Finders Keepers

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

EVEN WITH HER SORE throat, Amanda had never before been so incredibly happy to be back in her own body. She felt so good, she insisted on going back to school. And for the first time ever, she was impatient to get through the day so she could go to the gifted class.

She had so much to tell them! Even Madame would be impressed with her adventure. Of course Jenna would claim to be the hero, since she had organized the revelation of the medium’s true identity. But Amanda could top that. She had the most amazing, stupendous news of all. There was a conspiracy, just as Madame had suggested. People who’d tried to use the gifted students were working together. And their very own school principal was part of the gang.

Just before class, she went into a bathroom to touch up her lipgloss and brush her hair. She wanted to make a grand entrance, so she stayed there until the warning bell rang, and then dashed down the hall.

She entered just as the final bell rang. From her desk, Madame looked up and smiled.

‘Welcome back, Amanda! How are you feeling?’

‘A little tired,’ Amanda said, ‘but not from the operation.’ She addressed the whole class. ‘You’ll be surprised to learn I haven’t been spending the last few days in bed.’

Jenna spoke. ‘We’re not surprised. Tracey told us.’

Amanda stared at her. ‘Tracey told you what?’

‘Emily and I went to visit you at the hospital,’ Tracey said. ‘We knew it wasn’t you.’

Amanda hadn’t realized Tracey was there. Neither had Madame.

‘Tracey! Where did you come from?’

The newly visible Tracey explained. ‘Ken wanted to help his friend from the seance, Stevie, to find his father’s lottery ticket.’

Ken picked up the story. ‘His father spoke to me last night and told me where the ticket was. I wanted to tell Stevie myself but I came up with a better plan that meant I didn’t have to reveal my gift. I asked Tracey if she could turn herself invisible, get the ticket, and put it somewhere the family was bound to see it.’

Madame looked pleased. ‘Very good, Ken. You managed to keep the secret and help Stevie’s family. Well done!’

Now everyone was congratulating Ken and Tracey. Amanda was starting to feel as if she was invisible.

‘Isn’t anyone interested in knowing where I went when I left my body?’ she asked loudly.

‘Let me guess,’ Charles said. ‘Someone who wasn’t getting their tonsils taken out.’

‘No kidding,’ Jenna remarked. ‘You know, Amanda, I never thought you had a very useful gift — at least not for helping anyone else — but it certainly works for you. You can get out of doing anything you don’t want to do.’

Amanda was furious. ‘For your information, Miss Know-it-all, I happened to be at Ken’s seance!’

Ken was clearly startled. ‘You’re kidding! Who were you?’

Gratified by the attention, Amanda preened. ‘Margaret Robinson, the woman who claimed her mother had just died. But who turned out to be Serena’s pal!’

‘Serena?’ Madame asked.

Ken broke in. ‘Serena Hancock, that girl who did student-teaching here. She was the fake medium.’

‘Good grief!’ Madame remarked. ‘She’s certainly determined to get her hands on a lottery ticket.’

Amanda was about to announce that there was much more to it than that when Madame turned back to her.

‘Amanda, if you took over the body of someone involved in this business, you must have realized straight away that it was a scam.’

Amanda nodded proudly. ‘I did, and—’

But Madame wasn’t finished. She spoke sternly. ‘Then you should have come directly here and told me! You put yourself in grave danger, not to mention Ken.’

‘And us,’ Jenna piped up. ‘ Me and Emily and Tracey.’

‘Why did you do that, Amanda?’ Madame wanted to know. ‘Why didn’t you tell us what was going on?’

Jenna jumped in again. ‘Because she was probably having too much fun being an adult. What did you do, Amanda? Shop till you dropped?’

That got a laugh from several classmates.

‘Now, Jenna,’ Madame reprimanded her, ‘let’s hear Amanda’s side of the story.’

But Amanda was no longer interested in telling them what she’d learned. They were making fun of her, criticizing her, treating her like a villain! And the way Ken was looking at her now, like she was scum! She was hurt, and she was furious. These people — they didn’t deserve to know what she knew.

She made a decision. She was not going to tell them about the conspiracy, about Mr Jackson — about anything. She’d keep it to herself. And they’d all be sorry for having picked on her like this.

Because with the information she had, she’d be the one who would save them all from whatever those bad people were planning. She’d be the biggest hero of all. She’d be worshipped and adored and respected. Which was what she deserved.

But for now.

‘My throat hurts,’ she announced. ‘Can I go to the infirmary and ask the nurse to call my mother? I think I should go home.’

Madame was immediately sympathetic. ‘Of course, Amanda. We can discuss this at another time, when you’re feeling better.’

And with her head high and her secret intact, Amanda left the room.