3 Twinsies!

CHAPTER THREE TWINSIES! Statistical significance (noun). When the result of an experiment doesn't happen randomly. For example, every time you leave a crayon on the back seat of your parents' van on a hot day, it will melt. You might decide that, maybe just maybe, it's a much better idea to draw with your crayons instead! THE NEW GIRL, TALA, WAS PAINTING a purple atom on her arm. She had everything right. A nucleus, the densely packed center, and zippy electrons all around it. I bolted out of my seat and stood next to her. "Hi, I'm Kate Crawford. Sorry I didn't introduce myself before. I love love your tattoo!" "Thanks. It combines two of my favorite things. The color purple and space." "I thought that"—I pointed to the three intersecting ovals above her wrist—"was an atom." "It is." She put down her cotton swab and laughed. "Almost all of an atom is empty space. And that's no different than out there." She pointed up. "Outer space is mostly empty except for particles that are super far apart. Plus dust. And a few other things."

I studied Tala's atom. It was such an important concept in chemistry. The building block of the whole universe. I could practically feel the molecules in my body vibrating with excitement. Why hadn't I thought of making an atom? "Hey, Birdie," I called out, motioning with my arm. "You've got to see this." But she didn't answer. With her head bent down, she focused on her parrot tattoo. It was going to be a masterpiece. When Birdie does her art, the whole world pretty much goes away. "I can make you an atom, too." Tala dipped her cotton swab back into the purple mixture. "Really? That would be amazing!" Grabbing an alcohol pad out of my pocket, I wiped down my forearm, and blew on it. "I'm ready." As Tala painted on my atom, I asked her a bunch of questions. And soon, even though we had just met, it felt like we had known each other way longer. Tala was easy to talk to. She told me that her mom was a family doctor and that they had moved to Michigan from California because she had joined a new medical practice. And that her new place was way bigger. Back in San Jose, her family had lived in a cramped two-bedroom apartment. "Here we have a whole house." She stuck her arms out wide. "Talk about space. Wow. My little sister and I don't have to share a room. Which is good since she's a total slob. I can hang up all of my NASA posters. When

I grow up, I want to become an astronaut." "That's so cool. I want to be a chemist," I said. "Maybe we can work on the International Space Station together. And stare down at our big, blue marble spinning through the galaxy." "Our marble?" I asked, confused. "Oh, the blue marble is kind of like a nickname for Earth," said Tala. "It's from a famous photograph taken by the crew of Apollo 17, which was the last moon landing, a long time ago in 1972." "Wow. You know so much about space," I said, and she beamed. I told her that her International Space Station idea sounded like an awesome plan. Then we started talking more about science and astronomy. Tala really knew so many cool facts. Like how comets are sometimes called dirty snowballs. "I bet you didn't have that back in California." I pointed to the actual snow outside. "Nope. Not unless you drove hours up to the mountains. Seeing snow in my neighborhood is the best thing ever. I just hope it sticks around so I can take lots more photos today. I want to send them to my friends

back home." She paused. "My old home. This is home now." I thought I heard a sigh, but maybe I was imagining things. Then she told me about the science club she'd belonged to at her old school. Last year, they celebrated the start of winter break by setting off rockets that zoomed above the houses. "That's so cool!" I glanced at the purple atom above my wrist. "Hey, we match." We put our wrists together, shook hands, and laughed. "Twinsies," said Tala. "Yes, twinsies!" Her old club got me thinking about rockets. "My little brother, Liam, loves everything to do with outer space. It would be great to learn how to make a rocket to show him. Plus, it would just be so cool." "I definitely could show you." "Really? Seriously? Wow. His birthday party is coming up, and he'd love it." "Sure. I could even come over and help you make the rockets for the party." "Yes!" And then we tapped our new tattoos together and giggled at our new secret handshake. More than anything, I wanted to make Liam's birthday party extra special. Last year, when he had turned five, it hadn't worked out so well. A week before his party, I had gotten a little stomach bug. I was better pretty fast, but then the morning of Liam's party, he said his tummy

felt like there was a fish flopping inside of it. A few minutes later, he threw up all over his lion paper plates right before the guests were supposed to arrive. Mom had to frantically text all the parents and cancel the party. It was so sad since we had spent hours decorating the house in a lion theme with papier-maché lions and a fake den where the kids would hide. Liam wore a lion tail and ears. Even though it wasn't my fault, I felt responsible for the party being canceled. After all, I was the one who had gotten Liam sick and ruined everything. That very day, I had promised myself I would make it up to him. That for this next birthday, when he turned six, I would use all of my science skills to make his party awesome. A few weeks ago, when he said he wanted a spacethemed party, I was all in. "Seriously, I can't tell you what good timing this is," I told Tala as she continued to work on putting another atom on her upper arm, "since my brother's party is coming up in two weeks. Meeting you feels like it's..." I almost said magical. But I don't believe in magic. "Statistically significant." That basically means a result that's not due to chance. "Well, maybe we could also make rockets here?" Tala put down her cotton swab. "Like a special club project or something?"

"That would be great," I said. "I'm going to ask Ms. Daly and see what she thinks." "Awesome." Tala waved her tattooed arm. Later, I tried to ask Ms. Daly about the rocket. I really did, but every time I went up to her, she was busy helping out kids who were asking for stuff like more drink mix packages for their tattoos. Finally, at the end of our meeting, I hurried over to where Ms. Daly was wiping down the counter. "I wanted to talk about a new project idea," I said. "Launching rockets!" Ms. Daly ran her fingers through her short hair as if my suggestion made her head itch. "If the rockets involve actual fuel and the potential for anything explosive, my answer is going to be no. I don't need to tell you I'm retired air force, do I? That safety is number one and—" "Well, I'm not sure if the rockets use fuel. I mean, I don't know the details, but I'll find out. And do research!" Then I nodded over at the table, where Tala was working on her third atom tattoo. I explained how Tala had launched rockets at her old school. "Here's a suggestion, Kate." Ms. Daly glanced up at the clock. It was 3:45 p.m. "Get me when I'm not right at cleanup and when it's not time to go. Show me