Solving Zoe

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Book: Read Solving Zoe for Free Online
Authors: Barbara Dee
for the lead this year, and I’m just incredibly nervous.”
    Zoe blinked. “That’s exactly what Dara said: ‘I was just incredibly nervous.’”
    Isadora’s face lit up. “You mean she finally auditioned?”
    â€œYeah. She did, actually.” Zoe watched Isadora brush her hair. Then something occurred to her. “What do you mean, ‘finally’?”
    â€œWell, I knew she desperately wanted to, but she was always too scared.”
    â€œReally? How did you know that?”
    â€œShe told me, I think.”
    â€œ Dara told you that? When?”
    â€œI don’t remember. Sometime last spring, maybe, when she was over here. Why? She never told you?”
    Zoe shook her head.
    â€œWell, maybe she was too embarrassed. Or too self-conscious. Or too, I don’t know, something. ” Isadoraslipped on a big pair of dangly earrings. “Listen, Zoe, Dara has a fabulous voice, but what they’re looking for more than anything is stage presence. And tryouts can be so cutthroat; a lot of Hubbard kids just really know how to turn it on. So try to be there for her when they post the cast list. The important thing is that she’s finally brave enough to audition.”
    Isadora lip-glossed her mouth and made a kissy face in the mirror. She studied her reflection. “Zit city,” she announced.
    Then she grabbed an enormous black leather bag and slung it over her shoulder. “As for you, dah-ling, stay out of trouble, think happy thoughts, bye-bye!”

7
    Tuesday morning Zoe was the second one up. (The first one up was Dad, who always left for his painting jobs before any other Bennett was awake.) Today Zoe was dressed for school and eating her breakfast at seven ten. Her plan was to get to school as early as possible, to find Lucas.
    But just as she was finishing her waffles, her little brother Spencer marched into the kitchen. “Mom said make waffles for ME!” he yelled.
    â€œReally? Why can’t Mom do it?”
    â€œShe’s ASLEEP. She said YOU had to do it, Zoe. This minute!” Spencer held out his arms like airplane wings and ran around the kitchen in little circles. “Waffles, waffles, waffles!” he sang. “With syrup, syrup, syrup!”
    â€œShh,” Zoe said, glancing at the clock. “You’ll wake up everybody else.”
    â€œToo late,” grumbled Malcolm, shuffling into the kitchen. “That little monster learned how to climb up into my bunk. Which he did at precisely four thirty, Eastern Standard Time.”
    Zoe patted Malcolm’s shoulder as he sat down in front of a bowl of Rice Krispies. Her older brother was a pain, but he was sharing a room with Spencer. That definitely earned him a few bonus points.
    â€œAny chance you could make the little monster some waffles?” she asked hopefully.
    â€œWhy can’t you?”
    â€œBecause I want to get to school early.”
    â€œYou?” He shoveled cereal into his mouth. Two wet Krispies clung to his lower lip. “What for? To hang out with Dara, you mean?”
    â€œNo. Actually, Malcolm, I do other things besides hang out with Dara.”
    â€œLike what? Multiply colors? Feed frogs?”
    â€œRIBBIT, RIBBIT, RIBBIT,” shouted Spencer. “I want waffles!”
    â€œYou’re getting them,” said Zoe, burning her fingertips as she grabbed them from the toaster oven. “And Isaac doesn’t even have frogs. And if you’re going to tease me all the time, why should I tell you anything, Malcolm?”
    â€œBecause I am your lord and master. Bow down to me and confess all!”
    â€œOh, stuff it, Mal, all right?” She checked the kitchen clock again. Seven twenty-five. Now it was probably toolate to see Lucas before homeroom. Well, never mind; she’d confront him about the notebook during Ancient Civs. Or better yet, at lunch. Maybe in the hallway outside the cafeteria, where she

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