“Enough,” I said sternly, waiting for them to stop. To my surprise, they did. Guess I did still have a little power after all.
“Do you have a plan?” Kira asked. I wondered if she’d been waiting for me to come up with one all along.
“Not really. But I do think it’s time for us to get serious and re-form SOS—the real one. This assignment is too big for just one Kitten.” I paused and looked between them. “Unless I’m not allowed to spy, either.”
All three girls looked down at the table, avoiding my eyes. “Of course you can help with SOS,” Kira murmured before glancing up.
I smiled a little. Suddenly I felt better. Like I’d just regained a small piece of myself. “Okay, then. Let’s get the entire squad together after school tomorrow and fill them in.”
I hated breaking promises. And right now, I’d just broken (another) promise to Aiden. I wouldn’t tell him about SOS. I couldn’t. Not when our relationship was already so strained. Or, as some would call it, nonexistent. And I’d probably leave out the part where I go on a date with Chris Townsend. He was just a decoy anyway.
“About time,” Leona mumbled. “We should have never stopped SOS in the first place.”
I shot a glance at her, but she wasn’t looking at me. She was biting her thumbnail. I blinked quickly, then touched her forearm. “Do you think you can start drafting up a timeline of the events so far?”
“Yep.” She sighed before getting up. She put on her glasses and smiled at me. I could tell she was happy that we were all going to spy again. I think she missed the excitement. “It’ll give me something to do since there’s no routine to memorize. Kira blew another practice.”
“Did not! I wasn’t exactly expecting Mary Rudick to show up.”
I widened my eyes. “So no routine?” I asked. Homecoming was only a few short weeks away. Principal Pelli was going to have a coronary!
“Look, Tess,” Kira snapped. “I’m trying, okay? Get off my back.”
I gasped, staring at her. It was completely unlike her to be rude. Outbursts like that were generally reserved for Leona. “I didn’t mean—”
“No.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’m just super-stressed.”
I completely understood. The stress had sent me into near PTSOSD last year. “I believe in you, K,” I whispered encouragingly. She looked sideways at me. And smiled.
“Thanks. I needed to hear that.”
We all sat quietly until Leona stood up, yawning and reaching her arms above her head. “Fun stuff, girls. But I need to take off.”
“Me too,” Izzie added. “Sam’s coming by later for ice cream.”
We set up to meet tomorrow, and after the Kittens scattered, I grabbed my cell from over near the couch and scrolled through the missed calls. When I found what I was looking for—Mary Rudick’s number—I dialed.
“Ding, ding, diiiiiing. Sorry, the number you are trying to call has been disconnected—”
Interesting.
(CODE PINK) SOS INTER-KITTEN COMMUNICATION
Dear Smitten Kittens,
I have put together the first mission in Operation Knockoff. (Because we all know this copy-Kitten is a cheapened version of the real SOS.) Please read below for your assignment, and then sign off and return the form to me ASAP.
Kira—visit the scenes of the cheats we know the copy-Kitten investigated and see if there’s any evidence that might point to a culprit. Cigarette butts, shoe imprints…think CSI.
Izzie—hack into the county database and see if any tickets were issued around the times of the incidents involving the fake SOS.
Tessa—use your power of super-sleuthing and try to talk to some of the guys on the posted Naughty List to see if they noticed anything irregular or out of place. They may tell you more if you wear that red lipstick I let you borrow—it looks fabulous on you!
Everyone else, be on the lookout. There are plenty of rumors floating around. I’ll be conducting some research on recent entries or exits from the school population, looking for any obvious suspects.
If you have any questions, please use the Code Pink hotline at 555-0101. Do NOT make any communications on the SOS database or e-mail lines.
Keep smiling,
Leona ☺
Sign___________________________Date_____________
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“HEY, PUMPKIN,” MY FATHER CALLED AS HE WALKED in the front door. It was close to midnight and I was still in my uniform, lying on the couch. “Your mother had to run to the corner store for some milk. Apparently we’re out.”
“Dad?” I looked at him, feeling a little lost. It would be good to have my parents back home. I hadn’t seen them much lately, what with all the gigs, and I missed them. Besides, I hated being alone in the house after the recent break-ins. In the last few hours (at least I thought it’d been a few hours) I’d considered all the possible reasons that Aiden and I weren’t back together. Why he brought up me dating other guys. I had only one conclusion: another girl.
“You feeling okay?” my father asked, settling next to me on the couch. He took off his glasses and looked me over carefully. “You’re…in uniform.”
“I know.” I dropped my head. “I was feeling down, and maroon and gray always cheer me up. Principal Pelli called me into the office and actually suggested that I rejoin the squad. He thought it would be best.”
“That’s great!” My father looked ecstatic. I think he and my mom missed making signs to hold up at the games. “Are you and Kira co-captains?”
My stomach turned. “Not…quite.”
He folded up his glasses and tucked them into the front pocket of his shirt. “I don’t understand. Are you and the Smitten Kittens having problems?”
“They won’t let me rejoin. They want me to date someone else first,” I blurted out, needing him to confirm that they had cartwheeled their way to crazy.
“Not let you join? But…” He exhaled, seeming to consider this. My father frowned, weighing his words. “Well, maybe they’re right.” He waited. I blinked and stared back at him.
“Didn’t you hear me?” Obviously I wasn’t communicating very well. “They want me to date someone other than Aiden.”
My father scratched at his chin stubble. “But you and Aiden aren’t dating anymore, right? I thought you two were just friends.”