CHAPTER 1 Excuse Me Wow!” Katani exclaimed, taking in the scene at the Museum of Science. Flashing disco lights and blaring music had transformed the museum into party central.
“Unbelievable!” Isabel said with awe as the girls stepped under an enormous rainbow made entirely of black, red, and silver balloons. “Henry totally deserves a nice party, but this . . .” Isabel ducked as a paper airplane decorated with streamers went sailing past her head. Henry Yurt whistled and waved from a crowded video arcade room. A goofy crown on his head read “BAR MITZVAH BOY.”
“OMG!” Maeve yelped as she dodged the airplane, and, of course, Avery caught it.
“Yurtmeister!” Avery was about to throw the airplane back at him, but Katani grabbed her arm.
“Wait, it says ‘look inside’ on the wings!”
Unfolding it, they discovered a map with all the night’s activities. There were directions to the lightning show, the Omni Theater, the butterfly garden, and the monkey habitat—and those were just the museum’s regular activities. Then there was the gaming arcade, the photo booth, and more.
“Everything fits into a science theme—even the food!” Avery pointed to the dinner menu at the bottom of the paper: astroburgers and space fries with galaxy smoothies or stardust sodas to drink.
“Hey, Maeve, there’s dancing later!” Isabel nudged her friend, who was being unusually quiet for such an exciting occasion. The DJ was mixing in another room, but everyone could hear the hottest dance tunes echoing through the lobby.
“Who knew science could be so romantic?” Maeve gushed absently as she fingered one of the floral bouquets lining the entryway. Her own Bat Mitzvah and thirteenth birthday were only two weeks away, on May 9. Maeve pinched her pink glossed lips together and tried to ignore the fact that she was wearing the world’s worst dress, an early birthday gift from her great-grandmother. I’ll have roses, all in pink. Or maybe white and yellow, too. Those are perfect spring colors. . . .
“Where’s Charlotte?” Isabel asked. “Anyone heard from her?”
The Beacon Street Girls had planned to arrive at the party together, but Charlotte called at the last second to say something had come up, and she’d be there ASAP.
“I’m sure she’ll be here soon,” Katani assured her friends as she led the pack toward what normally would have been the museum’s information desk. A man in a black tuxedo and a red bow tie was standing behind the desk, handing out little cards to a line of Henry’s friends and family.
“The best part about this is there won’t be a test on the exhibits tomorrow,” Avery said with a small laugh.
“Ahem.” A deep voice sounded from behind the girls. “Name three reasons Pluto is no longer considered a planet.”
Avery flipped around to find Mr. Moore, their science teacher, standing directly behind them in line.
“Wait! I know this one!” Katani crossed her arms and tapped her foot, stalling for time.
Mr. Moore began to laugh. “I’m just fooling with you.” He grinned widely. “No school tonight.” The science teacher was a short man with wild brown hair. Tonight he was wearing a black-and-white cow-spotted tie with a Star Wars pin. He was strange and nutty and a whole lot of fun.
“What do you mean, ‘no school’” Ms. O’Reilly turned around from farther up in the line. “I’m taking notes for a quiz on teen party trends first thing Monday. Looks like goofy crowns and paper airplanes are in.” The social studies teacher winked.
“Did Henry invite all the teachers?” Avery whispered. The Yurtmeister often acted more like a class clown than a class president. . . . But he had obviously taken his duties as chief executive seriously and invited the entire school!
Ms. O’Reilly got her card and gave the girls a last wave. “You all look wonderful! I hope you have a good time.”
“I do not look wonderful.” Maeve rolled her eyes. “I still can’t believe Mom talked me into wearing this.”
“You should have called me ahead of time,” Katani chided. “I could have done something about those bows. And maybe hemmed it a little.”
“No offense, Katani,” Maeve mumbled, “but I don’t think even your design genius could ever make this thing fashionable.”
The lavender tank dress was a shocker to everyone who knew Maeve. It was covered with boring, pale purple flowers and oddly placed white bows, with not even a hint of glitter or pink, her signature shade. Pink is the only color I will ever wear when I’m a famous movie star, setting trends and making my own rules!Maeve decided.
