Behind the Beanie

Chapter Five: The Proposal

I didn't see Conner until the first day of school, after a long summer.

   Curiously, Conner was the only one of the Bailey twins who entered school that day.

I was sorting through my locker, rearranging stuff in it, when I saw Conner walk by.

"Hey!" I said. He turned around. "Where were you the last couple months?"

He blushed, then hesitated. Definite signs of unease. "Well...we, um, went to visit our grandmother. In Vermont."

Vermont?

"Huh," I said. "Where's your sister?"

Conner's face fell slightly. I'd never seen him look so dejected. "She...moved. With my grandmother. There's an advanced school over there, so my mom thought it would be best if she'd join."

I was surprised. Alex just suddenly moved? With no warning whatsoever? I had a feeling there was more to the story.

"Oh," I said. Just looking at him, I had to force myself not to blush. "Well...at least she's doing better there. Plus, you can always visit her."

Conner shrugged. "Sure," he said. "But I'm also happy for her. I mean, that's where she belongs. She deserves to be there."

He nodded, as if trying to convince himself.

That's when the bell rang, and we both went our separate ways.

***

Just as I was shouldering my backpack and walking out of school, I heard a voice on the loudspeaker: "Breanne Campbell, please report to the principal's office. Bree Campbell, to the principal's office now."

I swallowed. What did Principal Peters want with me?

I slowly sauntered up the stairs to the principal's office. I cautiously opened the door.

"Principal Peters?" I called. "You...wanted to see me?"

Principal Peters sat in the middle of the room near a big wooden desk. She was a tall, skinny woman, with brown hair with streaks of gray that was coiled onto her head like a hat. She wore thin glasses over her squinted brown eyes and owned a few wrinkles. Her clothes were printed in floral designs that matched the decorations of her office.

She folded her hands neatly over her desk. "Yes. Please have a seat," she said, gesturing to the red and blue chairs across from her desk. I sat in the red one.

"Ms. Campbell," Principal Peters began, "We are here to talk about your English class assignments."

"Oh?" I asked.

She leaned forward. "Ms. Campbell, I have asked Ms. York to bring me all the eighth - grade creative writing assignments. Your stories are one of the few that stood out to me."

"Really?" I asked. "So I'm here for a good thing?"

"A really good thing," she said. "You're stories are so creative and full of imagination! What inspired you to write them?"

I shrugged incoherently. "Well, I read lots of mystery books," I admitted.

Principal Peters nodded. "Well, your love of books will surely help you in life. In fact, I've chosen a few talented writers in your grade to go on a trip to Germany in two weeks. They're opening a time capsule from the Brothers Grimm at a book festival in Berlin, and I thought you might want to come."