The Secret Crush by Tina Wells

“Roses are red/violets are blue,” she recited. “I’ll admit I was wrong/if you do, too.” Just kidding.
    Zee put her pen to the first card. “I was a jerk/I made a mistake./So let’s give this scene/a second take.” Zee quickly scribbled down the verse, then kept writing. “Come to my house./We’ll all play a part./Wear a wild costume./This is sealed with a—” She glued a pink heart at the end of the final line.
    Zee made a card for everyone, then stared at the stack. How would she deliver them since she wasn’t allowed to contact anyone? When she heard Adam’s feet poundingdown the stairs, she had an idea. She followed him into the kitchen. Dressed in his tennis clothes, he was on his way out the door.
    â€œWhile you’re out, can you deliver these to my friends’ houses? It’s really important.” Zee held the stack of cards out in front of him.
    Adam stared at the stack. “Are you kidding?”
    â€œNo.” Zee shook her head.
    â€œFunny, that’s what I was going to say.” Adam grabbed his tennis racket from the counter and stepped outside. “Bye-onara.”
    Zee sighed and wondered what she was going to do. Then she remembered the person who might want to patch things up with the group as much as she did: Chloe. Zee found her father and put her arm around his shoulders. “Hello, Daddy.”
    â€œWhat do you want, Zee?” he asked suspiciously.
    â€œI’m going to try not to be offended by your implication.”
    â€œAnd then will you tell me what you’re after?”
    â€œYes, I will. I was wondering if I could make one teensy-weensy phone call to Chloe—” Zee began. Her father’s eyes grew wide. “Keeping in mind that she’s the one who was looking out for me the other night and I need her help totell my friends I’m sorry.” She handed her dad an invitation. “I want her to deliver these.”
    Mr. Carmichael read the card. “Just one phone call?” he asked.
    Zee made an X across her chest. “I promise.”
    â€œWell, okay.”
    â€œCool beans!” Zee threw her arms around her dad’s neck. “You’re fantabsome.”
    â€œIs that a compliment?”
    â€œThe best!”
    As Zee raced out of the room, her dad shouted out, “One phone call!”
    â€œGot it!” Zee told him. “Like a prisoner.”
    When Zee called, Chloe was heading to her soccer game. “I’ll stop at your house on my way home and pick them up,” she promised.
    Zee reached into the bottom of her book bag to get a pen so she could address the invitations. No pen. She pulled out her binder and textbooks, then looked at the green flier on top. Friends’ Day! Zee had completely forgotten.

    â€œCool beans!” Zee mumbled to herself. “The invitations will arrive just in time for me to actually have my friends back for Friends’ Day!”
    Tap, tap.
    â€œCome in!” Zee called out.
    Mrs. Carmichael opened the door slightly, then pushed her head through the crack. “How’s it going?”
    â€œFine,” Zee told her. “I’m trying to figure out if I should wear my green high-top Converses on Monday—or if that’ll look too much like a string bean.”
    Mrs. Carmichael pointed to the mess of craft supplies spread out on the floor. “How about cleaning that up while you think?”

    â€œOkay.” Zee got down on her hands and knees to organize the chaos as her mother shut her bedroom door again. She looked at her computer and wondered how many emails she hadn’t been allowed to read. Mostly, she wondered how many Landon had sent and what they said. She knew she wouldn’t be able to find out until the weekend was over. After all, if her parents—or Adam—caught her, a double grounding would only make matters worse.
    ----
    Hi, Diary,
    You’re all I have