"Hey, cutie!" a carny with long scraggly hair waved at her. He was standing inside a booth with a counter lined with water rifles. On the opposite wall was a row of plastic clowns' faces with open mouths.
Sumi stopped. The wall beside the carny was lined with pink-and-blue stuffed animals of all sizes.
"Want the big bunny?" the carny yelled, pointing at one really big pink bunny.
Sumi nodded eagerly.
"Then step up and try your luck." The carny grinned, revealing a big gap in his front teeth. "It's only a dollar a try."
Sumi gave Dan a questioning look. The carny caught on quick.
"Come on, sport," he yelled at Dan. "Give your girlfriend a buck. Don't you want to get a bunny for your honey? It's only a buck."
Dan slid his hands into his pockets and glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. "Hey, Jessica, I'm a little short on cash. Think you could help Sumi out?"
How could I refuse? Sumi was our guest. I took a dollar out of my sister's wallet and gave it to the carny. By now some other people had come along and they also paid.
"Everyone pick up a water rifle," the carny said. "The first one to make their balloon pop wins the prize."
The others picked up their rifles, but Sumi looked uncertainly at hers.
"Ever shot a rifle before, honey?" the carny asked.
Sumi shook her head.
The carny turned to Dan. "Go on, sport, give her a hand."
The next thing I knew, Dan stepped up behind Sumi and helped her pick up the rifle and aim it. His arms went around her and his lips were next to her ear as he whispered instructions. And I was paying for him to do that!
A bell rang and everyone shot a thin spray of water out of their rifles and into the clowns' mouths. Balloons began to rise out of the clowns' heads.
Pop! Sumi's balloon exploded. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened with surprise. She looked like she thought she'd done something wrong.
"Cutie's a winner!" the carny cried, handing her a little stuffed bunny.
The expression on Sumi's face went from worry to delight to puzzlement.
"Hey," Dan said to the carny. "I thought you said she'd win the big bunny."
"Not on the first try, buster," replied the carny. "You gotta win again to get the big bunny."
Sumi turned to Dan and gave him a doe-eyed look. You could see how much she wanted to win the big bunny. But that meant paying more money. Dan turned to me in my sister's body. "You don't want to disappoint your guest, do you,
Jessica?"
33
It turned out that winning a second time didn't earn the big bunny either. Instead it earned a bunny that was just a little larger than the first one.
Eleven games later, Sumi was still shooting. Dan didn't have his hand around her shoulders anymore.
Now it was around her waist.
"What's going on?" someone whispered behind me.
I looked back and found my sister, in my body, along with Josh and Andy. "Sumi's trying to win a big stuffed bunny," I whispered back.
"Why does Dan have his arm around her?" Jessica asked.
"He must think she needs support," I said.
"Hey, Jessica?" Dan turned to me. "Think I could have some more money? Sumi's getting real close to winning the big bunny."
"Uh, sure." I took out my sister's wallet and gave him another dollar.
"How long has this been going on?" my sister, in my body, gasped.
"Uh, so far it's cost you about twelve bucks," I replied.
"What! ?"
"Well, Sumi really wants that bunny," I tried to explain.
The next thing I knew, my sister, in my body, was dragging me away from the booth. Dan and Sumi didn't even notice because they were totally involved in the game.
"Do you know what you're doing?" Jessica was acting really agitated. "You're using my money to pay for Dan to put his arm around Sumi!"
"What else am I supposed to do?" I asked.
"Don't give him any more money," Jessica said.
"Then Sumi won't get her bunny," I said.
Jessica rolled my eyes. "Tough noogies."
"Oh, yeah?" I said. "You tell Sumi she can't have her bunny."
Jessica, in my body, muttered something unrepeatable.
"Hey, watch your mouth," I warned her.
"It's not my mouth, it's your mouth," my sister, in my body, reminded me. "And I can make it say anything I like."
"Why you . . . " I started to make a fist with my sister's hand.
But then I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Jessica?"
I turned and found Dan behind me. Sumi was still shooting the water rifle. "Yes, Dan?" I asked.
"Listen, Sumi has to leave with her father in a little while." Dan said in a low voice so Sumi wouldn't hear. "I think it would be nice if we all got together and gave her a going away present. Something she can remember us by."
I glanced over at my sister, in my body, who sort of shrugged and nodded. It sounded like an okay idea.
Dan told us how much money he thought it would cost. Of course, he was "a little short of cash" again, so Jessica, in my body, and I, in hers, coughed up the money.
Dan pocketed the money. "Tell Sumi I'll be right back."
Dandy Dan disappeared into the crowd while we waited for Sumi to finish the game. She still hadn't popped enough balloons to win the big bunny, but the carny gave her a medium-size one.
"Nice going," I congratulated her.
Sumi smiled crookedly. "I wanted to win the big one, but I think he would have made me play all night."
"Hey, don't worry," I said, thinking about the gift Dan was going to give her from all of us. "I bet you'll get something really nice before long."
