The Wish Read Online Free PDF Page A

stairs, just space—a loft as big and almost as tall as the auditorium at school, with floor-to-ceiling windows all the way around.
    I let go of Reggie. We were in a forest of sculptures. They were elongated stick figures made of metal. The arms and legs were long cylinders. The heads were ovals with triangles for noses. The figures were about sixteen feet tall, and they were in athletic poses—stretching, bending, standing on one foot with the other leg high in the air.
    â€œYour dad is a sculptor,” I said idiotically.
    â€œHe says he was Degas in a previous life.”
    â€œBeeBee paints,” Nina said. “She’s very talented.”
    â€œI’m a colorist,” BeeBee said, “and I use a lot of impasto.”
    Whatever that was. I nodded enthusiastically.
    â€œShow her—”
    â€œWiiilmaaa!”
    It was a strangled scream, coming from the other end of the room. Ardis was pressed into a corner, hands over her head, while Reggie wagged his tail and sniffed her crotch.
    â€œGet it away from me. Hurry, before I—”
    â€œCome, Reggie.” He came. “What a good boy! What a good doggie!” I scratched his back. “You train a dog by telling him he’s a hero when he does something right. They like praise better than dog biscuits.”
    â€œSo do I,” Nina said.
    BeeBee and I laughed.
    â€œI can’t stay,” Ardis said, walking toward us. “I just remembered. My sister’s in a play at her school, and I promised to go.”
    â€œYou’re afraid of dogs.” As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I knew I shouldn’t have said them.
    â€œYou don’t know me,” Ardis said, mad. “You have no idea what I’m afraid of and what I’m not afraid of.” Then she calmed down and sort of smiled. “And I’m really afraid of what Shanara will do to me if I miss her play.”
    She was leaving because of Reggie, and she was the main reason I wanted to come in the first place.
    â€œCan’t you call her?” BeeBee said. “You could say I’m going through an emo—”
    â€œReggie won’t—Reggie?” I said. I looked around for him.
    There he was, halfway across the room, sniffing around the statues. He was especially interested in one.
    â€œNo, Reggie! No!”
    I was too late. He had lifted his leg on one of the stretching figures. Pee was running down the metal.

Chapter Seven
    â€œB ad Reggie! Bad boy! He never goes indoors. I’ll clean it up. I’m sorry.” What would happen now? Would they throw me out? Would they hate me?
    â€œDad’ll kill me! The patina on the metal is real important to him.”
    â€œI’ll clean it up.”
    â€œWe’ll clean it up,” Nina said. “I think you should take Reggie home right now, Wilma.”
    â€œShe’s right,” BeeBee said.
    They were throwing me out. I put on Reggie’s leash and started down the stairs. Why did I have to bring him? Why did I have to push my popularity?
    â€œHurry back,” Ardis called.
    â€œRight!” BeeBee added. “We’re going to eat soon.”
    They wanted me to come back! And Ardis would still be here! I was invincible!
    After I dropped Reggie off and ignored Maud’s “I told you so,” I waited on Sixty-fifth Street for the bus. While I stood there, Daphne rounded the corner. I looked the other way, but she saw me.
    â€œHi,” she said.
    I may have been unpopular this year, but Daphne may never have had a friend in her life. She was as pale and limp as cooked spaghetti, with a voice to match.
    â€œYou’re waiting for the bus?” she asked.
    I nodded. I wished it would come.
    â€œThat was dumb of me,” she said. “What else could you be doing?”
    I didn’t say anything.
    â€œYou think I’m an idiot,” she said.
    Maybe. “No. I could be standing here for lots of