Tales From a Not-So-Friendly Frenemy

  “I agree!” said Sofia. “You talked all of us into doing this, and now you’re BAILING on us!”

  “That’s NOT fair!” everyone complained at once.

  I had to tell them about the drama with MacKenzie, Tiffany, and Mr. Winter and how I needed to leave before things got even worse.

  “But you told us to stand up to Tiffany and not let her close down our science club. If you leave early, YOU’RE letting Tiffany WIN!” Patrick argued.

  I had to admit he had a good point. But when I explained that I was stressed out and leaving early might possibly resolve my problems, everyone finally understood.

  I was really disappointed by what they did next.

  “We’re voting to cancel the science club meeting and allow it to become the selfie club,” Patrick muttered. “Write ‘YES’ or ‘NO’ on your ballot and put it in the box, please. Nikki, you can count them.”

  I was like, JUST GREAT !! As I counted the ballots I got a huge lump in my throat. There were six votes, and all of them were “YES!” for canceling the meeting.

  My friends had given up and Tiffany had WON!

  The rest of the day seemed to drag on forever.

  I decided I’d clean out my locker and turn in my student ID card AFTER I met MacKenzie at the fountain. . . .

  The first thing I wanted to know was WHY she had started all those nasty rumors about me. I was shocked when she told me her horror story. . . .

  Tiffany and her friends had mercilessly teased MacKenzie about that video with the bug in her hair. So she started hiding out in the bathroom to avoid them. . . .

  Tiffany went out of her way to make MacKenzie’s life absolutely miserable, and MacKenzie became a social outcast without a single friend. . . .

  MacKenzie said she felt invisible because it seemed like all the students at NHH ignored her. So every day at lunch she sat all alone. . . .

  Until one day she overheard some kids talking about the 15 Minutes of Fame talent TV show.

  And when she mentioned that the famous producer, Trevor Chase, had come to WCD back in March and worked with her and the band Actually, I’m Not Really Sure Yet, the NHH students mistakenly assumed she was the leader of my band.

  They were SUPERimpressed! And the more MacKenzie talked about MY life, the more attention she got, the more popular she became, and the more friends she made.

  Until she got so carried away with her tangled web of lies that she’d all but assumed MY life!

  And to keep NHH students from possibly finding out who I REALLY was, she’d started the nasty rumors about me to create even more confusion.

  It was SURREAL!!

  But suddenly MacKenzie and I were RUDELY interrupted!

  By TIFFANY !!

  “Sorry, girls! But I need to take some selfies for my weekly fashion blog of the new makeup brand I’m wearing. The spot you’re sitting in has the most flattering light in the entire school. SO GET LOST!” she exclaimed as she shoved us out of the way.

  MacKenzie and I stood in front of the fountain, glaring at that girl. Tiffany stepped on top of our bench like it was a stage, took several photos of herself, and then frowned.

  “Darn it! The sunlight is right over the fountain!” she complained as she climbed up on its ledge. “Now get out of my photo!”

  “I have a better idea!” MacKenzie scoffed. “Why don’t you go CHOKE on your cell phone!”

  “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful!” Tiffany sneered as she teetered on the edge of the fountain in her heels, striking various poses.

  MacKenzie and I exchanged glances. I think we both had the same wicked wish.

  Suddenly Tiffany’s foot slipped and she lost her balance. “WHOA!!” she gasped loudly.

  MacKenzie and I just stared in disbelief as she wobbled back and forth and back and forth in slow motion, wildly flapping her arms like she was a baby bird trying to fly for the first time.

  Just as Tiffany was about to topple into the fountain, she grabbed MacKenzie’s right arm in an attempt to regain her balance. Which worked for only about two seconds. Because Tiffany then knocked MacKenzie off balance, and the two of them teetered over the edge of the fountain together.

  That’s when I vaulted onto the ledge and grabbed MacKenzie’s left arm and pulled her in the opposite direction like she was the rope in a game of tug-of-war.

  Now all THREE of us were teetering back and forth over the edge of the fountain like some kind of weird circus act, trying not to fall in.

