Episode 6: Coming of Age: The Extraordinarily Ordinary Life of Cassandra Jones: Walker Wildcats Year 2: Age 11, #6

By Tamara Hart Heiner

When Cassie's best friend gets a boyfriend, Cassie suddenly sees the boys around her in a different light. The bigger question is, will boys see her differently also? As Cassie struggles with peer pressure and expectations, she learns for herself that her worth is not dependent on a boy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tamark Books
• Release date: Nov 9, 2016
• ISBN: 9781540178084

Tamara Hart Heiner

Tamara Hart Heiner lives in Arkansas with her husband, four kids, a cat, a rabbit, and several fish. She would love to add a macaw and a sugar glider to the family collection. She graduated with a degree in English and an editing emphasis from Brigham Young University. She's been an editor for BYU-TV and currently works as an editor for WiDo Publishing and as a freelancer. She's the author of the young adult suspense series, PERILOUS, INEVITABLE, the CASSANDRA JONES saga, and a nonfiction book about the Joplin tornado, TORNADO WARNING. 

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Going Together

ESTHER VANGUARD WAS still absent on Thursday. As the sixth-grade class ambassador, it was Cassandra Jones’ job to collect the homework assignments for all sick kids.

Never mind that Esther detested Cassie and had made that clear from the first day they met. Cassie had a job to do.

She copied down the homework assignments, knowing this was the easy part. The hard part was having to call the student every day.

Cassie held the cordless phone in her hands after dinner, trying to talk herself into making the phone call. It went okay yesterday, she reminded herself. Just do it. Bracing herself, she dialed the number.

Esther’s mom put Esther on the phone.

Hi, Esther, it’s Cassie, she said, feeling foolish.

Hi.

With that one word, they drifted into silence. Cassie listened to the ragged breathing on the other line. Is your pneumonia better?

No.

When will you be back in school?

I don’t know. Esther coughed loudly.

Tomorrow’s the book fair, Cassie said. I hate for you to miss it.

Yeah, Esther said. That’s too bad.

Cassie had run out of things to say. I’ll make sure you get your homework.

Thanks.

Bye, Cassie said, remembering to say it before she hung up this time.

ESTHER MUST REALLY be sick, Andrea Wall, Cassie’s best friend, commented the next day as she watched Cassie copying two sets of notes, yet again.

Yeah, Cassie said. She’s got pneumonia. It could be awhile before she comes back.

Is she being nice to you?

Cassie shrugged and put the homework assignment in a neat pile. It would be hard to be rude on the phone.

All right, class, Ms. Timber, their teacher, said. It’s time to go to the book fair. If you brought money, please get it now. If you didn’t, you’re welcome to peruse the books and check something out.

Cassie went to the backpack cubbies with the rest of her class. She had money. She planned to buy three books.

Are you getting anything? she whispered to Andrea as they walked down the hall, even though she knew Andrea didn’t like to read.

I’ll probably get one of those cool light-up pencils they usually have.

I like those, Cassie agreed.

Her heart fluttered with excitement when they walked into the library, and she smiled to see the shelves spread out and open with brand new books on them. If she ended up working in a library or bookstore for the rest of her life, she would be content.

The buzz of excited chatter filled the small room as kids looked over the books they wanted. Right away, Cassie found the three she’d circled in the flier. She started toward the cash register and paused. A nagging thought entered her mind, and once it set root, she couldn’t get it out.

Esther.

Esther would miss the book fair, and Cassie knew she liked to read. She even knew what kind of books Esther liked to read, since she’d seen Esther reading them. They were the same kind Cassie liked.

Hesitantly, she turned around and went back to the bookshelves. She picked up the sequel she knew Esther didn’t own and held it in her hands. If she bought this, she’d have to put back one of her own.

She was still standing there thinking and staring when Andrea joined her.

Did you find what you wanted? she asked.

Cassie nodded without looking at her best friend. But I think I need to get this book for Esther.

For Esther? Andrea scoffed. "Why would you do that? She doesn’t even like