34
I can't say I had a great time at the carnival after Dan rejoined us. Even though Jessica had worked really hard to make me look good in her body, Dan hardly paid any attention to me. I guess I should have been relieved that he chose to put his arm around Sumi's waist and not mine, but after a while I actually started to feel a little jealous. It wasn't right for him to ignore me, I mean Jessica.
I mean, after all, my sister was the person he'd originally asked to the carnival. Sumi was just a last minute add-on.
But now I was the one who felt like the add-on, sitting behind those two on the roller coaster while Dan had his arm around Sumi's shoulder (of course!) and they both screamed with fear and delight.
And it was the same with the rest of the rides and games. Dan acted like I wasn't even there.
Finally it was time to go. We met up with Andy, Josh, and my sister in my body, and left the carnival together. Sumi was flushed with delight and excitement as we walked home. She was so happy that it was hard not to feel good for her.
"This was the best day!" she said. "Thank you so much!"
Josh and Andy said they had to go home. Jessica and I both reminded Josh that we'd see him at Mr. Dirksen's science lab during the choir performance that night.
"So, uh, what're your plans for the rest of the day, sweetie?" Andy asked me with a wink.
"I think I'll hide," I grumbled.
Sumi, Dan, Jessica, in my body, and I walked the rest of the way to my house. A car was parked at the curb. I had a feeling it must have been the one Sumi's father had rented.
We were going up the front walk when the door opened and my father and Mr. Hoshino came out.
"Perfect timing," Dad said. "We were just going to look for you. Mr. Hoshino and Sumi have to go to the airport and catch a plane."
Dad walked with Mr. Hoshino down to the car. Sumi turned to Jessica, in my body. "Well, Jake, I guess I have to say good-bye. I hope we will still be pen pals."
"You can bet on it," my sister, in my body, replied.
Sumi turned to me, in my sister's body, next. "It was very nice to meet you, Jessica."
"You too, Sumi." I shook her hand.
Finally, Sumi turned to Dan. "Thank you for making my day so much fun."
> "It was my pleasure," Dan said. "And we bought you a little gift to remember us by." He opened a bag he was carrying and pulled out a white T-shirt.
"Oh, you shouldn't have!" Sumi cried and clasped her hands together happily.
I felt my sister's mouth fall open in shock. On the front of the T-shirt was a big photograph of . . . Dan's face!
That was how Sumi was supposed to remember us!?
"Sumi!" Mr. Hoshino called from the car. "Come on, we have to go!"
"I'm coming!" Sumi called back. Then she threw her arms around Dan's neck. "Thank you so much! This really rots, you zitface!"
35
Jessica, in my body, and I had the same exact reaction. We both clamped our hands over our mouths to keep from bursting out in laughter. By the time Dan recovered from his shock, Sumi was in the car and waving out the window at us.
Mr. Hoshino's car went down the street, turned the corner, and disappeared. Dan turned to us with his mouth agape and a shocked look on his face.
"Did you hear that?" he sputtered. "She said my present rotted and called me a zitface! Is that any way to show gratitude?"
My sister and I shared a look. Somehow we didn't feel the least bit sorry for him.
"After all I did for her . . . " Dan puffed out his chest and straightened up. "Well, she'll see. If she ever comes back here, forget it, I won't give her the time of day. That babe is history."
Jessica, in my body, and I listened in amaze ment. Who did he think he was? The world's greatest stud?
Now Dan turned to me. "So, Jessica, what do you feel like doing tonight?"
I couldn't believe it! He'd just spent the whole afternoon ignoring me, I mean Jessica, and now he wanted to do something?
My sister's stomach rumbled hungrily. "I think I'm going to go inside and get something to eat," I said.
"Me too," said Jessica, in my body.
"Good idea," said Dan. "I'm pretty hungry myself."
Jessica, in my body, and I, in hers, shared a look. I led the way up the walk and in the front door. Jessica, in my body, followed, and Dan brought up the rear.
Only, as soon as Jessica got inside, she slammed the door shut.
Rap! Rap! Dandy Dan knocked on the door. "Hey, open up! Hey, Jake, how come you shut the door on me? Open up!"
Inside my sister and I smiled and gave each other a high five.
As far as we were concerned, Dandy Dan was history.
36
We still had a few hours to kill until the choir performed. I was feeling sort of tired so I decided to take a nap in Jessica's room.
Later I woke up, got out of bed, and dragged myself over to my sister's makeup table. What I saw in the mirror was gruesome. My sister's hair was a mess. Her makeup was smeared, her eyes were puffy, and her clothes were wrinkled.
I really looked horrible. I knew it would take hours before I'd look good again. This was too much pressure after a long, hard day. I felt the tears start to roll down my sister's cheeks. I just couldn't deal with it.
Rap! Rap! "Jake?" Jessica knocked on the door.
"Yeah?" I lifted my sister's head and looked in the mirror again. Now her eyes were red and watery.
"Are you okay?" Jessica asked through the door.
"No." I sniffed.
The door opened and my sister, in my body, came in. She was still wearing my clothes. But she'd brushed my hair and washed my face. Somehow, she looked fine. "What's the matter?"
"I just can't take it," I sobbed. "The makeup, the hair, the clothes — it's too much!"
