A Frog in My Throat (2 page)

“Next Monday.”

“Good! Just in time for our trip. His grade four class will be going to the chocolate factory with our class. We may even take the same bus.”

“Neat!” said Jake.

Kate gulped. What if Jake wanted to sit near Lionel on the bus? What if he wanted to be partners with Lionel on the trip?

If she didn't sit next to Jake, who could she sit with? She hardly ever played with anyone else. And the only kids who didn't have regular partners in her class were Leo, Brad and the new girl, Patty.

She couldn't sit near them.

Leo shot spitballs into her hair. Brad had a drippy nose. And Patty was so shy that she hardly ever said a word.

All through math and reading, Kate worried about the trip.

The recess bell rang.

“Race you to the swings,” said Jake.

“One. Two. Three. Run!” called Kate.

Kate ran as fast as she could. So did Jake.

They reached the swings at the same time.

“Tie,” said Jake. He hopped on a swing.

Kate hopped on the next swing.

“Isn't it great that Lionel will go on the trip with us?” Jake asked.

Kate didn't say anything. She began to pump. Her ponytail bobbed up and down as she flew.

“So what do you think?” asked Jake.

“About what?” asked Kate.

“About Lionel, of course.”

“Well...,” muttered Kate.

“Isn't he the funniest kid you ever met?” asked Jake.

“No,” said Kate.

“Who's funnier than Lionel?”

“I don't know,” said Kate.

“Lionel knows a thousand jokes. I hope he's on our bus to the chocolate factory.”

But Kate hoped he wasn't.

On Tuesday, Jake didn't mention Lionel once.

Jake didn't mention Lionel as they played catch at first recess. He didn't mention Lionel as they climbed rocks at the back of the yard at second recess.

By the time they walked home together after school, Kate had almost forgotten about Lionel.

“I hope they give us milk-chocolate samples at the chocolate factory,” Kate told Jake. “Milk chocolate is my favorite.”

“I hope they give us milk-chocolate-with-caramel samples,” said Jake. “I love caramel.”

“Maybe they'll try out new chocolate bars on us,” said Kate.

“Yeah. Like chocolate with spinach?”

“Or broccoli,” said Kate.

“Or chocolate with sardines!” said Jake.

“How about mashed-up hot dog bits?” suggested Kate.

Soon Jake and Kate were laughing so hard they couldn't talk.

It felt like old times.

On Friday after school, Jake came over to Kate's house.

“Let's play in your walk-in closet,” suggested Jake.

They loved playing in the closet. It was big and dark and spooky.

Sometimes it became a jungle, and they hunted lions.

Sometimes it became a time machine, and they went back to caveman days. Sometimes they went forward in time and became robots.

“Let's fly to Mars today,” suggested Kate as she opened the closet door.

“Look out!” said Jake. “There's a green alien behind you.”

Kate spun around. “Yikes!” she screamed. “His eyes look like slimeballs.”

Jake grabbed Kate's arm. “There are three more aliens behind you. And they have ray guns.”

Kate grabbed a wire hanger.
Pow. Pow. Pow

“Got ‘em!” she said.

“Look. They've melted into green mush,” said Jake, pointing to a rolled-up green sweater on the floor.

“But here come three blue aliens.”

“Don't worry. They're carrying signs,” said Jake. “Their signs say
WE COME IN PEACE
.”

“Yeah, right. I don't believe them. It's a trap,” said Kate.

“Listen,” said Jake. “What's that noise?”

“I don't hear anything,” said Kate.

“Someone is saying my name,” said Jake, “for real.”

Kate and Jake listened. Sure enough, someone was calling Jake's name. It sounded far away, but the sound was coming closer and closer.

Kate grabbed Jake's hand. Jake's hand was sweaty.

“Jake! Jake!” The voice was louder and louder. “Are you in there?”

“Oh,” said Kate. “It's just my mother.” Kate opened the closet door.

“Oh, there you two are,” said Kate's mom. “Your mom wants you to come home, Jake. Your cousin Lionel and his mother have just come over to your house.”

“Great!” said Jake, and before Kate could say goodbye, he dashed out the door.

Kate slumped on her bed. Everything had been going so well. Everything was the way it used to be.

But now it wasn't.

Lionel was back.

“There's nothing to do,” Kate told her mom on Saturday.

“Call Jake. You usually play with him on Saturday,” suggested her mom.

“He's probably busy with Lionel. Lionel's moving to our neighborhood today.”

“Call anyway. Jake might not be busy all day.

” Kate sighed. “Okay. I'll call, but I bet he'll be busy.”

Kate dialed Jake's number.

“Hi, Kate,” said Jake in his usual friendly voice.

“Do you want to come over and watch a movie?” asked Kate.

“I can't,” said Jake. “I have to help Lionel move his stuff today.”

“How about tomorrow?” asked Kate. “We could watch a movie and play in my closet.”

“I can't,” said Jake. “We're taking Lionel and his parents out for lunch. Then Lionel is showing me his new computer games. Isn't it great that Lionel lives only two blocks away from me?”

Kate wanted to scream, No, it's not great!

But she couldn't scream. She couldn't say anything. She felt like she'd just swallowed a frog and it was stuck in her throat.

“See you at school,” said Jake.

Kate slammed down the phone. “I wish I hadn't called,” she told her mom. “Jake is busy all weekend with Lionel. He'll probably be busy all year with Lionel. Then I'll have nobody to play with.”

Kate ran to her room. She punched her pillow. She buried her head in her quilt.

“Come on, Kate,” said her mom, opening the door. “Let's go to the movies.”

“I don't want to go to the movies. I don't want to do anything. I'm never leaving my room.”

Kate's mom sighed. “If you change your mind,” she said, “let me know.”

Kate's mom shut her door.

Kate crawled under her quilt. She closed her eyes, but when she did, all she could hear was Jake
and Lionel laughing. All she could see was Jake and Lionel playing computer games.

Kate opened her eyes.

She jumped out of bed. She grabbed her new book,
Mystery on Planet Zebra
.

Jake said it was good. Jake said that when she finished
Planet Zebra
, he'd give her his copy of
Mystery on Planet Ape
.

Kate slammed the book shut. Her room was full of Jake. Jake's books. The closet they played in. She even had Jake's socks in her drawer. He had left them there when they played Desert Island three weeks ago.

Jake was everywhere in her room. She had to get out or she'd really really scream.

Kate opened her door.

“Let's go to the movies, Mom,” she said.