Drat! You Copycat! Read Online Free PDF Page B

side.”
    Suddenly, everyone was talking at once. They all wanted Becky to teach them how to do gymnastics.
    Katie looked at Suzanne. She was playing with her beaded necklace, trying to act as though she didn’t like Becky’s report. But Katie knew better. It would be impossible not to have found Becky’s speech interesting.
    “Okay class, settle down,” Mrs. Derkman said. “I don’t want anyone trying any of Becky’s tricks out on the playground. You should only learn gymnastics from a real
gymnastics teacher.”
    “That’s right,” Becky said. “My mom found a gymnastics school here in Cherrydale. Maybe some of y’all can take classes there, too.”
    “Do they have a trampoline?” Miriam said.
    “Sure,” Becky said.
    “How about a vaulting horse?” asked Jeremy.
    “Of course.”
    Becky told the other kids what gymnastics school was like. She didn’t seem like a new kid any more. She was one of them now.
    There was no reason for Becky to be a copycat ever again.

Chapter 11
    “This one is called a round-off,” Becky said, as she leaped up, flipped, and twisted her body in midair.
    “All right, Becky!” Jeremy shouted.
    Becky smiled brightly and winked at him. Jeremy blushed.
    It was recess. Usually the kids in class 3A would be all over the playground. But today they were all gathered on the grass, watching Becky do her gymnastics. Every time she bent her body or flipped over, they cheered.
    Suzanne was the only one in the class not watching Becky. She was sitting all by herself on a bench.
    Katie looked over and studied her best friend’s face. She looked sad and kind of lonely.
    It was weird to see Suzanne like that. Usually Suzanne looked angry, happy, or proud of herself. She never looked sad. And she was never alone on the playground. Katie figured the look on Suzanne’s face meant trouble for Becky.
    And then the strangest thing happened. Becky turned away from the sea of kids surrounding her. She walked over to Suzanne.
    “Hi,” Becky said shyly.
    “What do you want?” Suzanne asked.
    Becky grinned. “I just wanted to tell you that I thought your report was the best in the whole class. I’d never heard of Coco Chanel before, but now I think she’s just the coolest!”
    Suzanne smiled ... a little. “She was pretty cool,” she admitted.
    “You know what I was thinking?” Becky asked. “You’re kind of like the Coco Chanel of our class. You set the fashion trends.”
    Suzanne’s smile broadened. “I was thinking the same thing.” She studied Becky’s glittery yellow-and-orange shirt. “Some black beads would look really nice with that,” she said.
    “You think so?” Becky asked her.
    Suzanne nodded. “Coco Chanel wore beads with everything!”
    “I don’t know where to get beads in Cherrydale,” Becky admitted. “I wore my mother’s red beads the other day.”
    “There’s a great bead shop at the mall. It’s near Katie’s mom’s bookstore,” Suzanne said.
    Katie’s mom worked part time at the Book Nook bookstore in the Cherrydale Mall.
    “Maybe you and I could go and look at beads ... together,” Becky suggested shyly.
    “Katie and I are going to the mall Saturday morning. We’re going to hand out flyers for her mom’s store. You could tag along ... I guess,” Suzanne told her.
    Becky shook her head. “I have gymnastics on Saturday mornings.”
    “Okay.” Suzanne began to walk away.
    “But I could meet you later, after my class,” Becky said quickly.
    “We’ll be there until three o’clock,” Suzanne told her. “If you come earlier, maybe the three of us could get a slice of pizza at Louie’s.”
    “Is that in the mall, too?”
    Suzanne nodded.
    “Is it good pizza?” Becky asked.
    “The best!” Suzanne said. “Boy, you’ve got a lot to learn about Cherrydale, Becky.”
    “I’ll see you Saturday,” Becky assured her. Then she turned and walked back toward the kids on the grass.
    Katie made her way across the playground to Suzanne.