"Replica14 - The Beginning - Kaye, Marilyn" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kaye Marilyn)

Marilyn Kaye: The Beginning (Replica #14)





1



At the front of the classroom, the boy rapped a gavel on the desk. "I hereby call this meeting of the Parkside Middle School Student Council to order."

Immediately Amy could feel her eyelids begin to droop. She always had a hard time staying awake during these meetings. If she had only known how boring the student council would be, she would never have run in the election. But she had run, and she had won, and it was too late for regrets. She was now one of eighteen representatives, all of whom looked like they were about to fall asleep too.

Except maybe for Carrie Nolan, another rep from the seventh grade. There was a twitchy little smile on her face, as if she had some sort of secret. But Amy figured that if Carrie knew something special, it couldn't possibly have anything to do with student council. The most exciting news that month had been about someone dropping plastic bottles in the paper recycling bins.

After calling the meeting to order, President Cliff Fields directed the secretary to read the minutes of the previous meeting. That took all of about thirty seconds. The minutes were approved, the vice-president called the roll, the treasurer gave the budget report, and the president called for old business. Since nothing had happened at the last meeting, there wasn't any old business.

"Is there any new business?" Cliff asked. There wasn't much hope in his voice.

But a hand actually went up. Surprised, Cliff said, "The president recognizes Carrie Nolan."

Carrie rose. "As chair of the student travel committee, I have been asked by Dr. Noble to meet with all seventh-grade student council representatives. We're supposed to decide where the seventh grade will go for the annual class trip."

"What's the big deal?" Cliff asked. "The seventh grade always goes to the state capital."

Amy could tell by the twinkle in Carrie's eyes that she was about to spill her secret. "Not this year," Carrie said. "We don't even have to stay in California. Dr. Noble said that Parkside got a special grant for student travel, and there's enough money for the seventh grade to go anywhere in the United States."

Cliff stared at her in disbelief. "No way."

"Yes way," Carrie replied. "All the seventh-grade reps should stay after this meeting so we can choose a place for our trip."

A ninth-grade representative exploded. "That's not fair! When I was in the seventh grade, we had to go to Sacramento."

"Yeah, so did we," echoed an eighth-grader. "What about the other grades? Are we getting special trips?"

"No, nothing else changes," Carrie replied. "Only the seventh grade goes on an annual class trip, just like always."

"That stinks!" someone yelled. "Why should this year's seventh grade get better treatment?"

Carrie grinned. "You want to go tell Dr. Noble this isn't fair?" There were more than a few snickers in the room. Nobody, not even the student council president, would have the gall to complain to their intimidating principal that this year's seventh grade was getting a special deal.

There was no more new business, so the meeting was adjourned. As the eighth- and ninth-grade representatives left, many of them shot envious looks at the six seventh-graders who stayed behind.

"Go to Hawaii," one of them advised before leaving.

"Can we?" Justin Kelly asked Carrie. "Hawaii sounds great."

"What about Alaska?" Molly Cohn wanted to know.