Izzy Newton and the S.M.A.R.T. Squad No. 1: Absolute Hero
preferably at the lake Actually preferably in the lake Allie churned up waves to splash Izzy in celebration You did it she shouted Finally Hurra yelled Charlie Way to go Izzy Admit it You loved it said Allie I did Izzy agreed She nodded sending water droplets sliding down her nose Other droplets that were caught in her eyelashes and her curly black hair refracted the sunlight like prisms You’re right The rope swing is The Best I can’t believe it took you all summer to jump said Allie You’re such a chicken Hey Charlie protested First of all chickens aren’t necessarily scaredy cats And neither is Izzy She’s just like you know slow and careful Right Iz Yeeesss said Izzy slowly and carefully In slo-mo she cupped her hands and with exaggerated care scooped up water and sprinkled it on her friends The three girls burst into laughter Izzy knew she wasn’t the bravest person in the world Take the rope swing for example It was a brand new addition to the lake this summer The very first time Allie and Charlie saw it their eyes lit up and they raced over to 8
test it out Not Izzy The first time and every time she’d thought about trying the swing she’d held back Questions flashed through her brain and set it whirling What if I let go too soon What if I belly flop Would all the other swimmers watch and laugh at me No wonder her nickname was Dizzy Izzy her mind was always spinning But tomorrow was a new day her first at Atom Middle School and Izzy was determined to leave Dizzy Izzy behind It may have taken all summer but Izzy felt that her leap off the rope swing was a giant step toward ditching her anxious alter ego She grinned at her friends and said Now that I’ve jumped once I want to do it again like a gazillion more times Me too said Allie already wading ashore Allie was too impatient to walk the long curve of the beach past the lifeguard’s chair and wait her turn behind the other kids headed to the tree She took a more direct route scrambling over the rocks at the tree’s base Allie Charlie called out in warning I think that might be But Allie was already too far away to hear Charlie She grabbed the rope ran back and then forward and 9
swung out over the water Waa-hoo she whooped wildly waving her arms and legs as she tumbled through the air into the water making as much commotion as possible Charlie sighed saying Gotta feel sorry for the poor fish don’t you Yup said Izzy She grinned It was typical of Charlie to sympathize with the lake creatures Hurry up commanded Allie when she surfaced next to Izzy and Charlie Today’s your last chance to do those gazillion jumps Izzy Tomorrow is the first day of school I know said Izzy And not just any first day Tomorrow’s the first day of middle school Claro said Charlie So Izzy if you don’t want to show up covered in a rash don’t climb over the rocks like Allie Oop just did Charlie pointed to some greenery growing on the rocks That’s poison ivy No way squeaked Allie Yes way said Charlie Isn’t it pachysandra asked Allie Charlie shook her head Poison she repeated ivy Awww man groaned Allie frantically examining her arms Just what I need for the first day of school 10
a screaming pink rash I tried to stop you said Charlie but You were too rash joked Izzy Get it Ha ha said Allie rolling her eyes at Izzy’s painful pun Never mind Allie soothed Charlie The lake water will wash the poison ivy off Wait here while Izzy and I jump again Let’s go the long way Charlie said Izzy She slid Allie a grin and scratched an imaginary itch behind her ear A pink rash will clash with my back to school outfit Ohhhh moaned Allie with dramatic misery She sank down into the water until it covered her bright blond head and then shot up right next to Izzy to splash her laughing loudly Good old Allie thought Izzy Talk about a disaster magnet But she bounces back fast Charlie on the other hand was just naturally cool and calm Izzy watched Charlie use the rope swing Effortlessly she swooped flipped midair and dove smoothly Izzy had to give her own jump a lot more thought She carefully calculated when the swing reached its highest point and then just as 11
