Sophie Hartley and the Facts of Life Read Online Free PDF

I’m blaming you.” Sophie squeezed Patsy to her chest until Patsy let out a tiny mew. “Sorry,” said Sophie, and put her gently back onto the pile. “Just be glad you’re not a person.”
    She took her homework papers out of her backpack and dropped the pack onto the floor. That Destiny! She was obviously trying to steal Alice, and Alice was too nice to suspect anything.
    Sometimes it was so frustrating, the way Alice insisted everyone was good. Why, if Sophie had her way—
    Sophie stopped herself.
    Oh, no. It was happening.
    She was acting about Destiny the way Nora acted about Lisa Kellogg. Lisa had annoyed Nora since they were in the fifth grade. For three whole years, Nora had been letting Lisa upset her. It was ridiculous! Sophie was
not
going to let Destiny bug her the same way.
    Â 
    â€œDid Alice tell you Destiny called her last night?” Sophie asked Jenna when she joined her and Alice in front of the school the next morning. Alice immediately looked guilty.
    â€œWhat for?” said Jenna.
    She and Sophie both looked at Alice.
    â€œShe just wanted to talk about the movie,” Alice said meekly.
    â€œTell her the rest, Alice,” Sophie said. To Jenna: “She invited Alice to a meeting she’s going to have to tell everyone about the movie.”
    â€œThat’s dumb. She doesn’t even like you, Alice,” Jenna said. “You aren’t going, are you?”
    â€œOf course not,” Alice said unhappily. “Not if you and Sophie aren’t invited.”
    When it was time for yoga that morning, the girls who had brought sweatpants from home were allowed to change in the girls’ room. Ms. Bell was talking to Mr. Duncan when they got to the gym. She was dressed in black pants and a T-shirt. “Everyone grab a mat and sit down,” she called as they filed in. “Space out your mats. Give yourselves plenty of room.”
    Sophie grabbed one of the blue mats from a pile at the front and put it on the floor near the bleachers. The mat was thick and spongy. It was fun to have her own space. Kids from each of the three fourth-grade classes were putting down their mats all around the gym floor. Destiny and Hailey put theirs in the front row. The only three boys in the class were way in the back, next to one another.
    Alice put her mat near Sophie’s and said, “This is a lot better than volleyball.”
    â€œHow do you know? We haven’t done anything yet,” said Sophie.
    â€œMaybe we’ll get to take a nap,” said Alice. “Like kindergarten.”
    Their giggles were cut off when Ms. Bell spoke again. “I want you to take off your shoes and make yourselves comfortable while everyone gets settled,” she said. “Cross your legs and sit quietly. Close your eyes and just relax.”
    No one ever let them take off their shoes in school. Or told them to relax, for that matter. It was usually the opposite:
Hurry up and do your work. Be quiet and open your books.
Sophie dutifully took off her shoes, sat cross-legged, and closed her eyes.
    At first, it felt strange to sit in a room with her eyes closed when she was surrounded by kids she knew. Sophie peeked a few times to see whether anyone was fooling around, but they were all sitting quietly. She finally closed her eyes and kept them closed.
    When the sound of the kids in the hall on their way to the cafeteria suddenly dropped away, Sophie opened her eyes again. Ms. Bell had closed the gym doors and was putting a CD into her player. Soft music started to play, one clear flute note at a time.
    Sophie closed her eyes again. The gym was unnaturally quiet. It became easier and easier to sit still. Then Ms. Bell spoke.
    â€œOkay, you can open your eyes now.” She was sitting with her legs crossed on her own mat in front of them. “I’m happy to see so many of you here. Yoga is the best kind of exercise. It’s fun and relaxing, but it will