Read Mackenzie Blue for Free Online Page A

something?” a voice behind Zee asked.
    â€œIyeee!” Zee screamed as she spun around, her heart pounding from the surprise. Chloe stared back at Zee, a bright pink cello case strapped to her like a backpack. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
    Zee put her hand on her racing heart. “I didn’t know anyone else was here.”
    â€œMy parents made me come early because I missed music yesterday,” Chloe explained. “They wanted my nanny to walk me to class today—until she convinced them I was too old for it. That would have been embarrassing.”
    â€œDefinitely not cool.” Zee giggled. “I’ll go with you.” She picked up her guitar case, which she had stenciled to look like a flag, from the floor beside her. The girls headed to their first-period class.
    â€œWhat’s your excuse for getting here so early?” Chloe asked.
    â€œActually you were right. I did lose something,” Zee explained. She told Chloe all about the missing diary and how she was clueless about where it could be. “I’m scared that someone found it and read it.”
    â€œWell, you shouldn’t freak about it until you know,” Chloe told her. “Maybe someone already found it and will give it back today. You’re probably worried about nothing.”
    Everything Chloe said was pretty obvious—and pretty positive! Chloe’s attitude was contagious, and Zee decided not to worry as they entered the classroom. Instead, when Chloe started pulling her bow across the cello strings, Zee tuned her guitar and then began practicing her Teen Sing song.
    Zee strummed the song she’d worked on at the pool over the summer. “Jump in the water—it’s cooler, baby,” she sang as Chloe played a classical piece. “Dive in the water—it’s better, baby.”
    â€œThat note you’re starting on is high.” Someone else was in the room. Zee twisted around in her chair to find Mr. P. He looked only slightly less frazzled than he had the day before, and he was clutching his coffee cup like a drowning man holding on to a life preserver.
    â€œI’m sorry,” Zee said, bending over to put her guitar in its case.
    Mr. P sat down next to her with his own guitar. “You shouldn’t stop,” he said. “Try this chord.” He sang back thesong’s words in a different key. Somehow Mr. P’s gravelly voice made it sound like a totally different song. Zee got a little shiver when he looked at her. “Your turn,” he said.
    Zee tried the song again—Mr. P’s way. She couldn’t believe how much better it sounded!

    â€œCool!” Mr. P said, getting up. “I’ve got to get ready for class, but you should keep practicing.” He turned to Chloe. “You must be my missing mystery student from yesterday. I’d like to hear you play later, too. I bet you have some rock and roll in you. Everyone does.”
    â€œSuuure,” Chloe said, looking doubtfully at her cello.
    â€œThat was unbelievable!” Zee whispered as Mr. P walked to his desk. Chloe nodded but she wasn’t smiling. Zee could tell something was wrong. “Don’t you like Mr. P?” she asked.
    Chloe’s expression changed to a forced grin. “I dooo,” she said hesitantly. “He’s just not what I expected.”
    Considering Zee expected Mrs. Bradley—a round, serious, fifty-five-year-old woman—to be the teacher, she thought she understood what Chloe meant. As her new friend listened, Zee played and sang.
    You know it’s too hot to be wearing a frown.
    Just get off that towel and start splashing around.
    We’re already treading water
    Just to breathe.
    So stop—
    Zee adjusted her fingers and tried again.
    We’re already treading water
    Just to breathe.
    So come—
    â€œUgh!” Zee sighed.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” Mr. P asked, looking up from his