  It was only after I grabbed MacKenzie’s waist and pulled with all my might that the three of us finally tumbled into a big heap on the marble floor next to the fountain. Hey, at least we weren’t IN the fountain!

  But somehow the force of us falling had launched Tiffany’s cell phone into the air.

  She watched in HORROR as it fell into the fountain with a big SPLASH and quickly sank to the bottom!

  “OH NO! MY PHONE!! MY PHONE!!” she screamed hysterically. Then she DOVE right into the fountain after it!

  Soon Tiffany’s shrieks echoed through the halls of the school. “OMG! MY CELL PHONE IS RUINED! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO TAKE A SELFIE WITHOUT MY PHONE?!!”

  That’s when I whispered to MacKenzie, “Since Tiffany’s phone is all wet, I really think we should be nice and help her out!” . . .

  MACKENZIE AND ME, TAKING VIDEOS OF TIFFANY FOR HER FASHION BLOG !!

  Tiffany continued her rant. “MacKenzie and Nikki, I HATE both of you!! I know you did this to get even with me. For stealing Mr. Winter’s lesson plan book and blaming Nikki! For pulling all those mean pranks on MacKenzie and making her life MISERABLE! And for trying to shut down that STUPID and WORTHLESS science club so we can have my FABULOUS new selfie club! It’s all YOUR fault I RUINED my precious phone! I promise you, I’m going to get even! So you both better watch your backs! Because I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOOOOU!!”

  Tiffany angrily stomped her foot, splashing water everywhere.

  Then she accidentally dropped her phone AGAIN and dove back into the water to find it.

  OMG! Tiffany’s video was even more CRAY-CRAY than MacKenzie’s wacky bug video!

  MacKenzie and I smiled at each other. And then in a surprising and unprecedented show of unity, we actually did the unthinkable. . . .

  MACKENZIE AND ME, GIVING EACH OTHER A HIGH FIVE!!

  Tiffany was a selfie-addicted TYRANT! And hopefully just the fact that we had that video would make her think twice about retaliating.

  Someone tapped me on my shoulder, and when I turned around, I was surprised to see Patrick standing behind me.

  “WOW! Not only are Tiffany and her cell phone SOAKING WET, but it looks like her selfie club might be ALL WASHED UP too. Thanks to you!” He grinned.

  “But my rep is ruined! Now there will be another nasty rumor that I’m so cruel I actually DROWNED a cell phone! So be afraid! Be VERY afraid!” I laughed.

  “Well, I didn’t want you to leave until I apologized for how everyone acted at lunch today. We were just disappointed that you weren’t going to attend our meeting. We really appreciate you sticking up for us and helping to save our club. But things didn’t work out like we’d planned,” Patrick explained.

  “No problem. Apology accepted. But, dude! It’s about time you guys stopped playing with your lightsabers during meetings,” I teased. “We’re throwing that science club membership party tomorrow! And it’s going to be a BLAST! So go round up the crew, and let’s do this thing!”

  !!

  FRIDAY, MAY 16—4:05 P.M.

  IN THE SCIENCE LAB

  Today was my LAST day here at NHH, and my schedule was jam-packed.

  Tiffany didn’t say a single word to me all day. I’m guessing it’s because I have a video of her confessing and having a meltdown in the school fountain. Even though her makeup was flawless, I’m pretty sure she doesn’t want to put MY video on her fashion blog !!

  I think MacKenzie and I are now FRENEMIES! Which is a slight improvement over M
ORTAL ENEMIES who HATE each other’s GUTS. But hey, at least it’s progress!

  Since Patrick and the rest of the crew are my friends, I decided that helping them save their science club was crucial.

  We had agreed to meet at school an hour early to post sign-up sheets and put up posters to help generate excitement about joining our club.

  I met Chase in the art room and was really impressed with her posters. . . .

  I was happy to see that our cool posters were getting a lot of attention in the halls.

  My appointment to meet with Madame Danielle about the Paris trip was at noon, and I was a nervous wreck.

  She started off by saying how much she’d enjoyed having me in her French class and that she’d heard a lot about me from other teachers, especially Mr. Winter.

  I shuddered and braced myself for the news that I had been disqualified for the trip.

