Chapter 9

TALENT SHOW ON MAY 31st AT 7:30PM.

THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN PERFORMING IT, SIGN UP ON THE LIST BELOW THE PAPER.

REHEARSALS START 다음 MONDAY AT 3:30PM IN THE GYM.

After 읽기 the advertisement, on the bulletin board, Melody took the pen and wrote down her name, along with her homeroom number (RM 13) and 집 phone number. As she was finishing 글쓰기 down her phone number, a small boy about her age came up 다음 to her.

"Is there still time for me to sign up?" he asked Melody. She turned to the boy. He had mousy black hair, with 초콜릿 eyes, tanned skin, and dressed up in jeans and a white t-shirt.

"Yeah, it is not too late," Melody smiled. She stepped aside to let him write down his name.

"O..m..a.r...S..a..d..i..q," Melody read. "That is a pretty name,"

"Thanks," Omar blushed. "What is your name?"

"I'm Melody. Melody Sylvia Barnes,"

Just then another girl appeared, panting. She had been running. The girl had brown slightly curly hair in a half-ponytail. She was also wearing a blue 치마 with a yellow t-shirt.

"It's… not..too… late… is..it?" she panted.

"No Rose, 당신 can still sign up," Omar answered. After giving Rose the pen, she scribbled her name down.

"Rose, this is my new friend, Melody," said Omar, remembering the black-haired girl. "Melody, this is Rose,"

"Hi, Melody," smiled Rose.

"Hi, Rose," said Melody.

As the three kids walked down together to Recess, Melody felt a warm glow inside her heart.

Meanwhile, Ariel was at the grocery store, shopping with Flounder. While picking out apples, she couldn't help but feel a little bit guilty from last night.

Ugh! Why did I chicken out? I was going to ask Eric to come to Melody's show. I don't know why I panicked! Oh well. Maybe when he comes home, I'll try again.

"Ariel?"

Ariel snapped out of her thoughts. 가자미, 넙치 just came back with some whole grain 빵 and put them in the cart.

"Thanks, Flounder," said Ariel.

"Ariel, now that 당신 are babysitting Melody, does that mean 당신 don't want to be a teacher anymore?" 가자미, 넙치 inquired.

"No, Flounder," said Ariel. "I'll still apply. I only took the nanny job for to get better at caring for kids."

"Oh, that is good then! So how are 당신 doing in the 'nanny business' anyway?"

"Well, so far, so good. Melody is a fun kid to be with. When we got home, she showed me her 축구 trophies," Ariel explained.

"She likes playing soccer? I remember her telling me about her 축구 games."

"Yes, Melody told me she loves playing 축구 so much that she can do 축구 tricks while sleeping!" Ariel and 가자미, 넙치 giggled.

"Flounder, what happened yesterday?" Ariel asked. 가자미, 넙치 was caught off-guard. Uh oh! She probably noticed his odd behavior from yesterday.

"What do 당신 mean?" he said.

"You seemed tense, what is wrong?" Ariel asked.

"Nothing!" said Flounder. "I-I just-when 당신 left…" he trailed off.

"Are 당신 upset that I left?" Ariel asked, wondering if that is what was troubling him. 가자미, 넙치 nodded sheepishly.

"I know it has been a day, but I really miss you," 가자미, 넙치 confessed.

"Hey," said Ariel, as she hugged Flounder. "I miss 당신 too, I know it is hard because of my busy schedule, I have a 일 off-every Sunday, so maybe we could do something together,"

"I guess," said Flounder. He'll be happy to spend time with Ariel, even for only a day.

"Somewhere 다음 week on Friday 또는 Saturday, I'll take Melody to the park, maybe we could hang out then,"

"Yeah, that sounds better!" said Flounder. "As long as it just the kid and not Mr. Barnes,"

"What makes 당신 say that?" Ariel said.

" I don't know, the way he stared at 당신 made it seem like he's crushing on you,"

"Flounder, don't be ridiculous," Ariel blushed. "He can't have a crush on me,"

"Well, do 당신 have a crush on him?" 가자미, 넙치 asked.

"What! No!" Ariel denied, her face turning redder.

"You're lying," 가자미, 넙치 replied. "You can tell me."

Ariel try to deny it again, but couldn't. Normally, she is good liar and can fool her father and sisters just to save 가자미, 넙치 또는 herself from trouble but with Flounder, it's different.

"Oh, okay," Ariel sighed. "I..find Eric to be very handsome-but 당신 can't tell anyone! Especially Father, do 당신 promise?"

"I won't tell anyone," said Flounder. Ariel smiled, knowing that she can trust 가자미, 넙치 to keep her secret.

In the past, Melody never liked recess. Why would anyone want to play with a motherless kid? Whenever she saw a group of kids playing, and asked if she could join, one phrase, 'no motherless kids allowed,' broke her heart. Today is different, however.

"Do 당신 guys want to play 'TV tag'"? Rose suggested.

"Sure!" said Omar.

"What's "tv tag"? Melody wondered.

"It is like tag, only except 당신 have to squat down and say any name of a tv show before the person who is 'it' 태그 you," Rose explained.

"Yeah, and 당신 can only say each 제목 once. 당신 can't say "Futurama," twice otherwise, you'll get tagged," Omar added. Melody nodded in understanding. The three 프렌즈 began playing the game, starting with Omar being 'it'. ("Why am I always 'it'?" he grumbled). Rose and Melody laughed, having fun tricking Omar into not tagging them.

