think?" said Dad as we piled into the minivan. "He's really curious." "Yes," I said, "but he might bury and dig up his lab equipment." And we all laughed. At school, kids and parents milled around the hall. There were tables set up in the corridor and different classrooms were being used as various stations. There was a book fair set up in the library. And a bake sale was in the hallway by the office. It looked like a giant party for science. I passed by Phoenix and met up with Birdie as we went to the multipurpose room to set up. Banners that said: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DISCOVER? and SCIENCE ROCKS! were on the far wall. Around the perimeter, tables featured hands-on activities like grow your own crystals, magnets, and a way to make a nimbus cloud out of cotton balls. "This is going to be so much fun." My eyes scanned the room. "Do you think Dr. Caroline is here yet?" Birdie shook her head. "I bet she's eating her dinner."

"Imagine. Dr. Caroline eats dinner." I sighed in wonder. "I never thought of her eating like everyone else." Next I headed into the classroom to get my materials from my cubby. All of my lemons were there but no calculator! "What!" I shrieked. "How can this be?" "I'm sorry. This is awful. Maybe you can borrow another calculator," said Biride. I glanced at the clock on the wall. "It's a particular kind of calculator. One that doesn't use a lot of power. I think this time I've... I've got to tell Ms. Daly." I wasn't happy about it, but I didn't see any other way. Without the calculator, there wasn't an end to my project. And I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of Dr. Caroline. That would be even worse than my mom making a big deal about someone trying to mess up my project. "I think that's a good idea," said Birdie softly. I raced away, looking for Ms. Daly in the multipurpose room. She was up onstage, talking to —gulp—Dr. Caroline, who was wearing her pink lab coat and had her pink goggles pushed up on top of her head. Her long dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail. I really wanted to talk with Ms. Daly alone. But there wasn't time. I sped up to her and words

rushed out of my mouth. "I can't find your calculator. So my project won't work. Because I need that calculator. It uses about 1.5 volts. There's no way my project will work with a fancier calculator! Maybe I should just... go home." Dr. Caroline met my eyes. "Don't give up," she said. "Don't let anyone dim your spark for science." I sort of nodded. I could barely process that I had finally met Dr. Caroline because I was so upset about the missing calculator Ms. Daly went with me into the classroom. We searched in all of the cubbies. Next we checked the back storage area in the lab. Then she turned to me, a grim look on her face. "I'm afraid it's nowhere to be found."