5 ZUZU SPILLS THE BEANS

ZUZU SPILLS THE BEANS The next day at lunch recess, there were no gymnastics on the grass. No soccer, either. Every second-grader in the school gathered around the play structure, watching the bathroom. Whenever someone went in, they could see the ghost inside. It had definitely become clearer during the night. Pretty soon, nobody went in. Everyone knew about the ghost, even the kindergartners, and nobody wanted to use a haunted bathroom. Still, the second- graders kept watching the door, just in case an army of ghosts floated out. "What are you kids doing?" yelled Rose the Yard Duty. "We're just standing here," Bean yelled back. "It's a free country." "You watch it, Miss Bean" warned Rose,

but she went away. The ghost didn't start causing problems until that afternoon. It was right in the middle of Drop Everything and Read when Ms. ArubaTate's classroom door burst open. Mrs. Noble marched in, holding Zuzu by the shoulder. Mrs. Noble was a fifth-grade teacher. She had a thousand tiny wrinkles on her face, and she wore high heels and stockings every day. Bean's mother said that Mrs. Noble was an "old-fashioned teacher." Bean's sister Nancy said that Mrs. Noble locked kids in her art cupboard when they were bad. Bean's mother said that Nancy was exaggerating. That was a nice way to say lying.

Bean put her book down. She didn't like Drop Everything and Read anyway, except for the beginning, when she got to drop things. Mrs. Noble's high heels were red with stiff black bows at the front, and her shiny red fingernails were pressed into Zuzu's shoulder. Zuzu was about to cry. This was going to be much more interesting

than a book. Mrs. Noble didn't bother to lower her voice. "Becky," she boomed, "you've got to keep an eye on them! I found this one all the way over in the upper-school bathroom." Ms. Aruba-Tate looked worried. "What were you doing in the upper-school bathroom, honey?" Zuzu opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Big tears dripped down her cheeks and fell on the floor. "Our bathroom's h-h-haunted!" she wailed suddenly. Oh brother. Bean looked sideways at Ivy. Trouble. Ivy was staring at Zuzu.

Then Zuzu pointed right at Ivy and Bean. "They—they—they saw a ghost in the bathroom, and it's mad because the school's on top of its grave, and there's a portal, and more ghosts are coming!" she gasped. Ivy slid down in her chair until she could

hardly see over the desktop. Ms. Aruba-Tate put her arms around Zuzu. "Honey, the bathroom's not haunted—" "Oh yes it is!" hollered Eric. "I saw him!" yelled Dusit. "He's got yellow, glowing eyes, Ms. Aruba-Tate," said Vanessa. "Ivy says." Ivy looked at the classroom door. If she ran for it, would Ms. Aruba-Tate catch her before she got out? Ms. Aruba-Tate turned to Ivy. "Is all this coming from you, Ivy?" She sounded like she couldn't believe it. Ivy swallowed. She wished she had never seen the ghost. She wished she had never said the word ghost. "All what?" she said finally, in a high voice. Ms. Aruba-Tate looked over the class. "Boys and girls, who has heard this silly