Maeve had spilled the entire dress saga to her best friends when they’d met up outside the party. It was either wear great-grandma’s surprise birthday gift tonight or wear it for her own Bat Mitzvah. They all agreed, wearing it tonight was definitely the lesser of two evils!
Isabel squeezed Maeve’s hand as the line moved forward. “It’s okay, Maeve. You look maravilloso in everything!”
“And Great-grandma Gigi will be overjoyed when I show her this picture!” Maeve whipped a digital camera out of her purse and held it up to snap a picture of herself in the horrid dress. Giggling, the friends checked out the preview screen. “I’ll get a new dress for my own mega Bat Mitzvah bash!” Maeve announced suddenly. “One worthy of a future movie star!”
Katani looked at Maeve sideways. “I thought you were just having a small—owww!” Katani yelped as Maeve’s strappy white sandal landed firmly on top of her gold slip-on. Maeve’s dress might have been terrible, but at least her shoes were stunning.
“Oh, I am so sorry.” Maeve placed one hand delicately over her mouth, checking to be sure Katani was all right.
“I’m okay.” Katani stared inquisitively at Maeve, who obviously didn’t want to talk about her family’s plans for a small luncheon after her Bat Mitzvah.
“Of course I’m having a big party,” Maeve said with a flourish of her hand. “A really humongo-gigantic party.” She paused for a brief second, then added, “With a movie star theme.”
“Next,” called the tuxedoed man at the information counter, before Katani could ask, “How?”
Avery rushed up to the desk. “Hi. I’m Avery Madden.” The man looked through his stack of cards and handed her one.
“Table twelve,” Avery announced. The other girls got their cards and were thrilled to discover they were all sitting together.
“Let’s get Charlotte’s table card, too,” Isabel suggested.
“Thanks, but I can get it myself!” Charlotte said, rushing up to join her friends. She took her card from the attendant. “Awesome, table twelve. And you guys’ll never guess —”
“Party tiiiiiiime!” A whole slew of seventh graders barged through the big glass doors, pushed one another under the balloon rainbow, and piled into the back of the line.
“Dudes, what up?!” Dillon popped Avery a casual knuckle butt.
Charlotte stood there with her mouth hanging open, waiting for an opening to finish her sentence, but she didn’t get a chance.
“Hi,” Betsy and Danny greeted the BSG.
“Do you think the natural history exhibit is open?” Betsy asked nobody in particular.
“I hear you can categorize specimens there,” Danny continued as the two class brainiacs got in the back of the card line.
“Where have you been?” Katani asked Charlotte.
“Well, I—,” Charlotte began.
“Isn’t this fab?” Maeve trilled. “I can’t wait for my own party!”
“Your what?” Charlotte looked from Maeve’s sparkling eyes to her less-than-sparkling dress. Obviously, I’ve missed a lot being just a few minutes late! Charlotte smiled. But before she figured out what was going on with Maeve, she had something really, really important to share! “Guys, I was late because—”
“Isabel! There you are.” Chelsea Briggs walked in from the exhibit halls, carrying her camera. “Take a look at this shot I got of the dance scene!” Before Charlotte could say another word, Isabel scooted away. Charlotte wanted the BSG to be together when she shared her wonderful news. Something this BIG has to be shared with all my BFFs, all at once!
The crowd carried them past the information desk and into what were normally exhibit halls. There, black, red, and silver balloons and streamers adorned a row of booths, each of which were crowded full of people. Isabel bounced over, clapping her hands with excitement.
“There’s a place to decorate T-shirts! Come on, we can make matching ones!”
“Guys, can we go over there for just a sec?” Charlotte pointed to a relatively empty corner.
“Whatever for?” Maeve stared quizzically at the empty spot.
“Because, there’s something important I wanted to—”
“Wait up!” Dillon called out as he came running over, trailed by Riley and Nick.
“‘Sup?” Riley asked the girls, blushing when Maeve sidled over to stand next to him. Everyone at school knew he had a huge crush on her. Riley was incredibly brave and outgoing when he was onstage playing his guitar, but in person he was very shy. Riley’s face turned totally red when he said, “Hi, Maeve.”
Maeve ...
