Clara Humble and the Kitten Caboodle

Clara Humble and the Kitten Caboodle — page 7 — workshop I’d read off Bradley’s mom’s laptop I couldn’t help wrinkling my nose It wasn’t that I didn’t like treasure Bradley and I had been digging holes in his yard for years searching for buried artifacts But there were just so many other cool camps to choose from In the end I picked something else but Bradley had his heart set on four weeks of JTT the same four weeks coincidentally as his new friend Nelson It was good that they got along because they were going to be removing a lot of rust together And I was glad Bradley had a camp friend I just didn’t understand why he’d picked Nelson The guy was so serious What about some SweeTarts then Bradley suggested They’re not sticky No thanks Nelson pushed his glasses up on his nose and flipped another page in the magazine Just leave him alone someone said Even though I was busy picking Jolly Ranchers out of the grass and had my back turned and regardless of the fact that he was mumbling through a mouthful of gumballs I didn’t have to guess who it was More candy for me that way added Shane 14

Clara Humble and the Kitten Caboodle — page 8 — When you’re #1 at being the worst MOST LEAST FAVORITE PERSON OF THE YEAR Biggs my new neighbor and most least favorite person Just before Christmas he and his mom bought my old neighbor Momo’s house Since moving in not only had they ruined her prizewinning garden by never watering it and painted the whole place a sad color called storm gray they’d also cut down a big oak tree that used to be a home for squirrels and birds just to make way for a basketball net Shane never used And those weren’t even the only reasons he was the worst Just two months before summer holidays Shane had done his best to sabotage me and every other girl contestant who’d competed on the game show Smarty Pants Then once school let out my mother had insisted that I go be neighborly I’d knocked on Shane’s door after dinner and invited him to do not one not two but three outstandingly fun things with me and Bradley one of which 15

Clara Humble and the Kitten Caboodle — page 9 — involved applesauce a catapult and an inflatable clown And every single time he’d said he was too busy when it was obvious he was just sitting around playing Xbox Basically Shane was mean and lazy and unless there was something in it for him he had no and I mean ZERO sense of adventure and those are qualities I just cannot stand in a person Don’t you think you’ve got enough candy I said to Shane His pockets were bulging both his hands were full and his mouth was too Jamila and Glenn hardly got any and you’re hogging it all So he countered smacking his gum They should have run faster when the piñata broke I put my hands on my hips and stared him down but before I could let Shane know exactly what I thought of his bad attitude Bradley cut in It’s okay he said I’ve got more candy inside There’s lots for everyone To my dismay Bradley had decided to be friendly to Shane toward the end of the school year mostly because he felt sorry for him Shane had just moved from another city and didn’t 16

Clara Humble and the Kitten Caboodle — page 10 — know anyone Bradley had even invited Shane to his birthday party without being forced to by his mom But that was my best friend for you He was nice to everyone It kind of made those of us with higher standards look bad Hey Bradley said brightly when he saw that I was still glaring at Shane people’s parents will be here soon We should play your game Clara I glanced down at my digital precision wristwatch Bradley was right It was time for Chicken Chuckle Challenge a fast-paced laugh-out-loud-funny laugh-out-loud-funny party game with an unexpected twist I’d personally invented and planned it for Bradley’s big day Okay everyone Gather round I stepped into the middle of the lawn Come on Nelson you too I urged when Bradley’s new friend still didn’t put down his dull magazine I waited for him to join us and then I took a rubber chicken out of the bag of supplies I’d prepared and held it up over my head This I explained is the Chuckle Chicken The person holding it steps into the middle of the circle They’ve got thirty seconds to do something that 17

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