Part IV
The next day, Honey went to school in a skirt. I feel so dumb, she thought. James is going to think I’m so weird. I sure hope he goes for it!
During lunch, Honey didn’t sit with the Bob-Whites like she usually did. She got a table with James. Trixie saw their mouths moving, but she couldn’t figure out what they were saying. I just hope it’s not something I don’t want her to say, Trixie thought. She crossed her fingers and hoped for good. What else can I do? she thought.
"So," Trixie said after school. They met at Crabapple Farm, Trixie’s house. "How did it go?"
"Great!" Honey said. "When I first sat down with him, he asked me why I suddenly liked him. ‘Because I’m the future school president?’ He asked proudly. I didn’t answer him. He told me about his plans to become school president. ‘A school president has to be someone everyone trusts,’ he said. ‘Or something terrible might happen.’ I asked him what his plans were. He said, ‘Well, I’d like to change the recess time.’ Trixie, he kept fidgeting when I asked him what his plans were!
"After lunch, I told I would meet him on the bus and we could talk some more. Trix, he was having a ball!"
"Great!" Trixie said. "Tomorrow you’ve got to go with him to Jessi’s house tomorrow!"
"He’s going to Jessi’s house?"
"Yeah, Jessi told me today."
"Who else is going?" Honey asked.
"Nobody," Trixie said. "Just James."
"So you want me to go so that I can get a feeling for what they’re doing?" Honey asked.
"Yeah," Trixie said. "But give them any kind of hint that you’re playing spy."
"Okay," Honey said.
* * *
"What did you bring her for?" Jessi asked when Honey and James had arrived at her house. "You know I wanted to talk to you alone."
"Well," James said uncomfortably. "She wanted to come. I—I guess she likes me."
"Than get her to like someone else!" Jessi roared. "Oh, excuse me," she said after remembering Honey was still in the room.
"Honey," James said. "Would you please go out of the room for just a minute while Jessi and I discuss something privately?"
"Sure, James," Honey said. Then she left the room, closing the door after her. But she kept her ear close up to it so she could hear what Jessi and James were saying.
"You didn’t fall for her, did you?" Jessi demanded.
"I don’t know," James said. "She is pretty. And nice. And—and I don’t know. She’s the sort of girl that I like."
"What about me?" Jessi asked."Well," James began. "You’re good to plan to become president with, and other things."
"Well, let’s get down to business. You have to put up lots and lots of posters about them electing you. You know, of course, that there will be a lot of people wanting to vote for Trixie. She’ll be putting lots of stuff up, too. You know, the kids she hangs out with at lunch help her a ton. She’s not the only one that puts up the posters and stuff, telling people to do this and that. Those kids help her."
"I know," James said. "We should start some kind of club or something and not tell anyone what it’s about. You know, not tell them who’s running it. But we’ll tell them that once they’re in, they can’t leave unless we tell them we can. In the meetings, we’ll tell them to vote for me or they can’t be in the club."
"James," Jessi said. "You are a genius."
Oh no! Honey thought. This is terrible. Our whole school will want to be a part of this club. We’ve got to warn them not to join! But how can we do it without Jessi and James knowing?
Just then, James opened the door. "Honey," he said. "You can come back in now."
Honey stepped into the room.
"I’d like to stay," she said. "But I need to be home for dinner."
"What time are you eating?" Jessi questioned.
"Oh, at six o’clock," Honey said.
"Goodness!" James exclaimed. "That’s in ten minutes! Need me to give you a lift?"
"Yes, please," Honey said.
* * *
"So," Trixie said. "What did you learn?"
"Well," she said. "Jessi and James are going to start this club. They’re not going to tell anyone who’s running it or anything until they enter it. Then they’re going to tell them to vote for James or they’re out of the club."
"Uh-oh," Trixie said. "Looks like we’re in a jam. Let’s call an emergency meeting."
"Good idea," Honey said. "I’ll get down to the clubhouse while you’re phoning everyone."
"Okay," Trixie said. "That way you can tell them not to worry. But don’t tell them anything about James and Jessi’s club."
"Okay," Honey said as she headed out the door.
To Be Continued