The Friendship Riddle Read Online Free PDF

there.”
    â€œThat’s
one
theory of time travel and time manipulation,” Adam said, still adjusting his shirt cuffs. “But that might not be Timothy Desmond Green’s version. You have to work within the confines of the book, you know. Remember, Coco, we talked about that at Brain Camp.”
    â€œBrain Camp,” Dev said with disgust. “It wasn’t even camp. It was like—summer school.”
    There was a big science company on the peninsula—they made medicines and vaccines, I think—and they had a camp where their experts taught classes to kids. It could be their field of study, or just something they were passionate about. I had taken one on genetic engineering in the hopes of learning how to build an army of genetically superior animals, but all we did was talk about Punnett squares and the ethics of parents choosing, say, green eyes for their children. The teacher was a young woman with long brown hair and hipster glasses who referred to all of us as “dear” and “honey.” She worked in the lab, testing their products on mice, and I sometimes wondered if that was how she talked to the rodents.
    â€œOur teacher said that when you are looking at the science of science fiction, you need to consider the world of the novel as well as the confines of science. And Timothy Desmond Green is very clear about how time works in his books, and so—”
    â€œThe question is whether it’s possible at all, not possible in the books,” Dev interrupted.
    I started to say that I wasn’t really sure, but then Coco said, “I think Ruth’s explanation makes sense.”
    â€œIt sure does,” Dev said, grinning, but I knew it was just because he liked getting the upper hand over Adam. Sometimes it seemed the only thing that tied Adam and Dev together was Coco, each of them pivoting around him like the ends of a kayak paddle.
    â€œWhat does Lucas think?” I asked.
    â€œYou try asking him,” Coco said. “He’s lost in that book.”
    â€œHey, Lucas?” I tried to make my voice like Melinda’s when she talked to him, but I just couldn’t make it that syrupy. “Have you been listening? What do you think?”
    He lifted his gaze from the book. His glasses were crooked across his face, and he had a little bit of mustard on his cheek. “I think I’m going to crush you in that spelling bee.”

Four
Physique
    Ms. Pepper’s laugh was like wind chimes in the summer, but she wasn’t free and easy with it, so I was glad my story of how I had found
It’s Perfectly Normal
buried in the mythology section elicited a little tinkle. But then she cleared her throat and said, “Have you read it?”
    â€œPardon me?”
    â€œIt’s very informative.”
    â€œI know.”
    â€œYou can check it out if you’d like. I still have it right here.”
    â€œI have my own copy.”
    â€œThat’s fantastic!” She had earrings shaped like Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat, and they danced on her ears as she nodded enthusiastically.
    â€œSure,” I said. “It’s not really relevant to my life right now.”
    â€œNot relevant?” The characters swung back and forth like they were on a teeter-totter. “It’s about the human body!” Her voice went up in volume and pitch. “Ruth Mudd-O’Flanahan, you have a glorious body!” I swear, her voice echoed around the room.
    Body, body, body.
    I checked over my shoulder to see if anyone was around. Charlotte passed by. She pretended not to have noticed me, but she had a little smirk on her lips. Would she tell Melinda about this? Would my glorious body be the butt of jokes all over school?
    â€œThanks, Ms. Pepper,” I said. “I’ll take that under advisement.”
    â€œI mean it, Ruth. Never be ashamed of your body.”
    I never said I was ashamed of my body.