What Emma Left Behind

  * * * * *

  That week, treasure fever hit the school. The "disease" broke out on Tuesday morning when the school's newspaper headlined an article written by Marie Summit containing "A few clues as discovered by the Campbells", who, Marie went on to say were "thrilled to share their findings and be helped by their classmates".

  Treasure parties began to develop that very afternoon during lunch and after school. People met and talked in whispers in the hallway and in the library, clutching Marie's article reverently.

  By the end of the day, Caera was looking over her shoulder every minute or so--she had been getting the feeling that people were following her. Twice already she'd seen Ellison Davis when she turned around, and was it her imagination or was it Corey Richardson's back she was seeing everywhere? Caera sighed and hoped she wasn't becoming neurotic.

  Just then, she turned and went down the hallway, where Ana was heading for her and Claudia's lockers. Hurrying, she caught up to them just as Claudia was closing up her bookbag. Out of the corner of her eye, Caera now noticed a sizable group of people nonchalantly walking towards them; led by Ellison Davis, they avoided her eyes as Caera turned and glared at them, halting not far away. The noise in the hallway lowered considerably as Claudia began to speak.

  "Have you noticed how strangely everyone's been acting lately?"

  "Yeah--I'm even afraid to go to the bathroom alone--I feel like someone's watching me." Ana said as the three girls walked to the exit.

  "Well, guess what?" Caera decided that it was time to change the subject. She was tired of feeling like a circus freak on display.

  "What?" Ana inquired with an eyebrow's arc.

  "I stopped by Mr. Sudge's room a few minutes ago, and we had a little chat. 'Seems the boys have a-been lyin' to us," she crooned the last part as if she were in an old Western.

  "Those creeps!" Ana was fuming.

  "What did he say exactly?" Claudia asked calmly but then reconsidered. "No, don't tell me. Let me guess. There is no math project, I suppose."

  "Yup. And there isn't going to be any for about another month. I checked the assignments board on my way out. I tell ya, they sure picked the wrong class to have a so-called project due for--they shoulda known Mr. Sudge always keeps detailed records to remind himself when he forgets." They were reaching the curb and sat down to wait to be picked up.

  "Yeah, well I'm still mad at them," Ana grumbled.

  "I know whatcha mean," Claudia was agreeing. "It was pretty lame of them to walk out like that, just 'cause of what Emily said."

  "Well we could get back at them, ya know," Caera suggested after a while. Ana and Claudia looked at her expectantly. She responded with a triumphant smile. "And I've got an idea how."

  A Trick

  The next morning, Caera, Claudia, and Ana had met at Caera's locker for a chat when Claudia noticed from her position Todd, Alex, and Andrew coming towards them through the crowded hallway, contrite expressions on their faces. She nudged Caera with her elbow, and almost immediately, the girls started projecting their voices and laughter in the boys' direction, doing their best to ignore their approach in hopes that they'd make a 180 degree turn the other way. They were still sore about being rebuffed during lunch the day before, and they weren't about to accept an apology just yet, not without exacting a little revenge, anyway.

  When she realized that the boys were oblivious to the gist, Caera appeared to suddenly remember something and whispered it into Ana's ear, who relayed the message to Claudia. Caera decided that it was time to put her rehearsed plan B into action.

  "Oh, how exciting!" Ana prattled on eagerly. "And so what happened next?" She feigned ignorance and winked at Caera, who spoke as loudly as she could without shouting and in her most dramatic tone, as soon as the boys were within earshot,

  "Well, as I was saying, after Collin left, Emma went to that place I told you about, and I think that's where she hid her next clue!" Caera beamed, trying hard not to explode into laughter. Claudia was satisfied that her sister had given one of the best performances of her life, definite Oscar material.

  "I think we've almost solved the mystery!" Claudia added in mock enthusiasm.

  "Should we tell the boys?" Ana prompted them with the all-important question.

  "Nah, they don't wanna have anything to do with us, so I think we should just..."

  Caera pretended to see the boys just then and stopped, her startled expression perfectly timed. Their plan was working--Alex, Todd, and Andrew were evidently hurt and upset, and for a moment, Caera even felt a twinge of guilt. But then she remembered how embarrassed she'd been when they sprang away from the table...

  Unfortunately, it was while looking at the boys' bemoanful expressions that she noticed Ellison Davis had been skulking just behind them, only now in her agitation revealing herself. Her eyes wide, her face glowing, she looked like she was in a frenzy while she tore through the things in her locker, throwing objects around until she found a spiral notebook and a pencil.

  Uh-oh! Caera groaned. The boys weren't the only ones who'd overheard their little conversation and had swallowed it hook, line, and sinker...