  She said that Patrick and Sofia had met with Mr. Winter to explain that I hadn’t stolen his lesson plan book and that, if anything, I would have immediately returned it to him.

  He actually believed them since his book had been getting stolen for months before I’d arrived. So now Mr. Winter is recommending me for the trip, along with my French teacher from WCD!

  Surprisingly, the meeting went really well. . . .

  MADAME DANIELLE SAID SHE’D INFORM STUDENTS OF HER DECISION ABOUT THE TRIP TO PARIS IN THREE WEEKS!

  She also explained that because of my art skills, she felt I would get even more out of the visit to the Louvre than most students.

  So right now I’m really happy! In spite of my DISASTROUS week, I think I STILL have a really good chance of being awarded that trip to Paris!

  SQUEEEEEE !!

  When the final bell rang, I rushed down to the science lab. The room was decorated with brightly colored balloons and the science club banner.

  We had a table piled with food, and our music was blasting.

  Although we were SUPERnervous, everything was finally ready.

  I breathed a sigh of relief when we opened the classroom door and a long line of excited kids rushed inside. . . .

  Our science club membership drive party was a huge success!! Everyone LOVED our party favors! They were SUPERcool sunglasses that students got to keep.

  And the cupcakes I had ordered from the CupCakery were absolutely DELISH!

  Our ZANY music was lots of fun. And whenever our theme song, “She Blinded Me with Science,” played, the entire room went NUTS!

  OMG! Chase was such a great dancer. Sofia said she danced competitively and had won a ton of trophies.

  We ended up with sixteen new members, for a total of twenty-two members! And, to show their appreciation, they gave me an honorary membership in the club! SQUEEEE !!

  When it was time to discuss club activities for next year, I couldn’t help but make a joke. “Okay, all in favor of lightsaber fight scene reenactments from Star Wars movies, raise your right hand!” I said, all seriouslike.

  Of course the only people to raise their hands were Patrick, Drake, Lee, and Mario.

  “Okay! Now take your right hand and SLAP YOURSELF SILLY!” I joked.

  Everybody in the room laughed really hard, including them. I think the guys got my point.

  Soon it was time to say my good-byes, and we all hugged each other and agreed to stay in touch.

  My week at North Hampton Hills had turned out better than I had imagined. But I was starting to worry that Tiffany’s problem was possibly CONTAGIOUS. Why?

  Because it was MY idea to take a CELEBRATORY SELFIE of me and the twenty-two members of the new-and-improved science club! I NEVER wanted to forget the wonderful time we had together being blinded by science!

  !!

  FRIDAY—5:30 P.M.

  AT HOME

  OMG! I can’t believe I actually SURVIVED the student exchange program at North Hampton Hills International Academy!

  SQUEEEEEEEE !!

  Even though the science club event was a huge success, my last few minutes at NHH turned into a complete DRAMAFEST! I had just finished cleaning out my locker and was on my way to the office to turn in my student ID when I noticed a large group of kids crowded around a locker in the west hall.

  Since NHH’s soccer team was playing in a tournament, quite a number of students had stayed after school for the game. Curious, I rushed down the hall to find out what was going on.

  OMG, I immediately had a disgustingly freaky case of déjà vu. . . .

  SOMEONE HAD VANDALIZED A LOCKER WITH GRAFFITI!

  The shocking thing was that those exact same words had been written on my WCD locker back in October.

  My dad is a bug exterminator and works for my school, Westchester Country Day. He also arranged for me to attend there on a full scholarship.

  Unfortunately, MacKenzie found out about my deep, dark secret and started taunting me.

  So when someone scribbled BUG GIRL on MY locker in red lip gloss, MacKenzie was my FIRST and ONLY suspect.

  But WHY would someone write “BUG GIRL” on a student’s locker at NHH?

  Once the distraught owner of the locker showed up, the crowd quickly scattered.

  That’s when the entire fiasco finally started to make sense. I was stunned to discover that the locker belonged to . . .

  MACKENZIE HOLLISTER?! . . .

  MACKENZIE, FREAKING OUT ABOUT THE GRAFFITI ON HER LOCKER!

