Part 15 (1/2)
Is that what this is about? Hazel wondered. Is she freaking me out to get back at me for dating the guy she wants?
No. Don't go there, Hazel thought. Matty's my boyfriend. Breona must know that. It would be crazy for her to think she has a chance with him.
Hazel rushed through the busy corridor. Lakshmi trotted up beside her.
”Hey, Hazel, wait up! I have something for you.” She pushed two sheets of paper at her.
”What's this?”
”Next week's chemistry quiz. I already wrote in most of the answers.”
”Oh my G.o.d. Where did you get this?” Hazel asked, swallowing hard. She and Lakshmi had never been the kind of girls who cheated on tests.
”My mom was copying it for Carpentier in the main office. Take it. Maybe you could share it with your friends. You know, let them know where you got it?”
Hazel turned. Lakshmi was blus.h.i.+ng.
Payback, Hazel realized. Lakshmi was looking for juice from this little favor. Too bad Sylvia would never do anything nice for Lakshmi in return. Maybe thank her. But that would be about it.
”Hey, thanks,” she said warmly, opening up her backpack to deposit the test. ”That is so nice of you.” Hazel's purple PLD scrunchie was sitting on top.
”Here,” she said, impulsively handing it over. ”From us. Just don't tell anyone.”
Lakshmi's eyes grew wide. ”Oh, wow, thanks!”
The bell rang. Lakshmi waved the scrunchie over her head. ”Thanks a lot, Haze. See you later!”
”Lakshmi! Don't wear it in school!” Hazel called after her. Then she turned and ran to cla.s.s. I'd better remember to get to Savon to replace that. If Sylvia finds out I gave my scrunchie to Lakshmi, she'll kill me.
Hazel's phone vibrated during sixth-period English.
PLDEL2PURPLEHAZE: Can U sit 4 me 2nite?
PURPLEHAZE2PLDEL: Whaddup?
PLDEL2PURPLEHAZE: Want 2 see Brandon. Itz a secret. Plz don't tell Sylvia!
The Darling twins stared dully at Hazel.
”We're dead,” Katie informed her.
”Not tonight,” Hazel said. ”Pull that again and I'll tell Sylvia how bad you've been. And you don't want Sylvia mad at you, do you?”
The twins opened their blue eyes wide. They squealed in mock fright and ran to their bedrooms, slamming the doors behind them.
That's better, Hazel thought. At least they'll be out of my hair for a while.
Hazel took off her coat and strolled around the main floor. The last place she wanted to be was back at the creepy Darling house, especially after her weird night at Charlie's. Hazel's nerves were jangled for sure, but Ellen had begged until she folded.
And anyway, Hazel decided, what could be better than helping out a pair of star-crossed lovers?
Romeo and Juliet. Brandon and Ellen, she mused. They were all in the same boat. Of course, Romeo and Juliet's story didn't turn out so well in the end.
Hazel walked into the kitchen. The twins' mother had left a vegetable lasagna in the microwave. Hazel was supposed to open the salad packet and pour some s.h.i.+take mushroom dressing on it. That was the extent of ”fixing dinner.”
The doorbell rang. The twins burst out of their bedrooms and thundered toward the front door.
”Katie, Chrissie! Let me get it!” Hazel shouted. But before she could stop them, they unlocked the door and jerked it open.
Sylvia stood on the threshold, blinking at her in surprise.
”What are you doing here?” she asked, walking into the room.
”I'm...I'm taking care of the twins,” Hazel answered.
”But this is Ellen's gig,” Sylvia argued.
”I offered to take it for her. Because...um, something came up.”
For a moment, Sylvia remained silent.
”No, no, no, Hazel,” she said after a moment. ”This is not something we do. We don't trade a.s.signments.”
The twins were intrigued, looking from one PLD to the other.
”The parents like consistency,” Sylvia explained. ”That's one of the reasons they come to us. They know what to expect. They call and I arrange the schedule. It's part of our service.”
”Oh.” Hazel knit her brows together, confused. ”I'm sorry. I was just trying to help out.”
Sylvia sighed and shook her head. ”What am I saying? Of course you didn't know better. This is Ellen's fault.”
The microwave dinged. Hazel went into the kitchen while Sylvia and the twins waited in the living room.
She popped open the microwave door and checked the lasagna. It was only lukewarm, so she added a few minutes. She dumped the salad into a white ceramic bowl, unscrewed the cap on the bottle of dressing, sniffed it experimentally, and poured it on.
She placed the salad on the spotless slate table in the breakfast nook. The Darlings had a maid service. Hazel had found that out the first time she sat for the girls. She had told Katie to help clear the table after dinner. Katie had said, ”Oh, don't worry. We have people for that.”
The microwave beeped. Hazel put on a pair of hot mitts and took out the lasagna.
”You guys?” she called. ”Dinner's ready.”
After a couple of minutes, the twins and Sylvia swept into the room.
”Oh! Tell me you're not having any of that!” Sylvia said, wrinkling her nose.
”I, well...” Hazel glanced at the tray, disappointed. She had never had vegetable lasagna. In her house, it would be considered ”fancy.”
Sylvia picked up two plates and said to Hazel, ”Give them some milk. Then come with me. I have something cool to show you.”
Hazel's stomach growled. Thankfully, no one else heard it. She poured two gla.s.ses of milk and set them down before the twins.