It's Only Temporary by Sally Warner Page A

them. “And it’s funny,” she continued, “but he and I are a lot closer since I’ve been living far away. Closer than we’ve been since we were little kids.”
    â€œWell, that’s good, I guess,” Jamila said. “But getting back to those drawings – what did the one of me look like?”
    â€œYou looked good, naturally,” Amanda said, sounding a little bitter. “But Skye made
me
look like a – “
    â€œI’m sorry,” Skye said again. She looked at Maddy, to include her in the apology, but Maddy was staring down at Gran’s rug as if she were inspecting it for dust mites.
    â€œSo where are they?” Jamila interrupted, looking around the living room.
    â€œThey got thrown out,” Skye told her, mourning her lost drawings only a little. “By one of the committee moms.”
    â€œThis isn’t over, though,” Pip said, frowning. “Because those guys still have your sketchbook.”
    â€œBut they don’t,” Skye told everyone eagerly. “I got it back! Someone gave it to me this morning.”
    â€œWho?” Jamila asked. “One of the grown-ups at the dance?”
    â€œWho cares who it was?” Matteo said, helping himselfto a handful of chips. “This whole thing
is
over, if you’ve got the sketchbook back. So let’s eat!”
    â€œMaddy?” Skye asked quietly, as the other kids swarmed over Gran’s assorted snacks and jabbered excitedly about Friday night. “Are we okay?”
    â€œI feel fine, thank you,” Maddy said, misunderstanding Skye’s question.
    â€œThen why won’t you look at me?” Skye asked.
    â€œBecause I don’t want to,” Maddy said, still studying the rug. “You made a joke out of me in front of everyone, and I thought you were my real, true friend.”
    â€œI didn’t make a joke out of you,” Skye tried to explain. “I drew a cartoon of you when I moved here last summer, before I even really got to know you. I drew crazy pictures of
everyone
, Maddy! I never meant for anyone else to see them, though.”
    â€œBut I don’t get it,” Maddy said, frowning in concentration. “How is a mean picture supposed to be funny? I would never do something like that to you, Skye.”
    â€œMaybe you’re nicer than I am,” Skye replied, meaning every word. “And anyway,” she continued, “the pictures I drew were just supposed to be funny to
me
. My sketchbook was like my diary, Maddy. But I’m very, very sorry if I hurt your feelings. I just – like I said before, I was feeling really bad when I had to move here.”
    â€œFeeling bad from keeping so many secrets?” Maddy asked, finally looking at Skye. “Like about having a brother, and about being an artist?”
    â€œI guess,” Skye said. “I kind of liked having a few secrets,” she added, surprised by her own admission. “But that’s private, okay? Just between you and me.”
    â€œ
Another
secret?” a startled Maddy asked.
    â€œBut this is the good kind,” Skye assured her. “It’s the kind of secret friends share.”
    â€œBecause we
are
friends, right?” Maddy asked, obviously trying to get things straight. “Real, true friends? If I forgive you?”
    â€œMm-hmm,” Skye said, nodding.
    Maddy thought – for what seemed to Skye like a long, long time. “Then I forgive you, Skye,” she finally said. “Because anyone can make a mistake. But I’m probably missing the meerkats this very minute, so maybe I’d better go home.”
    â€œI’ll ask Gran to turn on the TV, okay?” Skye said. “That way, you can watch the meerkats here, Maddy. Because I really want you to stay.”
    â€œOkay,” Maddy said, smiling. “Go ask!”

22
Big, Big Trouble
    HI SKYE! YOU WILL BE HERE THS WEDSDAY, BUT THER IS A SUPRISE! WE