Friday, October 31st. Halloween

Iwas completely wrong about Lilly Moscovitz. At lunch, I found out the truth about her and Hank.

We were all sitting in the school cafeteria—me and my bodyguard Lars, Tina Hakim Baba, and her bodyguard Wahim, Lilly, Boris, and our friends, Shameeka and Ling Su.

Suddenly, someone walked up to our table. We looked up. A tall, very handsome young man was standing there. We all stared in surprise. It was Hank! But he looked very different. Everyone in the cafeteria stopped talking. They were all looking at him.

Hank was wearing a black sweater, a long black leather coat, black jeans, and black boots. His blond hair had been cut short. He looked like the actor, Keanu Reeves, in the film, The Matrix.

"Hello, Mia," said my cousin, sitting down beside me.

Hank's clothes were different, but his voice was different too. It was deeper. He didn't pronounce words like a person from Indiana. He no longer had an Indiana accent.

"So," Lilly said to him. "What happened ?"

"Well," Hank said in his new, deep voice. "I have to thank you, Lilly. I got the job. I'm going to be a model. A famous fashion company wants me to model underwear. Pictures of me will soon be in magazines and on TV" He smiled a huge smile.

"Mia," he said, turning to me, "Your friend has done something that no one has ever done for me in my life."

What had Lilly done?

"When I was a young boy, I had a dream about being a model," said Hank. "I wanted to be a fashion model. But everyone laughed at me. When I told Lilly about my dream, she helped me. Now my dream has come true. I'm going to be a model. I'm going to be rich and famous."

"I only helped you a little, Hank," said Lilly. "I told you where to go. And 1 told you who to meet. You did the rest yourself."

Suddenly Hank stood up and pulled Lilly to her feet. Then he kissed her for a long time. Everyone stared at them.

When Hank let Lilly go, she sat down slowly.

"I'm never going back to Versailles with Mamaw and Papaw," Hank said to me. "Please tell them that."

Then he turned, and he started to walk out of the cafeteria. But just as Hank reached the door, Boris stood up. He grabbed Hank's arm.

"Hey, you!" Boris said. "Lilly is my girl, not yours." Two boys were arguing because of Lilly! It was very romantic. I want a boy to call me his girl. I want Michael to call me his girl.

Then Boris hit Hank in the face. But Boris hurt his own hand. He didn't hurt Hank.

Afternoon

I used Lars's cellphone to call Mamaw and Papaw at their hotel. Mamaw answered the call.

"It's me," I said. "I'm calling with news about Hank." "WHERE IS HE?" shouted Mamaw.

"Mamaw," I said. "Hank is OK. He's going to be a model. He's got a contract with one of the best modeling agencies in New York. He's going to model underwear. He's going to be very famous."

"UNDERWEAR!" Mamaw shouted. "My grandson is going to model underwearl Mia, tell Hank to call me RIGHT NOW. He's in BIG TROUBLE."

"OK, Mamaw," I said. "Er. . .is the wedding still going to take place tomorrow? Did you talk to my mom?"

"Of course," said Mamaw. "Everything is ready." "Really?" I said. I was very surprised. "Has Mom agreed to the plans? Will she be at the Gold and White Room at the Plaza on Saturday?"

"Yes, she'll be there," said Mamaw.

I hung up the phone. I felt sad and a little disappointed. I was sad for Mom, because she didn't want a big wedding. And I was sad for myself, because I didn't want to go to the wedding on Saturday. I wanted to go to the Rocky Horror movie with Michael.

Later, I talked with Lilly about Hank. Michael was there too. ME: Why did you help Hank become a model, Lilly? LILLY: Hank had a dream about becoming a model. So I helped him. I gave him some advice about fashion. I helped him to speak without his Indiana accent. Then he went to the modeling agency. They said, "You're tall and you have an excellent body. Your face, skin, eyes, teeth and hair are very good." Then a photographer took some photos of Hank. The pictures were great! The agency became very excited. The next day, they gave him a job. ME: Why was Hank's visit to the agency a big secret? Why didn't you tell me about it?

LILLY: Because he didn't want you to laugh at him. Hank is your cousin. You don't see him as other people see him. But he's a very special person. He'll do great things. His dream can come true. MICHAEL: Yeah. He'll model underwear.

LILLY: You're jealous, Michael. Hank is going to be a supermodel!

Michael didn't say anything else to me all day. Is he Jo-C-rox, my secret admirer? Why won't he tell me?

Five reasons why Michael won't tell me

1. He's shy. He can't tell me his real feelings.

2. He thinks that I don't like him.

3. He's thought about me, and now he doesn't like me.

4- He doesn't want a freshman to be his girlfriend. He's older than me. He's a senior. 5. He isn't Jo-C-rox.

