Ann Martin - Baby-Sitters Club 060

Afterward, Kristy and I walked to my house (I'd invited her for dinner). It felt wonderful to be friends again.

"You know, the way you handled Carolyn was incredible," Kristy said.

"Well, I knew how she felt. When I had trouble figuring out what was real and what was fantasy, I don't remember anyone talking to me about it. So I wanted to make sure I did with Carolyn." Kristy exhaled and watched a frosty white cloud circle her face and disappear. "Yeah. I guess it's important to talk when things get confusing, huh?" I gave my friend a big smile. "I guess." "Oh, by the way ..." Kristy said.

"What?" "I really do like your haircut." Chapter 15.

"Do you have Honey Rose?" I said breathlessly, running into Dawn's room.

Dawn turned around on her dressing table seat. There was an hour to go before we were leaving for the January Jamboree, and I had run out of blush. "Um, I doubt it. That's not my color." She rummaged through a drawer full of makeup. "How about Peaches and Cream?" she said, flipping open a compact.

"No," I said. "Too pinkish." She held up another. "Nantucket Sand?" "Too dark." I reached in and pulled the top off an old pancake container that said Spring Blossom. "This looks about right," I said.

"Great. You can use my sponge. I'm using a brush." I took the sponge, then dabbed a little of the blush on my cheek.

The color was a tiny bit lighter than Honey Rose. "Well, I just hope I don't look like a ghost." "Don't worry." I ran . into my room and finished my makeup, then put on the dress I had bought at Steven E. My hair got messed up, so I brushed it out. Then I ran back into Dawn's room. "Can you zip me up?" Dawn turned to me with this huge smile. "You look stunning!" "I do?" "Wow!" For the first time I noticed Dawn's dress. It was made of black velvet, with a sheer bodice trimmed with beading and lace, and a flared, above-knee skirt. With black stockings and shoes, and her hair pulled up in a French braid, Dawn looked absolutely breathtaking. "You should talk!" I said. "Pete Black is going to faint when he sees you!" Pete, the eighth-grade president, was Dawn's date that night. It was the first time they had ever gone out.

"Thanks!" Dawn said. "Now hold still." She pulled the zipper up the back of my dress and fastened the hook on top. I spun around and looked at myself in Dawn's mirror. "Oooooh, watch out, Logan! I said, shimmying a little.

Dawn burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" I said.

"I can't get over how much you have changed, Mary Anne!" I could feel myself turning red. "I was just kidding around." "It's okay. You're allowed. It's cute." "You see? You've changed, too!" I said. "It really bothered you when I first stopped being this demure, plain stepsister." Dawn nodded. "Yeah." She sat down again. I could tell the unpleasant memories were racing through her head. She sighed. "You know, Mary Anne, I was just thinking." I sat down next to her. "What?" "Well, seeing you so close to your dad really affected me." "I know. You said that." "Yeah, but I didn't tell you why it bothered me so much. It was just that. . . well, it made me think of my dad. Mary Anne, I miss him so much sometimes. I mean, your dad's great to me, but you're his daughter. And it was hard to see that." "I kind of figured that out, Dawn," I said gently.

"Well, I just wanted to tell you myself. And I realize it was unfair of me to put that on you. I guess it's something I have to work out." I smiled and put my arm around her. "Well, it helps to talk about it," I said. "And you're forgiven." I don't think I will ever forget the January Jamboree. The SMS gym glittered. Hundreds of foil snowflakes hung from the ceiling, lit by spinning lights. An art class had painted a gorgeous winter mural, showing a turn-of-the-century New England winter scene. It stretched from one end of the gym to the other. The chaperones wore gowns and tuxedos, the DJ was fantastic, and the food was delicious. It was elegant, elegant, elegant.

You should have seen Logan in a tuxedo. He looked sensational. I could feel everyone staring at us whenever we danced (it didn't hurt that Logan is an expert dancer).

There were other spectacular sights, too. Like Kristy Thomas trying to walk with heels in a long dress (she kicked them off about two minutes after she got to the gym). And Claudia Kishi, wearing a lame outfit that was all sharp angles and flashy colors. And Stacey McGill, looking as if she had stepped out of a Hollywood movie in a slinky silk gown that belonged to her mother. Her date was Sam Thomas, Kristy's older brother, who kept grossing people out with a rubber tarantula until Stacey asked him to stop.

But the best part was the dancing. During one of the slow numbers, as Logan spun me around the floor, Dawn and Pete swung by. "You guys are stealing the show!" Dawn said.

"Uh-uh. Not while you're on the dance floor," I said.

As we danced away, Logan said, "You know, for awhile I was afraid you and Dawn would never talk to each other again." "Yeah," I said. "But you know what? We're closer than ever." Logan smiled that famous make-you-melt smile. "Yes, we are." He blushed as soon as he said that, but I thought it was sweet. I smiled and hugged him tighter.

After the song, Logan and I walked toward the refreshment table with Dawn and Pete. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Sabrina entering the gym with her date. She was laughing giddily, in an incredible sequined gown. I made a mental note to say hi later on.

"Hey, whatever happened with Carolyn's time machine?" Logan asked, ladling us some punch.

I told him about the afternoon at the Arnolds'. Logan, Dawn, and Pete listened closely and laughed at the funny parts. Then Pete said, "Wouldn't it be great if the machine really worked?" Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Where would you go if it did?" I asked.

"Super Bowl Three," Pete said. "Nineteen sixty-eight. Joe Namath and the New York Jets. Incredible upset victory." Dawn pretended to yawn. "Bor-ing." "I know where I'd go," Logan said.

"Where?" I asked.

"To the day I first saw you. I liked that feeling." Boy, did I turn red.

"Awwwwwwww . . ." Pete groaned. "Give me a break!" Logan shrugged. "I can't help it." "I know where I'd go," Dawn said, looking straight at me with a glint in her eye. "I'd go back to this room, about twenty-three years ago, to see my mom and your dad at one of their school dances." "Yeah!" I agreed.

"Complete with horses and carriages," Logan remarked.

"Ooh, listen!" Dawn said as a great rock tune came on. "This is one of my favorites! Let's dance!" The four of us moved onto the dance floor. For the second time, I caught a glimpse of Sabrina and her date. Sabrina looked about twenty years old and so did her date. He was very tall, with thick black hair and dark, handsome features.

Dawn noticed them, too. "Who's the guy?" she asked, dancing close to Logan and me.

"I don't know," I said.

Suddenly Logan, Dawn, and I all stopped dancing at once. We turned to each other with identical wide-eyed expressions on our faces. Pete stared at us as if we'd lost our minds.

"Carlos!" we said in unison.

At the other end of the room, Sabrina's date looked around. Then he smiled, shrugged his shoulders, and continued dancing.

Off in our corner, I thought we'd never stop laughing.

About the Author ANN M. MARTIN did a lot of baby-sitting when she was growing up in Princeton, New Jersey. She is a former editor of books for children, and was graduated from Smith College.

Ms. Martin lives in New York City with her cats, Mouse and Rosie. She likes ice cream and I Love Lucy; and she hates to cook.

Ann Martin's Apple Paperbacks include Yours Turly, Shirley; Ten Kids, No Pets; With You and Without You; Bummer Summer; and all the other books in the Baby-sitters Club series.