  I immediately suspected Tiffany since she had WARNED us to “watch our backs” in her angry rant yesterday. And MacKenzie had admitted that Tiffany had teased her about that video with the BUG in her hair when she’d started attending NHH.

  I felt SUPERsorry for MacKenzie since she was obviously very upset. But I also couldn’t help but wonder if she remembered vandalizing MY locker and writing those same cruel words.

  MacKenzie was finally getting a taste of her OWN medicine, and she totally deserved it.

  However, her spiteful actions had also made me feel hurt and alone. That’s when I decided to be her friend, not her frenemy.

  “MacKenzie, are you okay? This is such a cruel and disgusting prank!” I said. “I’m sorry you had to go through this!”

  MacKenzie slowly turned around to face me, with tears streaming down her cheeks. . . .

  MACKENZIE, ACCUSING ME OF VANDALIZING HER LOCKER!

  “Listen, MacKenzie!” I exclaimed. “I know you’re angry right now. But I would NEVER stoop this low to hurt you or anyone else!”

  “I don’t believe you for one second! I think you came to NHH just to humiliate me!” MacKenzie screamed.

  No matter how hard I tried to convince her that I was innocent, she refused to believe me.

  Suddenly Tiffany appeared out of thin air.

  “Hey, Nikki and MacKenzie, is something wrong? You two don’t sound like BFFs anymore. OMG, MacKenzie! Did someone vandalize your locker? I wonder who HATES you that much?” she asked, batting her eyes all innocentlike. “Well, I’d love to hang out with you, but I gotta get back to that soccer tournament. Have fun!”

  I definitely have to give Tiffany credit for being an evil genius. She’d probably heard one of the crazy rumors about how I’D vandalized MacKenzie’s locker by writing “BUG GIRL” on it.

  And actually doing the same thing to MacKenzie’s NHH locker was the PERFECT setup!

  Tiffany had effectively gotten even with MacKenzie and me by secretly launching World War III !!

  Our new “friendship” had barely lasted twenty-four hours. And, ironically, now BOTH of us had been ridiculed as BUG GIRLS.

  I just sighed and walked away.

  Turning in my NHH student ID to the office was kind of bittersweet because I was already starting to miss my new friends.

  But it also meant returning to my wonderful life at WCD and hanging out with cherished friends who adored me.

  And OMG! I can hardly wait to get back there!

  !!

  SATURDAY, MAY 17—4:45 P.M.

  IN MY BEDROOM


  I was so physically and mentally exhausted from my week at NHH, I could have slept FOREVER!

  I FINALLY dragged myself out of bed around noon, only because I had promised Brianna that I’d spend the afternoon in the kitchen helping her try to earn her cooking badge.

  AGAIN !

  I was eating lunch and skimming my mom’s recipe book for quick and easy snacks when I got a text from Brandon:

  BRANDON: So, how was your week at Hogwarts? Luv the tacky uniforms (LOL)!

  NIKKI: It was good. Can’t wait to get back to WCD. How was South Ridge?

  BRANDON: We had fun hanging out with Max C. Definitely one cool dude. His lil’ bro, Oliver, and Brianna are BFFs?

  NIKKI: Yep! I’m trying to help her earn a cooking badge for Scouts. Any ideas for a super-EZ brat-proof snack?

  BRANDON: How about caramel popcorn balls? Yummy too!

  NIKKI: Popcorn balls?! Are you kidding me? Sounds way too complicated!

  BRANDON: Nope. Super EZ! Even I can make them and I’m a cruddy cook. I made some last night.

  NIKKI: Really?! What are the ingredients?

  BRANDON: Just popcorn and caramel candy. Cooks in microwave.

  NIKKI: That’s all?! Very cool! Be right back . . .

  NIKKI: We have popcorn ! But no caramel candy !

  BRANDON: I have a bag of candy. Will bring it right over.

  NIKKI: You’re coming to my house? NOW?!!

  NIKKI: Brandon?

  NIKKI: Hello? R U there?!

  NIKKI: We’ll just cook a PB & J sandwich!

  NIKKI: ?????? !!

  I was a little worried when Brandon disappeared like that right in the middle of us texting each other.