Pranked by Katy Grant Page A

huh?”
    â€œOh, right! I just walked down to the showers naked! I know you guys did it. Don’t deny it.” She was madder than I’d ever seen her.
    â€œNow what makes you so sure of that? We were at the lake,” Reb said. All three of us had on swimsuits.
    â€œOh, really? How come you’re not wet?”
    On the verge of hysterics, Melissa had still managed to point out this minor inconsistency in our story.
    â€œJennifer got her period, so we had to come back.”
    â€œ Reb! ” Jennifer slapped her on the arm, all embarrassed.
    â€œLook, Melissa,” Reb went on. “I’m just as upset as you are. I certainly don’t want to see you naked.” Then we walked out the door.
    At least Melissa didn’t cry. I was glad about that.

Tuesday, July 1
    â€œHey, Jennifer, race you!” Reb and I were paddling around in one canoe, and Jennifer was by herself in another.
    â€œYou must be joking. I can’t even get this stupid thing to go straight.”
    â€œHow about if I paddle with you?” I offered. I looked over my shoulder at Reb in the stern. “Do you mind?”
    â€œFine with me.” Reb made little circles in the water with her paddle.
    â€œLet’s go back to shore so I can get in with Jennifer.”
    â€œNo way. That’s on the other side of the lake. Just climb in. We’re close enough.”
    We had paddled over to Jennifer, and she reached out to grab the gunwales of our canoe to pull us even closer. I gave Jennifer my paddle and stood up slowly because moving around made the canoe rock a little. Carefully I put one foot in Jennifer’s canoe and was about to bring the other leg across when she let go of the side. That made the canoes drift apart, and I lost my balance. I heard Reb yell, “Whoa!” just as I hit the water.
    Green lake water swallowed me up for a couple of seconds before I could come up for air. The water was so cold it kind of shocked me, falling in like that.
    â€œAre you okay?” Reb yelled. I’d come up between the two canoes, and I couldn’t see either her or Jennifer.
    â€œYeah, fine,” I answered. I snorted to get the water out of my nose and flipped the wet hair out of my eyes.
    â€œWow, that was worth seeing.” Reb sounded like she was trying not to laugh.
    â€œJust get me back in before I freeze to death, okay?”
    Jennifer was trying to help me in. It wasn’t easy because when I was climbing in, the canoe was tilting like crazy. Jennifer came real close to falling out on top of me.
    When I finally got in and sat down, Reb and Jennifer both looked like they’d just wiped smiles off their faces. I tried to look mad, but then I started laughing, which made them both laugh too.
    â€œI’ll have to change now!” I complained. “Take me back to shore.”
    So we paddled back across the lake. Michelle Burns, the canoeing counselor, looked at us like we were a bunch of goofs. She was busy with serious canoers who went on river trips, and I could tell she was a little annoyed that we were playing around.
    â€œDid you have a little trouble?” she asked us as I climbed out of the canoe.
    â€œYeah. Those two—they’re a bad influence. I’ve got to change.”
    Reb dragged her canoe up on the bank and then waded out into the water to climb in with Jennifer. “Well, hurry. You can paddle solo when you get back.”
    â€œAren’t you coming with me?” I looked at them both.
    â€œHey, you’re the one who needs to change, not us,” said Jennifer, which made me mad. I never would’ve fallen in if I hadn’t been trying to help her.
    â€œJust hurry and come back,” said Reb. “We’ll be waiting for you.”
    I could tell they weren’t going anywhere. I thought about just staying in my wet clothes, but it was cloudy and I was already starting to shiver.
    As I walked away, I saw Libby Sheppard