Georgia licked her lips. гIsnвt it a scream? That snip trying to make us think sheвs popular? I should write a real note on thisчlet her know that -her public isnвt fooled.д
гDonвt you dare!д
гOh, donвt be dull!д She pinned it up, putting the tack back in-the same holes. гIвll let the joke ride until I think of something good.д
I grabbed her arm~ гDonвt you touch her notes again or Iвllчд
She shook me off. гYouвll what? Tell her that yOu know her notes are phony? I can just see you!д
гIвll tell the Dean, thatвs what! Iвll tell the Dean youвve been opening Gabrielleвs notes.д
гOh, yes? You looked at it, too.д
гBut you handed it to me!д
гDid I? My word against yours, sweetie pie.д
гB~itчд
гAnd if you talk, the whole campus will know about Gabrielleвs fake notes. Think it over.д She marched off.
I was so quiet on the way -home that Daddy said, гSmatter, Puddinв? Flunk a quiz?д
I assured him -that my academic status was satisfactory. гThen why the mourning?д
Before Daddy let me register he had warned me that the First Law of the Jungle for a professorвs child was not to be a pipeline to the faculty. гBut, Daddy, youвre a professor.д
гStudent stuff, eh? Better sweat it out alone. Good. luck.д
I did not tell Mother either, because with MOther free speech is not just a theory. I did nothing but worry. Poor Gabrielle! She took her гnoteд down next morning, looking pleasedчand I wanted to cry. Then I saw the smirk on Georgia Lammersв face and I felt like murder and mayhem. There was another гnoteд Friday and I wanted to shout to her not to touch it. I didnвt dare. It
was like a time bomb, watching Gabrielleвs pitiful makebelieve and knowing that Georgia meant to wreck it as soon as she thought up something nasty enough.
I was in the Registrarвs office Monday, not to see Georgia, though I couldnвt avoid her, but because I am a freshman reporter for the Campus Crier. One of my chores is - getting up the гHappy Birthdayд column. I thumbed through the files, noting dates from the coming Friday through the following Thursday. Gabrielleвs name turned up for Friday and I decided to send her a birthday card, via the bulletin board, so for once she would have real mail. Next I listed Bun Petersonвs name; her birthday was the same as Gabrielleвs. Bun is president of the Student Council and head cheerleader and honorary football captain; it seemed a shame she had to have Gabrielleвs birthday as well. I decided ~to get Gabrielle a really nice card, with a hanky.
As I finished Georgia picked up my list and said, гWhoвs getting senile?~
I said, гYou are,д and took it back.
She said, гDonвt get too big for your beanie, freshman.д She went on, гGoing to the party for Bun Peterson?дчthen added, гOh, I forgotчitвs upper classmen only.д
- I looked her in the eye. гA double choc malt against a used candy bar you arenвt either!д
She didnвt answer and I swaggered out.
It was a busy week. Junior sprained his arm, Mother was away two days and I kept house, the cat had to be wormed, and I typed a term paper for Cliff. I didnвt think about Gabrielle until late Friday when I stopped by the board on the chance that there might be a note from Cliff. There wasnвt, but there was another of Gabnelleвs notes, in an envelope with her name typed. I realized with a shock that I had forgotten her birthday card.
I was wondering whether to get one and let her find it
Monday, when I heard a pssst! It was Georgia Lammers,
motioning me to come to the office. Curiosity got me; I
went. She pulled me inside; there was no one else in the
outer office. гKeep back,д- she whispered. гIf she sees anyone, she may not stop. Sheвs due nowчitвs after five.д
I shook her off. гWho?д
гGabrielle, of course. Shut up!д
гHuh?д I said. гSheвs already been there. Her Оnoteв for Monday is up.д - -
гA lot you know! Hush!д She crowded me into the corner, then peeked out. -
гQuit shoving!д I said and looked out.
Gabrielle was pinning something up, her back to us. She saw the envelope with her name, took it down, and hurried away. -
I turned to Georgia. гIf youвve monkeyed with one of her notes, I will go to the Dean.д
гGo aheadчsee how far it gets you.д
гDid you touch that note?д
гSure I didчI wrote it. Whatвs wrong with that?д She had me; anybody can send anyone a note. гWell, what did you say?д -
гWhat business is it of yours? Still,д she went on, гIвll tell you. Itвs too good to keep.д She dug a paper out of her purse. It was a typewritten rough draft, full of x-outs and inserts; it read:
Dear Gabrielle,
Today is Bun Petersonвs birthdayчand we are giving her the finest surprise party this school has ever seen. We would like to invite everybody, but we canвtчand you have been picked as one of the girls to represent the freshman class. We are gathering in groups and will descend on her in a body. Your group will meet at seven oвclock in the
Snack Shoppe. Put on your best bib and
tuckerчand donвt breathe a word to anyone!
The Committee
гItвs a shabby trick,д I said, гto invite her to another girlвs party on her own birthday. You knew it was her birthday.д -
гWhat of it?д -