"Now, now, it's not that bad." Jessica patted me, in her body, on the shoulder. "I'll help you through it. Go wash your face. You'll feel better."
I went into the bathroom and washed my sister's face. After that I felt a little better. Jessica, in my body, was waiting in her room. She was ready to go to school.
"I can't believe how easy it is for you," I moaned.
"Don't worry," she said. "You only had to go through it today. In an hour you'll be back in your own body. How would you like to face clothes, makeup, and hair every morning for the rest of your life?"
"Forget it." I shook her head. "Not a chance."
37
Josh was waiting outside the main entrance of school when Jessica and I got there. A la of kids and their parents were going in to hear the choir.
"Ready to switch back?" he asked.
Jessica nodded my head and I nodded hers. "Okay, let's go." We went into school.
"Hey, wait!" Andy jogged toward us carrying something orange in his hand. As he got closer I realized they were day lilies, which grew wild along the road. He must have picked a few on his way to school.
"Here, Jessica." Gasping for breath, he held the flowers out to me.
"What's this for?" I asked.
"Well, uh, I was wondering if you'd be my valentine," he said with a grin.
I rolled my sister's eyes. "Very funny, dorkbrain."
"Aw, come on," Andy begged.
"Get real, weirdo," I said.
"But don't you see?" he said. "If you say yes, then after you and Jessica switch back, she still has to be my valentine."
I turned to my sister in my body and saw a look of horror come over my face. "Jake, please, don't!" she begged.
I had to admit it was a funny idea.
But I shook my sister's head. "Sorry, Andy. Jessica's already been through enough."
Andy's shoulders sagged with disappointment. "Darn," he muttered. "Some friend."
"Come on, we better do this before Principal Blanco notices us," Josh said.
We went into school and hurried down to Mr. Dirksen's science lab. Jessica turned on the lights, and we quickly got into our seats while Josh hunched over the keyboard.
"Ready?" he called out.
"Ready!" my sister and I both replied.
"Here goes!" Josh pressed the red button. Whump!
38
Amazingly, the switch back to our own went perfectly. I checked all over and was a hundred-percent Jake.
"Oh, wow!" Jessica gasped, looking at her arms and then feeling her face with her fingers. "I'm me again!"
"And no worse for the wear," I added.
During the switch, Andy had been over by the animal tanks. Now he came back with some small creatures in his hands. "Hey, guys, want to have some fun? Let's switch a toad with a mouse."
"That's ridiculous," Josh said.
"Aw, come on," Andy said, putting the toad down on one of the chairs and the mouse on the other. "It'll be cool."
"Forget it," Josh said. "I'm out of here before Principal Blanco catches us."
Just then the door opened.
Principal Blanco stepped in.
He scanned the room. Jessica was nowhere in sight. She must've ducked behind one of the lab tables.
"You boys can't stay out of here, can you?" the principal said.
"Uh, we only came in to do some extra credit work," Josh quickly said.
"On a Saturday night?" Principal Blanco scowled.
"We figured it was a good way to stay out of trouble," Andy said.
"Well, you just found yourself in a different kind of trouble," our principal said. Then he paused and sniffed. "Wait a minute. I smell something." He looked at me. "It's that stuff your sister wears, Jake. If she's in this room again she's going to be in big, big trouble. I was serious about that month of detention."
Principal Blanco started to look around. I knew it wouldn't take him long to find Jessica. It wasn't fair. After everything Jessica and I had been through, I really didn't want her to get a month's detention.
Meanwhile, Principal Blanco stopped at one of the chairs attached to the DITS. "What's this mouse doing here?"
It was the mouse Andy had left on the second chair. Meanwhile, the toad was still sitting on the first chair. Our principal bent over the second chair to look at the mouse.
Suddenly, I had an idea. I reached over to the computer console and pressed the red button. At that
moment, the mouse jumped off the chair and scurried away across the floor.
Whump!
39
When the haze cleared, Principal Blanco was squatting on the floor with his hands between his knees. He blinked and puffed out his cheeks with air.
Over on the first chair, a small toad was croaking like crazy.
Josh turned to me. He looked pale. "Do you realize what you just did, Jake?"
"It's only temporary," I said, looking over at the lab tables. "Hey, Jessica, you can come out." Jessica stood up. "What happened?"
"Principal Blanco had a slight accident," I said. "You better bail before he figures it out."
Jessica hurried toward the door. "Thanks, Jake, I owe you one."
A second later, she was gone.
I quickly pressed the red button again. Whump!
The room filled with haze. When it cleared, Principal Blanco was standing near the second chair with a dazed expression on his face. He blinked and shook his head as if he was trying to clear it. "What happened?"
"What do you mean?" I asked innocently.
"Something very strange just happened," the principal said. "You must have noticed."
I turned to Josh and Andy. "Do you guys know what he's talking about?"
They shook their heads.
"It was bizarre," Principal Blanco said. "For a moment I could have sworn I was a toad. Can you imagine that?"
All too easily, I thought, trying not to smile.
Todd Strasser, Help! I'm Trapped in My Sister's Body
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends