The next morning, Emma’s jaw ached so bad it woke her up before her alarm went off. As she got dressed for school, she turned on the TV to listen to the news like she always did. Usually, she paid more attention to the weather, but today Valerie Virgo, with her plastic smile and bouncy hair, told the whole Sacramento area that EastTech had taken credit for the rocket launch the day before.
Emma froze, her shorts half-buttoned when the screen cut to EastTech founder Johana Sklowdowska.
The woman’s hair stuck up every which way with a few flat patches as if she had tried to pat it down and failed. “I apologize if our launch caused anyone distress or undue excitement about aliens. That was not our intention.” She paused and smoothed her crumpled blazer, drawing her shoulders back like she saw how hunched she was. “We did have all the appropriate permits in place, but neither we at EastTech nor the government realized that the launch would be quite so visual or impactful.”
Emma shook her head and continued getting dressed. How could they not realize a rocket launch would be a big deal?
“In order to minimize anyone’s distress at this launch or confusion, we would like to be very clear.” Ms. Sklowdowska took off her chunky glasses and chewed on the end. “This was our launch. No aliens were involved. Nor do we expect any problems to come from it. No radioactive materials were used and there is nothing to be afraid of.”
Emma snorted. Yeah right. As if she didn’t know about the launch or the social media storm that had followed it. What had been the green glow then? This denial only made it look more like the government and EastTech were trying to cover up a real UFO.
At school, no one got any work done in any of their classes. Math, science, English, geography, it didn't matter. Instead, they just wondered if EastTech had launched the rocket or if it had come from something else, something alien.
While it definitely helped to keep everyone’s mind off of Emma crying in class the day before, it didn’t help her forget about the meeting she was about to have with Ms. Ngo later that day or how she would tell Ollie about the My Future project fallout. She’d ditched Ollie after morning swim practice and had left her phone in her locker to deny getting Ollie’s messages. Some bestie Emma was.
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At lunch, Sebastian and Connor wanted to chat, but Ollie cornered Emma. “You’re going to Viva Market with me for lunch.” She caught Emma’s arm and dragged her to the crosswalk.
Emma rubbed her nose. Itchy again. “I took a double dose of Benadryl today.”
“Double dose of Benadryl my butt.” Ollie stormed across the street.
Glancing left and right for any cars, Emma raced after. Even though the city had put in a crosswalk, there was no light, so crossing between the school parking lot and the rundown grocery store still meant risking your life.
“Dude,” Ollie said as soon as they’d made it to the other side and could slow down enough for words. “First, you disappear at lunch yesterday, and now Connor says you cried in geography. Then, you get called out in band and miss swim practice. And, where’d you go this morning?” Ollie put her hands on her hips.
Emma stared at the camera resting on Ollie’s chest. What could Emma say? Ask if Ollie thought she was stupid? Tell Ollie she was getting a second chance because she might be special needs? That she didn’t deserve to be an honors student? As if.
“I know it’s not your allergies.”
Emma bit down on her tongue as hard as she could. Why didn’t it hurt when you bit your tongue on purpose?
She couldn’t tell Ollie any of those things. And not Ms. Range’s lie about the program for orphans either. Or how her third grade teacher had wanted her tested for autism. And definitely not how Nan refused to have her tested then and barely got talked into it this time with the threat of Emma failing English.
“Is it that project?” Ollie asked.
“Did you see the space ship?” Emma rubbed her aching jaw, trying to buy time.
“Talk to me, Em.” Ollie stopped in the middle of the parking lot. “Best friends don’t keep secrets.”
“I don’t have words right now.”
“Whatever. Blame your allergies and the spaceship.” Ollie pulled out her camera and snapped some pictures of the sad looking quarter operated merry-go-round. She ignored Emma’s commentary after that, unwilling to listen to anything other than the truth.
After geometry, Emma trudged into the frigid special ed frigid classroom, where she found another stranger. Ms. Ngo apologized for the surprise, introduced the district psychologist who had had an unexpected cancellation, and sat down at her computer, ignoring Emma and the shrink.
Emma shivered her way through the interview. If she came here again, she would pack a sweater. Ms. Ngo liked to keep her room cold.
Even as she told the shrink about spinning, and her clock game, and the things she found interesting, Emma kept thinking about Ollie rushing into band and looking for her. Emma, who wouldn’t be there because she was getting tested for being some kind of freak. Emma, who hadn’t even bothered telling Ollie she wouldn’t be there.
Swim practice was going to suck.