Read Picture-Perfect (From the Files of Madison Finn, 8) for Free Online

the corner, whimpering. Madison couldn’t take her eyes off him.
    “It’s mini-Phin!” she exclaimed. “He must be new here.” She read his chart: SMOOCH, LIKES CARROTS.
    Fiona giggled. “His name is Smooch?”
    “People who volunteer at the clinic get to name all the pets when they come in,” Madison explained.
    “Yeah, but who thought Smooch was a good name?” Fiona asked.
    Madison made a kissy-face. “Someone who likes kissing!!”
    They laughed.
    All at once the radio on the overhead loudspeaker got louder, and everything suddenly stopped, including the dogs’ barking.
    “Do you hear that?” Madison asked.
    Fiona giggled again. “I can’t believe it.”
    Nikki was on the radio singing “Sugar-Sweet (Like You).”
    And all the animals had suddenly gotten quieter than quiet.
    Feeding and cleaning was much easier after that. Madison and Fiona fed the dogs and repapered most of the cages in only an hour. Work got done faster when the two of them were working together.
    On the way out of the clinic, Fiona gave her mom a call to confirm if she’d be picking all three of them up at Aimee’s dance studio. Mrs. Waters said she’d meet them there. Then Madison called home to tell her mom which parent was doing the chauffeuring from the studio; and when she’d be home later that evening. They waved good-bye to Eileen and the pets in the waiting room.
    “See you two gorgeous gals around!” Eileen said as they walked away.
    “Gorgeous?” Madison laughed.
    Fiona laughed too. “Not as gorgeous as moi. ” She ran down the block toward the dance studio.
    The neon sign outside Aimee’s dance studio flashed MADAME ELAINE DANCE STUDIO in burnt orange. Aimee was on the fourth floor and the elevator was broken, so Madison and Fiona walked the flights up toward the classrooms. They’d never been there before now.
    In the stairwell, they passed other ballet dancers with long, thin bodies. Madison noticed you could almost see everyone’s ribs through their leotards. They were all so graceful, all arms and legs. The entryway into the dance studio was covered with taped-up flyers of the upcoming dance revue. Aimee’s name was listed near the top of the flyer, which was impressive. She really was a superstar in this class. The rest of the notice board had pictures of famous dancers from American Ballet Theater. There was a photo of last year’s class in costumes for The Nutcracker, too.
    “You made it!” Aimee said, breathless, greeting her friends as soon as she saw them reach the top of the stairs at the fourth floor. “Come in, it’s getting late! I want to introduce you to my teacher. Hurry!”
    Aimee was one of the girls whose ribs were showing, too. Only for some reason she didn’t look as graceful as the other dancers. She looked a little pale.
    Madison and Fiona followed behind her, unsure of where to go.
    “You guys!” Aimee nagged. She grabbed Madison’s sleeve. “Come on!”
    Madame Elaine was seated on a wooden chair at the corner of the room. A few other dancers were lined up around her and they were talking about plies and pirouettes.
    “Elaine,” Aimee said, nudging one of the other girls to the side. “These are my friends. Is it okay if they watch?”
    Madison shifted from one foot to the other. She felt so out of place in the studio, with her blue jeans and sweatshirt. Fiona twirled a braid in between her fingers and the beads clinked.
    What were they doing here?
    “Sit,” Elaine instructed Madison and Fiona. She pointed a long, skinny finger toward a bench at the side of the room. Another mother and a little boy were seated there already.
    “We’re just doing a run-through,” Aimee said. “You guys don’t mind waiting awhile, do you?”
    As Aimee walked away with her toes turned out to the sides, Fiona turned to Madison and whispered, “Do you think Madame Elaine is nice?”
    Madison laughed. “She’s mean looking.”
    “What’s up with Aimee?” Fiona asked.
    Madison