Wish Upon a Sleepover

  “What? Why?” Todd asks.

  “Because I’m going upstairs to Hailey Chun’s apartment.” I want Hailey to myself. This is my moment. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Hailey Chun lives here?” Manga Girl cringes. “She’s so stuck-up.”

  Wait. What? Someone’s insulting one of the Haileys? “She’s not stuck-up,” I say.

  Manga Girl looks me right in the eye. “Yes, she is. And she’s mean.”

  “Mean?” Maybe Manga Girl’s jealous of Hailey, since Hailey has so many friends. “You don’t know what you’re saying. Hailey Chun isn’t mean.”

  “I know exactly what I’m saying. She always talks about people behind their backs.” A strand of Manga Girl’s curly black hair pops out from under her hat. She tucks it back into place. “Why would you want to be friends with someone like that?”

  For a moment, I’m not sure what to say. I’ve been sitting next to the big round table all year, and I’ve never heard Hailey Chun talk about other people in a mean way. Well, maybe she does sometimes talk about other people, but it’s only because she has very specific taste in clothing and most of the kids at school don’t dress as trendy as she does. But those kids never know she’s talking about them, so that doesn’t really count as being mean. “Who are you to call someone mean, after you drew that cartoon of me?” I point out.

  “It’s not done—I already told you that.”

  “Hey, are we going to stand out here in the rain arguing about stupid stuff, or are we going on a scavenger hunt?” Todd asks.

  I take a deep breath. Manga Girl’s really getting under my skin. “I think Hailey Chun is great. She’s a good friend of mine, and I’m going to get my sleepover soup ingredient from her.” Autumn bites her lower lip. Of course, she knows the truth. Hailey Chun isn’t my good friend, but that lie shot out of my mouth before I could think about it, and it’s too late to take it back.

  The doorman opens the door for us. He’s a really tall guy with a long, skinny neck and an Adam’s apple that’s so big it looks like he swallowed something and it got stuck in his throat. I wonder if he likes wearing the uniform. It has those things on the shoulders, like a pilot’s jacket. “May I help you?” he asks. His name tag reads BILL.

  “Hi, Bill,” I say. I’ve never been in Hailey Chun’s lobby. The floor is polished marble, the paint is a warm buttery color, and there are no fake, dust-covered plants. “We’re here to see Hailey.” I pull on Autumn’s sleeve until she stands next to me. “Hailey Chun.”

  “Are you here for the sleepover?” Bill asks.

  “Not exactly,” I say. “I’m having my own sleepover. But I need to ask Hailey a question. We go to the same school. I live right across the street.” I point.

  “Yeah, I know. I’ve seen you.” He taps his foot. “The thing is, she’s got guests right now.”

  “Autumn and I just want to get a piece of homework from her.” Another lie. But at least that one sounded believable. “They’ll wait here.” I tip my head toward Todd, Manga Girl, and William. Todd frowns. Manga Girl sits in a lobby chair. William pulls his hat over his eyes.

  “Well, seeing as you go to school with Hailey, I think it’s okay to send you up.” Bill motions us toward the elevator.

  Autumn hesitates. “I don’t really want to—”

  “I need you,” I whisper to her. “So Hailey will know that I’m actually having a party.”

  “It’s apartment six B,” Bill tells us. He reaches into the elevator and presses button number six.

  “Okay,” I say. “Thanks.” A little shiver runs across my shoulders. Apartment 6B is the same number as my apartment. That has to be a sign that Hailey and I are meant to be friends. “We’ll be right back,” I call out to the others.

  When the elevator doors close, Autumn and I are finally alone. I clench my fists. “Manga Girl makes me so mad. She wonders why I want to be friends with someone like Hailey Chun. Can you believe that?”

  Autumn doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t need to. I know she agrees with me. We agree on most everything, except for that whole thing about keeping food items from touching. That doesn’t bother me at all.

  The elevator rises. Second floor. Third floor. This is the chance I’ve longed for—the chance to see inside a Hailey party. It feels like going to a secret clubhouse. My whole body starts tingling.

  “What are you going to borrow?” Autumn whispers when we step out.

  “I don’t know,” I say. I stop in my tracks. “What do you think I should borrow?”

  “Something that’s delicious in chicken broth?”

