Bridget studied DeDe’s spiral curls not a strand out of place I can’t believe she’s just a few years older than we are Bridget remarked She looks so grown-up Man Emma said She’s so pretty I wish I looked like that Emma tousled her hair but it fell back down as straight as always Your hair is more like hers Mine Bridget tried to ignore the swell of pride she felt Emma thought she looked like DeDe Haliwell No way Mine’s way more frizzy Bridget laughed Well you run like her anyway Remember in Data Match when she’s running in that underground tunnel You run like that Bridget rolled her eyes Whatever You’ve seen that movie too many times You’re obsessed Emma jabbed Bridget with her elbow What’s the article say Bridget flipped back to the article It says she’s been vacationing in Paris Nice 6
DeDe is classy like that Emma remarked What else is there Bridget smiled She loved looking through BlinkTeen with Emma As best friends they had a lot in common but there was one big difference Like a lot of the other kids at Blue Lake Junior High Emma owned a smartphone and a tablet computer Bridget on the other hand was probably the only kid in the universe who had a smartphone a tablet a laptop a GameBlast gaming system a FitLife fitness tracking bracelet YouView high-tech eyeglasses and too many other tech gadgets to count Her dad Nick Grant was the president of Lingo a local technology company and Bridget had access to all sorts of gadgets and apps Emma had even nicknamed her Bridget Gadget a few years ago and it stuck Oh Let’s look at that article about Alison Hunt Emma said pointing to a link on the screen and a picture of the famous swimmer It says she’s got a good shot at the gold medal this year Just then Bridget heard her smartphone vibrating on the coffee table 7
Hang on Bridget said picking up her phone The text was from Poua Bridget’s classmate and president of Palette the school’s art club Gotta work on our presentation 2morrow Poua’s text read Ugh great Bridget mumbled as she read the text Emma had taken the tablet from Bridget while she checked her phone and was already reading the Alison Hunt article What’s that Emma asked absently It’s just Poua We’re partnered up for a history project on the Korean War But why did it have to be Poua Mr Aster didn’t let you pick your partner Bridget sighed Not this time She rubbed her forehead They hadn’t even started their project yet and Bridget already felt a headache coming on Bridget actually liked Poua most of the time But working on a project with her wasn’t easy Poua wanted to work all day and all night just to make the project absolutely perfect and 8
ensure an A Their presentation wasn’t due for weeks and she was already texting You’re gonna be working hard Emma remarked I know And it’s not like I don’t want an A I do I want to do a good job but I also you know have a life Bridget knew Emma was only half listening as she absorbed the BlinkTeen article You have a life Emma teased Is your life all about reading gossip magazines with your BFF Emma gestured at herself and grinned Bridget laughed as she leaned over Emma’s shoulder to peer at the tablet She peered at the image of Alison Hunt in mid-stroke Wow Bridget breathed daydreaming Wouldn’t it be cool to have your pic all over the Web like this Like everyone knows who she is Emma nodded Yeah and everyone thinks she’s awesome Who wouldn’t want that 9
