Double Trouble Read online

  “Little fingers. Little toes.

  Fluffs of soft hair. Button nose.

  When you sleep and when you wake,

  I’ll watch over each breath you take.”

  * * *

  Hi, Diary.

  You know what’s better than having millions of adoring fans? Having two adorable siblings. And lots of amazing friends. And really cool parents. And the best life a girl could possibly ask for!

  Zee

  * * *

  Zee closed her diary. The twins and her mother would be at the hospital for a few days, the Baby Blast was over, and she didn’t have to prepare for her auditions anymore. Zee logged on to Bluetopia, pulled out her science binder, and got to work retyping all of the information that had disappeared that morning.

  17

  Chloe’s Surprise

  Two weeks later, Zee and Chloe chatted online, just like they had every day since the babies were born.

  * * *

  E-ZEE: Being a big sister is even BETTER than I imagined. Right now, Phoebe and Connor sleep a lot, but I don’t think I’ll ever stop thinking they are the most amazing people in the whole world. ☺

  SOCCERNOW: I can’t wait 2 meet them!!

  E-ZEE: U R coming over w/The Beans later, right?

  SOCCERNOW: R u kidding? But there is something I wanted to tell U first . . .

  E-ZEE: ???

  SOCCERNOW: I kinda like Landon now.

  E-ZEE: No way.

  SOCCERNOW: R U mad?

  E-ZEE: I think it’s awesome!!! Why didn’t u tell me b4?

  SOCCERNOW: At first I wasn’t sure if I liked him that way.

  E-ZEE: Sounds familiar. LOL.

  SOCCERNOW: Or if he liked me.

  E-ZEE: Does he?

  SOCCERNOW: Yes! The science project made us see how much we have in common. Plus, he is so cute. What’s up with u & Jasper?

  E-ZEE: Jasper is one of the best friends anyone could ask 4. & . . . I think it should stay that way. I’m going to tell him later today.

  SOCCERNOW: Fingers xed 4 u!

  E-ZEE: Thx!!

  SOCCERNOW: GTG, but I will C U soon. Can’t wait to meet Connor and Phoebe.

  * * *

  “Ta-da!” Zee cried as she pushed open the door to her new bedroom, her girlfriends standing behind her.

  “Awesome!” Chloe said.

  Zee’s new room didn’t look anything like her old one. One wall was orange and the other three were a calm pale green. Zee’s queen-size bed sat on a simple platform, and small circular orange rugs dotted the floor.

  “Look at the windows!” Missy said. “You used the fabric tassels from the shower!”

  “And you hung the pom-poms from the ceiling!” Chloe pointed out.

  “Pretty cool, huh?” Zee said. “I never would have thought of that without you guys.”

  “It’s perfect for you, Zee,” Kathi said. Zee knew that coming from Kathi, that was a big compliment.

  “What’s that?” Jen asked, pointing to the top of the dresser.

  “Mr. Sock Puppet!” Chloe exclaimed, laughing. “I can’t believe you really gave him a place of honor, Zee.”

  “What did you think I would do?” Zee asked. “Throw him out?”

  “Yup!” Chloe laughed. “That’s what I would have done.”

  The doorbell interrupted them.

  “The boys are here!” Zee cried, leading everyone back downstairs. When she opened the door, Jasper, Conrad, Marcus, and Landon walked inside.

  Landon immediately walked right up to Chloe and started to talk to her. Zee couldn’t believe how cute they looked together.

  Zee led everyone into the dining room, where snacks had been set out on the table.

  “I can’t believe your mother did all this with two new babies!” Missy said.

  “She didn’t do it. I did,” Zee said proudly. “I hope you like everything.”

  “I volunteer to sample everything and let you know,” Marcus said.

  Everyone started to pile food onto their plates and spread out across the room, eating and laughing. Zee sat next to Jasper, who set down his plate. “There’s something in the TV room I want to show you.” She gestured for him to follow her to the next room.

  “Brilliant!” Jasper exclaimed, right behind her.

  When Jasper saw the big poster she had put together for the science fair, he cried, “I cahn’t believe how fantastic it looks!”

  “I just printed everything out and pasted it on here,” Zee said. “You’re the one who figured out how to make all of the numbers make sense.”

  “I think we make a great team,” Jasper said.

  “I do too. Thanks for putting up with all of my craziness the past few weeks.”

  “I’m glad I did. I think we really have a shot at going to regionals.”

  “Yup.” Zee paused for a moment. “I’m also sorry for how confusing everything was after Brookdale Day. You are an awesome friend. That’s why I’d like to make sure we stay friends . . . just friends.”

  Zee managed to look at Jasper, but before he could respond, Kathi burst into the room. “Are you kidding me?” she cried. “I wasted all that time pretending I liked Jasper, and you didn’t even like him that way.” She stomped back out again.

  “I’m sorry about Kathi, too,” Zee said.