  I nod. That sounds like a good plan.

  As I stand in front of 6B, I realize my hands are shaking. Autumn stands behind me, trying to hide. That’s pretty easy, since she’s about half my size. I take another deep breath, then ring the doorbell. The door opens right away. It’s Mrs. Chun.

  “Hello?” she says with surprise.

  “Uh, hi. I’m Leilani.” My voice sounds squeaky all of a sudden. “I … I live across the street. Hailey and I are in the same class.”

  “Hello, Leilani. Yes, I remember you. I’m afraid Hailey is busy with guests right now.” She speaks with a slight accent and wears bright red lipstick. “Maybe you could wait and talk to her at school on Monday?”

  “Well … the thing is…” If I tell Mrs. Chun that I need an ingredient for soup, she might get it for me, and then I won’t see Hailey. I decide it’s best to keep lying. “I wanted to ask her about some homework.”

  “Homework?” Mrs. Chun nods. “Very well. I’ll go get her.” She disappears.

  I take a step and lean into the entryway. There’s a coat closet and a rack for shoes. Six pairs of purple Converse are lined up. Apparently, the Haileys bought the exact same shoes, then personalized them with markers. One pair has flowers, another has butterflies. The pair I like best is covered in happy faces. My gaze travels up the wall, to a row of family photos. The Chuns are posed in front of a ski lodge. In another photo, Hailey and her little brother are on a beach holding surfboards. I take another half step, and though I can see down the hall, I can’t see into the living room. It’s pretty quiet in there. I expected lots of dance music and crazy laughter. What’s going on? What’s the theme? Are they playing a game of Truth or Dare? Whispering secrets?

  Footsteps creak behind me. I turn around. Todd, Manga Girl, and William took the stairs and are now standing in the hallway.

  “What are you doing up here?” I ask. “I thought you were gonna wait in the lobby.” Sure, I want Hailey to know I’m having a party, but her seeing my actual guests could ruin everything.

  “Todd insisted,” Manga Girl says. Then she sits on the floor and starts drawing. William stays by the stairwell. But Todd strides right up to us.

  “Look, Leilani, this is a group game,” he says. “It’s not fair to take only one player with you.”

  “Player?” I quickly check over my shoulder, to make sure Hailey isn’t coming. Then I lower my voice. “Todd, this isn’t a basketball game. It’s a scavenger hunt for a made-up recipe. I don’t see a problem with taking only one person.”

  “But the recipe said we have to do this together or it won’t work. We have to do this as a team.” He smiles at Autumn. She makes a weird face, like she’s going to burp or something.

  I’m pretty sure Todd is making up these rules, but I can’t quite remember. I groan. What he doesn’t seem to realize is that the recipe isn’t going to work no matter what happens. It’s just one of Tutu’s crazy stories. Why doesn’t Todd get that? No moon goddess, no magic. We’ll probably all get diarrhea from the soup.

  “Listen, Todd, I want to do this by myself. I—”

  “Hi, Leilani.”

  I spin back around. Hailey Chun stands in her entryway. I swallow hard. “Uh, hi, Hailey.”

  “Mom said you wanted something.” Her upper lip curls. “Well?” She sounds annoyed, the same way I sounded when Mom forced me to have this sleepover. “Wh
at do you want?”

  I can’t remember. All I know, at this moment, is that Hailey is holding a plastic cup. A paper umbrella with a skewered maraschino cherry and a pineapple wedge sticks out the top. That’s the kind of drink I was going to make for my party. And she’s wearing a bright orange plastic lei. Is she having a Hawaiian luau? But that was my theme!

  Autumn pokes me in the back. “Borrow something,” she whispers.

  “Oh right.” I clear my throat. “I’m wondering if I could borrow—”

  “What are they doing here?” Hailey looks past my shoulder.

  I try to block Hailey’s view, but Todd’s so tall, it’s like trying to block a tree. “So anyway, I was wondering if—”

  “Hi, Hailey.” Todd leans against the doorframe. “How’s it going?”

  Hailey smiles at him. “Hi, Todd. What are you doing?” Wait a minute. Are Hailey and Todd friends?

  “I’m with Leilani. She invited me to a sleepover. We’re on a scavenger hunt.”

  Hailey’s lip curls again. “You’re hanging out with Leilani?”