"You gotta catch me, faster!" Melody teased in a sing-song voice.

"Aw, man!" Omar whined. "I can't run fast!"

"Omar, 당신 got to tag one of us, it's the rules of the game," said Rose in a matter-of-fact voice.

"How about I be 'it'?" Melody asked. "Would that make 당신 feel better?"

"Okay," Omar beamed. Just then, a mean voice disrupted their fun.

"Why are 당신 two playing with that loser?" Omar and the girls turned to see Anna, Joey, and Harry. The same kids that Melody met on her first day! Melody felt very small all the sudden.

"Back off, guys!" Rose barked. Omar didn't know who Anna, Joey, and Harry are but from their snickering looks, he could tell that they were mean. Besides, nobody calls his friend, a 'loser!'

"What do 당신 guys got against her for?" He demanded. Anna, Joey, and Harry turned to Omar.

"None of your beeswax, brownie!" Joey sneered. Anna and Harry laughed. Omar, felt crushed, knowing that they were referring to his tone of skin. Hearing that remark, he was as mad as ever! Just before he could give them a 'knuckle-sandwhich,' Rose stepped in.

"Look guys! Stop picking on Omar and Melody! Go 집 if all y'all going to do is laugh like a bunch of hyenas! Go 집 and eat your undies! GO HOME!" The 벨 rang, before Anna and the boys could throw another insult.

As they walked away, they shouted, "Fine, but don't blame us if 당신 got tired of hanging out with a motherless twit!"

School ended and all the kids went 집 except for one sad little girl and two concerned little kids. Melody tried not to blink but tears still swell up in her eyes. She curled up into a fetal position on the steps and cried.

"Melody, don't let those dorks get to you," said Rose. She was sitting 다음 to Melody and tried to comfort her 의해 patting her shoulder.

"What was that about?" Omar asked, referring to the bullies' interference. He, too, was sitting 다음 to Melody.

"...Kids make fun of her because she doesn't have a mommy," Rose sighed. No mother! Omar felt sorry for Melody. Nobody deserves to be treated like that!

Just then, he heard an angelic voice calling Melody.

"Then, who is that red-haired lady coming toward us?" Omar raised an eyebrow. The girls turned to see who Omar was looking at. It was Ariel! She didn't know why Melody looked so gloomy but she ran very quickly to her.

"What happened?" she asked. Melody tried to answer but her sobs fumbled up her words.

"Anna, Joey, and Harry mocked her for not having a mommy," Rose answered for Melody.

"If Melody doesn't have a mommy, then who are you?" Omar asked Ariel.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I'm Ariel, Melody's nanny," Ariel responded.

"Ah, I see," said Omar. Ariel, meanwhile, felt sad and mad. Sad, that Melody is hurt. Oh! How she hated to see her cry! Mad, that someone would have the nerve to treat Melody like this!

"We should talk to the principal about this!," said Ariel, firmly, as she took Melody and went inside the school building. Rose and Omar followed her.

"Good idea!" said Omar.

Why didn't I think of that? Rose pouted.

"But Ariel! What if he doesn't listen?" Melody worried. None of her school principals listened to her about her bully problems so why should this one care?

"Don't worry if he doesn't listen, we'll still fix it," Ariel answered.

Meanwhile, Eric, was eating lunch during lunch break with 알라딘 and Adam.

"Hey Eric," said Aladdin. "That cute blonde is checking 당신 out!" Eric turned to see a pretty woman throwing him a flirty wink. He just said ignored her and turned back.

"Not interested." He replied. He knew that once he goes on a 날짜 with the blonde woman, she'd be proposing marriage, and he'd freak out.

"Man, 당신 need to get out," 알라딘 sighed. "You've been working too hard!"

"I don't need to get out," Eric retorted.

"Why not?" Adam asked, who just finished swallowing his food.

"I don't have time; I got a kid to feed!"

"Yes, but 당신 need a break! 당신 can't just sit in your office 24 hours a day, letting your life pass 당신 by! 당신 need someone someone special!" said Aladdin, waving his arms wildly. Eric just simply ignored him and took a sip from his water. Like he cared what 알라딘 said.

"You need a wife," Adam added.

Eric spit water out all over the table. ("Eww," said Aladdin.)

"A WIFE! Oh no! Nooo way! Not going to happen!" He shook his head and waved his arms, wildly.

"But Eric-"

"No guys, 당신 don't understand. Women are nothing but trouble! They trick 당신 into thinking they are princesses when in reality, they are witches-scratch that! Witches with a 'b'"!

"You think all women are like that?" Adam confronted.

"C'mon, Eric, name one woman that is anything NOT like Vanessa,"

Before Eric could say 'forget about it,' he remembered Ariel. He remembered the way she smiled, the way she comforted Melody from the almost-car crash, the way she said hello.

"...Ariel," he said.

"Oo la la! Who's Ariel?" 알라딘 smiled, wiggling his eyebrows.

"She's my nanny!" Eric said, feeling annoyed.

"So why are 당신 blushing?" Adam smirked.

"I'm not blushing!" Eric claimed.

"Riiiight," said Aladdin. Eric, stood up and began to gather his half-eaten sandwich.

"Let's go, lunch is over!"

As he walked out, Adam turned to Aladdin.

"Looks like he probably found someone!" 알라딘 agreed.