Treading Water by Laurie Halse Anderson Page B

the meetings there.”
    I look over at David. He isn’t saying anything for or against. Sunita looks stunned. Maggie looks down at her sandwich. Zoe is quiet, too.
    That’s when Mr. Shuler stops by our table. “Hi, kids. Brenna, I got the okay for those reports. We’ll talk later about sending you kids over.”
    Mr. Shuler leaves, and Sunita says, “I don’t understand all of this high school interest.”
    Maggie says, “Brenna prefers the company of older kids. She’s choosing them over us.”
    â€œYeah,” Zoe adds, “she’s abandoning all of us.”
    I don’t feel like seeing my friends after school, so I decide to go to the Outdoor Club’s meeting. I probably shouldn’t be going there uninvited, but I’m sure if I can just talk to the faculty adviser, they’ll let me stay. Nick probably doesn’t know that it’s okay because no one from the middle school ever wanted to join before. But it’s a club, not a class, so how could they have rules against middle school students?
    I scoot up to the room where they hold their meetings. But there’s a sign on the door reminding the club members that the bus for the Envirothon will be out front at 2:30. Rats, they’re on a field trip. I’ll go sit in on the Photography Club meeting, as long as I’m here. Maybe that adviser can tell me how to go about joining a high school club.
    I slip into the classroom and take a seat by the door. Everyone stares. The whole room goes quiet. The adviser crosses the floor and says, “Brenna, right? What are you doing here today?”
    Before I can answer, I hear a student in the back say, “Are we babysitting today?”
    Another girl says, “Hope we’re not expected to change diapers.”
    My face goes red. I can feel it burning. The adviser walks me out and says, “Did you leave something behind?”
    â€œI just thought that maybe it would be okay—”
    â€œWe can’t have students who aren’t enrolled here just roaming around the school. You were invited yesterday. But you may not just barge in anytime you want. I’m so sorry, but it’s against the rules. We’ll see you again when you’re in high school, dear.”
    She says all this with a smile on her face. But her eyes are not smiling. What’s worse, she left the door open so all the kids heard her chew me out. I don’t think I’ve ever been so embarrassed in my life. As I leave, I hear a boy shout out, “Busted.”
    On the school steps, I turn the opposite way from home and start jogging. I am going to do something grown-up right now. I am going to do something that I can tell the Outdoor Club about. They’re nicer than the Photography Club kids, anyway. They’ll be impressed. I bet I’ll be invited to join when they hear what I’ve done.
    I rush into the feed store and quickly walk down the aisle toward the cage with the dyed bunnies. As I’m looking at the latch, I hear a familiar voice, “Hey, Brenna, can’t stay away, huh?”
    It’s David. And I see David’s father behind him talking to the manager. Rats. David looks at my face and says, “What’s up? What are you doing?’
    â€œI’m going to free these bunnies,” I whisper. Somehow saying it out loud—even whispering—makes this now seem like a bad plan.
    â€œFree them to where?” David whispers back.
    â€œThe rehab center,” I reply.
    â€œAnd then what?” he asks.
    â€œI don’t know. Find them homes when we find homes for the others? I haven’t really figured that part out.” I feel ridiculous all of a sudden.
    â€œBut that’s stealing, isn’t it?” David stares at me. He looks disappointed with me.
    â€œI don’t really think it’s stealing if we give them a better life,” I reply.
    â€œI think it’s still stealing, and how