  “Sure,” he says. Is he going to tell her we’re cousins? I always try to avoid that subject, but if Hailey and Todd are friends, then maybe, on this one occasion, it won’t be such a bad thing to admit.

  Mrs. Chun’s voice calls out that the shredded pork sandwiches are ready. Todd straightens. “Hey, Hailey. Can I get a sandwich? Leilani forgot to get food for the sleepover, and I’m starving.”

  I could have punched him. Now Hailey will think I’m a terrible host who doesn’t feed her guests. Todd is ruining everything. “I didn’t forget,” I mumble. “I just … I just…”

  “I didn’t know you had sleepovers,” Hailey says.

  I brighten up. “Of course I have sleepovers. I have them all the time. They’re the best. We always have so much fun, don’t we?” I reach back and tap Autumn on the arm.

  “Yes,” Autumn says quietly. She’s still hiding behind me.

  “Wait. You do sleepovers all the time?” Todd frowns at me. “How come you’ve never invited me until now?”

  “Because…” Jeez, this conversation is not going in the direction I hoped. Would Hailey ask why I hadn’t invited her?

  “It’s a Hawaiian luau sleepover,” Manga Girl announces, real loud, from her place on the floor. “At least, that’s what it said on the invite.”

  Hailey gasps. “You stole my idea?”

  “No, of course I didn’t steal your idea.” I feel my face heat up. How can she think such a thing? “I love Hawaiian food. I’m half Hawaiian, remember?” She doesn’t look convinced. In fact, she looks even more annoyed. And she’s not listening to me. She’s staring at William, who’s pacing at the end of the hall. His coat is so big it makes him look like a little kid who’s borrowed his dad’s coat. A lump forms in my throat. Maybe it is his dad’s coat. I remember the cruddy thing we have in common. But I don’t have time to feel sad right now, because my moment with Hailey is veering off the runway. “If you’d like to do a scavenger hunt with me, I can have another sleepover next weekend and invite you.”

  Hailey’s still staring. “Who is that?” she asks.

  “That’s a new kid. He doesn’t go to our school.” I try to get her attention by speaking louder. “Anyway, like I said, I’m doing this amazing scavenger hunt and I need…” Something simple. Something everyone has. Something that tastes good in chicken broth. “A box of pasta!”

  “Why are you yelling?” She rolls her eyes. “Whatever. Wait here.” And off she goes.

  “Don’t forget a sandwich,” Todd calls.

  “I wasn’t yelling,” I mumble. I look at Autumn for support, and she squeezes my hand.

  We wait in the hallway. William keeps pacing. Manga Girl keeps drawing. Todd’s practically drooling. Hailey didn’t invite me into her secret clubhouse. She made me stay in the hall. Maybe I should have followed her?

  “Hi, Leilani.” Hayley Ranson appears. She’s wearing a yellow lei and carrying one of those umbrella drinks. “I heard you’re having a scavenger hunt? That sounds like fun. We’re just watching a movie.” She sighs. “I wish I could—”

  “You wish you could what?” Hailey Chun’s back. She scowls at Hayley. “How come you’re talking to her?” Hayley dashes away.

  Why did Hailey say the word her in that way? As if it tasted bad?

  Hailey hands me a box of pasta. Elbow macaroni.

  “Thanks,” I say. This is it. My opportunity. It’s now or never. “So the next time I have a sleepover I’ll invite you and the rest of the Haileys.” I smile hopefully. “Would you like that?”

  “Thanks, but no thanks.” She closes the door in my face.

  “Awkward,” Todd says.

  A few minutes of uncomfortable silence pass, but it feels like a million years. Then we all cram into the elevator. Everyone’s looking at me, even William. “I thought you and Hailey Chun were friends,” Manga Girl says.

  I shoot her a super-icy look. “We are,” I insist.

  “Well, if it makes you feel any better, she forgot to get me a sandwich.” Todd takes the box of macaroni and sticks it into his backpack. It doesn’t make me feel better. Hailey hadn’t sneered at Todd. She hadn’t accused him of stealing her party theme. And she hadn’t shut the door in his face.

  “Okay, I’m next!” he announces when we reach the lobby.

  And just like that the scavenger hunt is a real thing, and we are following Todd down the sidewalk.

