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Alison stacked the books on her desk.
    "But she's so famous!" I said.
    Maizie growled. I wondered if it was true that she tried to bite reporters who asked too many questions.
    "It doesn't matter that she's famous," Alison said. "When she's home she's Mom. The other stuff is just her work. It has nothing to do with me."
    "You sound so well adjusted," Rachel said. "Kids of stars aren't supposed to be well adjusted. They're supposed to be neurotic."
    "I can't help it if I'm not. Now could we please change the subject?"
    I looked at Rachel. All three of us were quiet
    for a minute. Then I said, "When you were little and you lived in France did you eat frogs' legs?"
    Alison laughed. "Even when we change the subject you're still asking questions!"
    "Stephanie likes to know everything about her friends," Rachel said, linking her arm through mine. "It's a sign that she cares."
    10.
    Left Wing.
    The window in the second floor girls' room at school looks down on the playing field. I discovered this on Monday at the end of lunch period when I happened to look out that window. The soccer team was at practice. And who should be playing but Jeremy Dragon! I ran down to the cafeteria to tell Rachel and Alison. Then the three of us raced back up to the girls' room.
    "He plays left wing!" Alison said.
    "What does that mean?" I asked.
    "That's his position," Alison said. "Look . . he's trying for a goal!"
    We held our breath. But he missed.
    Since then we don't waste a lot of time in the cafeteria. As soon as we finish eating we come
    up to the girls' room and spend the rest of lunch period looking out the window. Jeremy Dragon has hairy legs. Rachel says that means he's experienced.
    "Experienced how?" I asked. "Experienced sexually," Rachel said.
    "Really?" I asked. "How do you know that?"
    "I read it," Rachel said.
    "How far do you think he's gone?" Alison asked.
    "Far," Rachel said.
    "All the way?" Alison asked.
    "Possibly," Rachel said.
    "Just because he has hair on his legs?" I asked.
    "That and other things," Rachel said.
    "Like what?"
    "I think what Rachel means," Alison said to me, "is that his body is very mature."
    "Well, so is Rachel's," I said. "She has breasts and she gets her period."
    "Really?" Alison said to Rachel. "You get your period?"
    "Yes," Rachel said. "I've had it since fifth grade."
    "I haven't had mine yet," Alison said.
    "Neither has Steph," Rachel said.
    "And that's the whole point," I told her. "Your body is developed and you don't have any experience. You haven't even kissed a boy."
    "Jeremy Dragon is in ninth grade," Rachel said. "I certainly expect to have kissed a boy by the time I'm in ninth grade."
    "I've already kissed two boys," Alison said. Rachel and I looked at her. "Real kisses?" I asked.
    "Yes."
    "When did this happen?" Rachel asked. "Last year. I kissed one at the beach and the other in the courtyard at school."
    "How old were these boys?" Rachel asked.
    "My age. Sixth grade."
    "Kissing a sixth grade boy isn't the same as kissing someone like Jeremy Dragon," Rachel said. "Kissing Jeremy Dragon would be a whole different story."
    Alison looked out the window. After a minute she said, "I see what you mean."
    11.
    Mr. Kravitz.
    Mr. Kravitz, the exterminator, came to our house in a white truck that had KRAVITZ-SINCE 1967 printed in small letters on the door. He wore a dark blue jumpsuit with Ed stitched on the pocket. He had a brown and white dog with him. A beagle, I think. He brought the dog into our house. "This is Henry," Mr. Kravitz said. "He's trained to find termites."
    "We don't have termites," Mom told him. "We have mice."
    Mr. Kravitz looked at his notebook. "Oh, that's right." He laughed and shook his head. "Well, Henry's not a bad mouser, for a dog."
    Mr. Kravitz and Henry followed Mom into the kitchen. Then, as if she'd just remembered I was
    there, she said, "This is my daughter, Stephanie."
    "How do, Stephanie," Mr. Kravitz said. "Mr. Kravitz bought the yellow house," Mom reminded me.
    "I