  “Oh, I do not care about Kathi,” Jasper said. “I had a suspicion that’s what she was doing the whole time. Still, I was secretly hoping you might get jealous. I guess that was pretty stupid.”

  “Now we’re even,” Zee said, smiling.

  Then ooohs and aahs floated in from the next room.

  “They are so adorable!” Zoe heard Chloe squeal.

  “Are you crying, Conrad?” Zoe heard Marcus ask.

  “No,” Conrad said, sniffling.

  Zoe and Jasper burst into laughter. “Come on,” Zee said, grabbing Jasper’s arm and guiding him back into to the dining room. “I’ll introduce you to Phoebe and Connor.”

  “Well, thanks for letting us know, Jamie,” Zee overheard her father say into his phone after all her friends had left.

  “Was that Jamie Sloan?” Zee asked when he hung up.

  Mr. Carmichael nodded. “He wanted to let us know that they cast the starring role for Rock On.”

  “Who is it?” Zee asked. She couldn’t help but be curious.

  “Dakota Morning.”

  “Dakota Morning?” Mrs. Carmichael sounded confused. “I thought they wanted an actor no one had heard of yet.”

  “Looks like they changed their mind and decided they wanted a super-celebrity,” Mr. Carmichael said, shrugging.

  Later on, she Skyped Ally to catch her up on all of the news.

  “It’s a good thing you didn’t leave the Baby Blast to go to that audition,” Ally told Zee.

  “I almost did!” Zee said. “I guess I got really caught up in the idea of being a star.”

  “You’ve always wanted to be a rock star, Zee. And I would have gotten caught up in all of it, too. It seems like such an exciting life.”

  “It kinda was,” Zee told her BFF. “And it kinda wasn’t. I’m glad it happened, but for now I’m happy just being a friend and a sister.”

  18

  And the Winner Is . . .

  * * *

  Hi, Diary.

  Ms. Merriweather announced the winner of the Brookdale Academy seventh grade science fair today. That’s right! I said “winner,” because only one person is going to regionals—Missy. Her presentation was amazing!! I don’t think anyone knew how amazingly smart she was until today.

  Even though Jasper and I didn’t win, I learned a lot from the project. (I think I might have learned more about my friends than I learned about science.)

  Anyway, I’m really happy for Missy. I bet she’ll win regionals and go on to state. I hope so, because after all she did for me and my mom, I now I consider her one of my very best friends! (What?! You can never have too many best friends!)

  Zee
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br />   * * *

  Online Glossary

  &

  and

  @

  at

  <3 (sideways heart)

  = love (<33 = extra love)

  =

  equal

  1

  one

  1st

  first

  2

  to; two; too

  2day

  today

  2-faced

  two-faced

  2gether

  together

  2morrow

  tomorrow

  2nite

  tonight

  4

  for

  411

  information

  4get

  forget

  4give

  forgive

  4gotten

  forgotten

  ASAP

  as soon as possible

  b

  be

  b/c

  because

  b/f

  boyfriend

  b4

  before

  BB4N

  bye-bye for now

  BFF

  best friends forever

  bz

  busy

  c

  see

  CA

  California

  cld

  could

  every1

  everyone

  g/f

  girlfriend

  gr8

  great

  GTG

  got to go

  GTR

  got to run

  H&K

  hugs and kisses

  K

  okay

  LOL

  laughing out loud

  LYLAS

  love you like a sister

  M

  am

  mayb

  maybe

  mins

  minutes

  MUSM

  miss you so much

  NK

  no kidding

  no1

  no one

  NP

  no problem

  nt

  not

  OMG

  oh, my God

  OMGYG2BK

  oh, my God, you’ve got to be kidding

  OTOH

  on the other hand

  pic

  picture

  pls

  please

  r

  are

  rm

  room

  thm

  them

  thx

  thanks

  TTFN

  ta-ta for now

  u

  you

  u’ll

  you’ll

  ur

  your; you’re

  urs

  yours

  w

  with

  w/o

  without

  WB

  write back

  WFM

  works for me

  ws

  was

  y

  why

  Excerpt from Mackenzie Blue

  Curious to know how Zee’s story began? Read on for a sneak peek at her first book,

  * * *

  Hi, Diary,

  Today I’m kind of blue. Not blue as in Mackenzie Blue, which I always am. (Ugh! I can’t believe I just made that joke.) This kind of blue is so not even funny. Not even a little.

  First, my BFF Ally moves ALL THE WAY to PARIS, which is incredibly great for her. Who wouldn’t want to live in France? The French have the most fabulous food, très chic fashion, and THE CUTEST guys. (Oooo la la!) Mom says Ally’s move could be good for me, too. I’m not sure.

  * * *

  A ding! from Mackenzie Blue Carmichael’s computer interrupted her. She slipped her diary and pen off her lap and rushed over to her desk. Awesome! An IM from Ally!

  SPARKLEGRRL: R u there?