  It’s still sprinkling, but each raindrop feels as heavy as a brick. Kāne and Lono and those other gods could unleash a hurricane, but it wouldn’t make me feel any worse. Because this afternoon I learned something that I wish I never learned.

  Hailey Chun doesn’t like me.

  16

  Basketball Dreams

  I don’t know where Todd is taking us, and I don’t care. I just want to go home and erase this day from my memory. Autumn walks next to me, but she doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t need to ask me a bunch of questions, because she knows how I’m feeling. That’s how it is with best friends.

  I go over the scene in my head. There were warning signs—the eye roll, the sneer, the tone of her voice. But I ignored them. I went right ahead and asked her if she wanted to come to my next sleepover. The final blow was the door slamming in my face.

  There has to be an explanation. Did Hailey judge me because of my guests, just as I feared she would? That makes sense. But then I remember that she smiled at Todd, so she clearly likes him. That’s a point in my favor. And she doesn’t know anything about William, so that’s not a point against me. But what about Manga Girl? Manga Girl doesn’t like Hailey. She called her mean. If the feeling is mutual and Hailey doesn’t like Manga Girl, and now Hailey thinks that Manga Girl and I are friends … is that the problem?

  But as much as I try to convince myself that this is Manga Girl’s fault, I can’t forget the moment when Hailey first came to the door. When Hailey looked at me, she sneered. And that was long before she noticed Manga Girl.

  It’s me. She doesn’t like me.

  “Four more blocks,” Todd says.

  “I don’t want to do this anymore,” I tell him.

  He jumps over a puddle. “We can’t quit, Leilani. You got your ingredient. Now it’s my turn. Wait till you see my special place. It’s awesome.”

  There are puddles everywhere, and I almost step in dog poop that the rain turned to paste. An ambulance races past, its siren blaring. “Why are we going toward Pill Hill?” I ask. It’s called Pill Hill because it’s a hill with a bunch of hospitals on it.

  Todd turns around and smiles. “You’ll see.”

  I don’t care if I’m supposed to have a good attitude about my sleepover. I’m walking the slowest because I can’t stop thinking about what just happened. Devastated is not a strong enough word. Even if, at that moment, Hailey Chun is the only Hailey who doesn’t like me, I know it’s only a matter of time before she persuades the others to dis
like me, too. I picture a line of toppling dominoes, with the faces of all the Haileys taped to them.

  Autumn stays next to me. William walks in the middle, and Manga Girl walks super fast to keep up with Todd, whose legs are three times as long as ours. No matter what I look at—the sidewalk, the buildings, the back of William’s fur hat—all I can see is the expression on Hailey’s face, just before she shut the door. She looked like she ate a lemon.

  I bump into William, who has stopped walking. So have Todd and Manga Girl. “Ta-da,” Todd says, sweeping his arms. He stands next to a stone wall. A big red sign is mounted on the wall: THE UNIVERSITY OF SEATTLE.

  “What’s so special about this place?” Manga Girl asks.

  Todd leans against the stones. “My dad and my mom went to college here. They both played basketball. Dad was the center and Mom was center forward. This is where they want me to go. I’m gonna be an Otter.”

  Manga Girl’s ears twitch. “An otter?”

  “It’s the mascot.” He points to a student who’s walking past. Her red sweatshirt reads: U OF S OTTERS. “Yep, this is where I’m gonna go.”

  I shove my hands into my raincoat pockets. “We’re only in sixth grade, Todd. College is a long time from now. You never know what might happen.”

  “What do you mean?” he asks.

  I’m feeling sour, as sour as Hailey’s expression. “There are lots of basketball players out there who might be better than you. Or you could get injured. You might not get in.” I’m being snotty. Everything feels wrong.

  Mom would say, Leilani, don’t use that tone with me, and Tutu would say, Watch your toes and fingers—she’s snapping like a sea turtle.

  “Yeah, I might not get in.” Todd frowns and rubs the back of his neck. “All I know is that it’s really important to my parents that I play basketball here. This is where they met. I wouldn’t have been born if it hadn’t been for basketball and this school.”

  “Forget college,” Manga Girl tells him. “I’m going to New York, and I’m going to live in a loft and make graphic novels.” William doesn’t add anything to the conversation. But he’s listening.