My Mom's Wedding Day

Saturday, November 1st, 7:00 p.m. The Plaza Hotel It's been a very strange day. When I woke up this morning, the apartment was very quiet. I went to my mom's bedroom and knocked on the door. But nobody answered. So I opened the door and went inside. No one was there!

A few minutes later, the phone rang. It was my dad.

"Dad, Mom has disappeared," I said. "And Mr Gianini isn't here either. Where are they?"

"Don't worry, Mia," said my dad. "Your mother is OK. She's written you a letter. I have it here. You can have it at eight o'clock tonight."

"But Dad, the wedding is at eight o'clock tonight."

"I know," said my dad. "I have to go now, Mia."

"No, Dad, wait—"

But my dad hung up the phone. Then it rang again. It was Grandmere.

"Are you and your mother ready?" she asked. "We're all going to the beauty salon. You have to get your hair and makeup done."

"Er.. .Mom's left already," I said.

"Well," said Grandmere. "The limousine is coming to your apartment at ten o'clock to pick you up."

When the limousine arrived, Grandmere was sitting in it with Mamaw. "Your mother has gone to another beauty salon," said Grandmere. "Your father told me."

We went to Grandmere's favorite beauty salon—Chez Paolo. We stayed there all day. When we left, our hair and makeup looked beautiful. Then we went back to the Plaza

Hotel and I put on my lovely pink dress and shoes. I'm sitting here in a little room, waiting for my mom.

9:00 p.m.

MY MOM AND MR GIANIN1 ARE MARRIED!

At 7:45 the wedding guests began to arrive at the White and Gold Room. Hundreds of famous people came. There were rock stars, millionaires, and film actors. There were members of royal families and beautiful models.

At eight o'clock, I asked my dad for my mom's letter. I read it and then I had to sit down. I couldn't believe what 1 read. Then my dad went to the front of the room and made a speech to the guests.

"Thank you all for coming here tonight," he said. "Unfortunately, the wedding will not take place this evening.

This morning, Helen Thermopolis and Frank Gianini eloped. They flew to Mexico and got married secretly."

Grandmere screamed and almost fell from her chair. Vigo ran to help her.

"But please stay and have dinner with us," continued my dad. "There is lots of wonderful food and wine in the ballroom. And thank you again for coming."

The guests were very surprised. They stood up and went into the ballroom. I read the letter from my mom again. de<\r Hux,

be rec*.<k*a this letter <\t ? o'clock. 6* tUtxt ti^\e, . cxrA I wiW be •n^xrcL-eA. I cou^Wt tell uiou our pIuyS before. I

XY\t your aro~.yJm^otUer to cxsK uicu cuestuMS txbout us. You're u \*jo»Jterful AxuqUter, ckyJ\ ycu've UelveJi t^e tx lot tWs crtx^M tL**\e. TWs n-ew boJcM wlW be v-eru luctV H« or sUe Veue (\ woYuterfuX big Sister. Your wvi'

I wasn't shocked by the news of Mom's secret marriage. It's very romantic. I was shocked because my father helped my mom and Mr Gianini. And my dad stopped Grandmere's plans. My dad has always been frightened of Grandmere.

I went up to my father and put my arms around him. I hugged him tightly.

"You did it, Dad!" I said, laughing. "Grandmere will be really mad when she knows the truth."

"Why are you surprised, Mia?" he said. "I'm not frightened of my mother. She isn't as bad as you think."

Just then, Vigo came over to us.

"Your Highness," he said to my dad, "your mother—the Dowager Princess Clarisse—is in her hotel suite. She won't come out. She's upset and embarrassed."

My dad and I went up to Grandmere's penthouse suite. My dad knocked on the door.

"Mother," he called. "It's Philippe. Please open this door at once." There was no reply. "Dad," I said quietly. "Let me speak to her."

"Grandmere, it's me, Mia," I called through the door. "Mom and Mr Gianini eloped and I'm really sorry. But Mom didn't want this big wedding. I told you that." There was still no reply. "Grandmere," I said. "You're not behaving like a princess. A princess must always be brave, even if things go wrong. You taught me that. A princess must never hide her face. Come down to the ballroom. Come to the party and speak to your guests."

Suddenly the door opened and Grandmere came out. She was wearing a purple dress, and she had jewels in her hair.

"Of course I'm going back to the party," she said. "I had to put on more makeup. That's why I came up here." I looked at my dad and my dad looked at me. "Of course, Grandmere," I said.

Then Grandmere did a surprising thing. She held my arm. Then I held my dad's arm. The three of us stood in the hallway, joined together. It was a very special moment.

Date: 2015-12-18; view: 933