Mixed Messages by Tina Wells

mixing things up. I guess my head hasn’t been screwed on straight lately.”
    â€œThe Carmichael train is leaving the station!” Zee’s father announced.
    â€œI’ll make you lunch and take you to school this morning,” Mrs. Carmichael said.
    Zee could tell her mother felt bad and wanted to make up for her mistakes, but Zee had her morning planned already. “No, I promised Jasper we’d pick him up,” she explained. “We don’t really have time. We’ll just buy lunch today.”
    The girls grabbed their backpacks, kissed Mrs. Carmichael good-bye, and headed toward the garage.
    Zee started to climb into the backseat of her father’s black SUV.
    â€œYou don’t want to sit up front with me, Zee?” Mr. Carmichael asked.
    Zee figured “I’d rather sit in back with Jasper” probably wasn’t the best answer, so she said, “It’ll be easier to talk to Jasper if I sit back here.”
    â€œI’ll ride shotgun, J.P.,” Ally said, opening the passenger door. After she fastened her seat belt, she pulled out a hairbrush and began fixing her hair.
    Oh, no! Zee had been in such a hurry, she’d forgotten to brush her own red bob. She frantically began to comb it with her fingers.
    â€œWhy did Jasper need a ride this morning?” Mr. Carmichael asked Zee as they pulled out of the driveway. “Is everything okay with his parents?”
    â€œEverything is fine,” Zee assured him, pulling and twisting the strands that wouldn’t cooperate. “I just needed to . . . uh . . . meet with him.”
    A smile spread across Mr. Carmichael’s face. “Like a business meeting?”
    â€œThat’s it!” Zee said, a little too enthusiastically. “I need to talk to him about Bluetopia.”
    â€œOh yes. Adam said you and your friends had created a really great site,” Mr. Carmichael said.
    â€œAdam said it was ‘really great’?” Zee asked.
    â€œI believe his exact word was ‘awesome’! How’s that going?”
    â€œIncredible!” Ally said. “Zee is finally meeting my amazing new French friends. Right, Zee?” She looked back at Zee and smiled.
    â€œYeah, the site is so cool,” Zee said, dodging Ally’s question. “Jasper did a really great job.”
    â€œZee had lots of fantastic ideas, too,” Ally explained.
    â€œI think it’s nice that you and Jasper are working together on it,” Mr. Carmichael said. As the SUV pulled into the Chapmans’ driveway, Jasper came out of the house.
    Zee’s heart pounded. “It is.”
    When Jasper climbed into the car, he greeted everyone. “Hi, guys.”
    â€œHi, Jasper,” Zee said.
    â€œThank you for driving me this morning, Mr. Carmichael,” Jasper said.
    â€œNot a problem,” Mr. Carmichael told him.
    â€œIt kind of was a problem for me,” Ally said.
    â€œHey!” Zee joked, playfully kicking the back of the passenger seat.
    â€œYour text on my mobile seemed rather important,” Jasper said.
    Zee looked his way. I can’t believe I’ve never noticed how incredibly brown Jasper’s eyes are, she thought.

    â€œZee?” Jasper asked.
    â€œHuh?”
    â€œWhat did you want to talk to me about?”
    Oh my god! How long have I been staring at him? “You should put some games on Bluetopia so that buds can play against one another.”
    â€œThat’s a brilliant idea!” Jasper said. “I’ll start working on it during study hall today.”
    Zee smiled. “Great!”
    â€œThat’s it?” Ally protested.
    â€œYes,” Zee told her.
    â€œThe meeting’s over?”
    Zee nodded. “Yup.”
    â€œI practically had to swallow my breakfast in one gulp. I didn’t get a chance to blow-dry my hair. I—”
    â€œIf you forgive Zee for rushing you this morning,” Jasper