  Zee typed quickly.

  * * *

  E-ZEE: Yes. I was just thinking of u!

  SPARKLEGRRL: Help! I h8 school! ☺

  E-ZEE: What’s wrong??!

  SPARKLEGRRL: Everything. I can’t sleep. No 1 here wants 2 talk 2 me. Maybe it’s because I have NO idea how 2 dress like a French person. Did u know they have a thing against sneakers here?

  E-ZEE: Making friends isn’t easy, especially in a new country!

  * * *

  So true. Zee became great friends with Jasper Chapman after he moved to Brookdale from London, England, over the summer. Jasper told Zee he had been lonely before he met her at the pool. Even with Jasper, Zee still missed Ally. They had been best friends and had gone to Brookdale Academy’s lower school since preschool. And Zee needed Ally more than ever now that she was a seventh grader in Brookdale Academy’s upper school—in a different building with different teachers.

  * * *

  E-ZEE: I m nervous about my 1st day of school 2.

  SPARKLEGRRL: Y?

  E-ZEE: What if I can’t find my way around? What if I 4get my locker combo? What if my life ends bc all I have time 4 is homework?

  SPARKLEGRRL: I know how u feel. I got lost AND 4got my combo. No hw yet tho.

  E-ZEE: Ugh! Being a 7th grader in Upper is like being a kindergartner in Lower. U r 1 of the little kids—except no 1 thinks u r cute.

  SPARKLEGRRL: At least you are not alone. Like me.

  E-ZEE: No, u r not. U have me. BFF!!!!

  * * *

  Zee looked at the clock on her computer.

  * * *

  E-ZEE: OMG! G2G! Time for school!

  SPARKLEGRRL: OK. LYLAS.

  * * *

  Zee grabbed her diary and dropped it in the black book bag that she’d decorated with pink and yellow felt flower cutouts. I’ll finish writing in my diary on my way to school, she decided. As she walked downstairs, she texted Jasper on her Sidekick, which she’d covered with a bright blue skin that had a big pink Z in the middle.

  >Want 2 meet up outside b4 school?

  she typed on the keypad. Zee was new to the upper school, but Jasper was new to Brookdale Academy. He didn’t know his way around at all.

  His response came back right away.

  >Sure.

  I’m leaving now.

  C u soon.

  As Zee’s dad drove her to school, Zee began a list of what was good and bad about Ally’s living in France.

  * * *

  Good

  1. I get to visit my BFF in France! (My parents already promised!)

  2. I’ll get a sneak peek at the newest French fashions before they come to LA!!

  3. She can teach me French, and we can talk “in code” when I don’t want my parents to know what I’m saying.

  * * *

  Bad

  1. I’m miserable without my BFF here.

  2. Ally’s in a completely different time zone. What if I need her when she’s sleeping—or she needs me when I’m at school?

  3. What if Ally finds a new best friend in France?

  Unfortunately, thanks to that last “bad,” I think Mom might be wrong. Ally’s move is still AWFUL!! ☺

  And then there’s my other big problem. But in this case, not so big. That’s what makes it a problem. You know how most girls my age start getting boobs? Well, my body has decided to put all its energy into adding freckles to my face instead.

  I probably just got three more freckles while I was writing that.

  Zee

  * * *

  Zee closed her diary, slid the clasp into the latch, and put it back in her book bag. Then she looked out the SUV window.

  “Dad, you can just stop the car now!” she said a little louder and more panicked than she’d meant to.

  “But we’re still a block from school, Zee,” her father said. “I can’t just leave you here on your first day.”

  “But I want you to.”

  J.P. Carmichael’s right eyebrow rose up on his forehead, the way it always did when he was suspicious. “Why?” he asked.


  “I don’t want you to go out of your way.”

  “It’s no problem,” Zee’s father said. “In fact, it’s easier for me to just turn around in the school’s drop-off circle.”

  Zee let out a deep sigh. “Dad, please stop the car.”

  Mr. Carmichael slowed down and steered to the curb. “Come on, Zee. What’s going on?” he asked.

  “It’s your car, Dad,” Zee explained. “It’s kind of embarrassing.” Zee had hoped to get a ride in her older brother’s sporty red subcompact, but as usual Adam had overslept and was still shoveling corn flakes into his mouth when she was ready to go.

  “You’re embarrassed to be seen in a brand-new SUV?” he asked. “Would you prefer an ancient clunker with duct tape holding on the bumper?”

  “What kind of gas mileage does the clunker get?” Zee asked.

  Mr. Carmichael put his hand on his daughter’s arm. “This isn’t about the car, sweetie. You’re just nervous about school. Don’t worry—it will practically be the same as last year.”

  “Well, last year it was still a green school. You know, save the planet and end global warming so that your children will actually be able to breathe without a gas mask when they get older?” She opened the door, slid out of her seat, and planted her orange Converse high-tops on the sidewalk.