Operation Tenley by Jennifer Gooch Hummer
The bus was packed. In the back row, Tenley was looking down at an iPad with a group of students hovering around her.
“We got the Fairy!” a girl yelled, pointing up at Pennie.
Pennie felt her cheeks drain.
“What did she say?” Holden asked.
Pennie didn’t answer.
Every student was staring at her now. “Hey Fairy!” a few shouted.
“What’s going on?” Holden asked.
Tenley ran down the aisle. “It must have accidentally uploaded to the Internet last night when you were telling me all that stuff!” She held out the iPad for Pennie. There was a frozen image of her standing in Tenley’s room wearing the tennis outfit. “Someone’s made a remix and put it on YouTube. I’m really sorry.”
“You recorded everything I told you?”
“By mistake. I didn’t even think our Internet was working, remember?”
“Everything I told you?” Pennie’s voice shrilled.
“Not everything. Just this.”
Tenley pressed play.
A rap montage with Pennie’s image on the screen began:
“I’m not who you think I am.
A gin—gin—gin—ginger?
One of you.
Popular?
From Earth.
As in this Ear—ear—ear—ear—earth, the one I’m standing on?
(A huge Pennie is suddenly slipping off planet Earth)
I’m sorry, it’s the gra—gra—gra—gra—gravity.
Right. The gra—gra—gra—gra—gravity.
I’m a Fair One.
A fair one?
You’d know us as Fai—fai—fai—fai—fai—fai—fairies. What we were before.
You’re a fairy?
(Pennie grows huge animated wings behind her)
I don’t want your mom to know. Or anyone else. I can get into a lot of trou—
ou—ou—ou—ou—ou—ouble.
Where are your wings?
We don’t use them anymore.
(The animated wings behind Pennie get crossed out and crumble off)
How do you get around?
Propellers.
Like helicopters?
(Animated propellers appear over Pennie)
Exactly.
So where are they?
I didn’t bring them to Earth.
(the propellers crumble like sand and disappear)
For rea—lsies?
Yes. For rea—rea—rea—rea—rea—rea—realsies. I swear.
(A giant animated spaceship engulfs them and takes them away)
A lacrosse boy started singing the rap, egging on the rest of the bus.
“Tenley, how could you?” Pennie whispered.
Tenley looked miserable.
“Fairy-licious, show us your propellers,” a student called up to her. Other students began videoing Pennie with their phones.
Until Mr. Mingby walked up the stairs.
“Quiet down now.”
No one did.
“Students, please. Quiet down now.” Mr. Mingby waved his hands for emphasis. “Miss Tylwyth, Mr. Wonderbolt, new girl, find your seats.”
Tenley turned to the back of the bus. Holden and Pennie slid into the first row, the last two empty seats together. But the noise level remained the same.
“Quiet!” Mr. Mingby yelled. A few of the silent kids glanced up before dropping their heads down to their phones again.
Red-faced, Mr. Mingby opened his mouth to yell when a large woman in a uniform appeared next to him.
She popped her thumb and forefinger into her mouth and whistled.
The bus fell silent.
“My name is Ms. Shareen and this”—she pointed to the floor—“is my bus. I take things very personally on my bus. That means no eating, no gum, no graffiti, no drinking, no littering, and no profanity. You do any of these things.” She wagged her finger and pointed toward the window. “I drop you off out there. I pull my baby over and you’re out. Questions?”
There were a few rumblings, but no one raised a hand.
“I got eyes right here.” She pointed to her rearview mirror. “They see it all. I can see what color lip-gloss y’all have on.” A boy laughed, but Ms. Shareen’s glare shut him down. “Mr. Teacher, you got anything else to say?” She turned to Mr. Mingby with her hands on her generous hips.
Mr. Mingby, looking mesmerized by her, broke his stare and nodded to the group. “Be respectful, students. We’ll be off school premises so if you do something you shouldn’t, you’ll get arrested and we’ll all just stand there and watch.” Mr. Mingby looked back to Ms. Shareen for approval. She nodded affirmatively.
“All right then. ETA is seven-thirty, give or take. Let’s get you to Adventures, Inc.!” She clapped once and squeezed into the driver’s throne. Mr. Mingby sat in the single seat catty-corner from her.
Pennie felt a heaviness worse than gravity fill her chest. Tenley had exposed her identity with the video, which meant if the Fair Force deemed it necessary, they would have to erase the memory of every single person who saw it. That wouldn’t go over well with the Fairships.
“Why did you tell Tenley all those weird things?” Holden asked.
“I didn’t, I mean, the thing is, I was in a play. At my old school. And I was saying my lines, you know, acting them out with her.”
“Oh.” Holden chuckled. He stood and turned to the back of the bus. “It was a play, morons. She was acting out her lines in a play.” Only a few kids looked like they’d heard him, but already those few kids were telling a few of the other kids.
Pennie exhaled quietly.
Holden sat again and held his phone up to her.
“What are you doing?”
“Documenting the first time I sat next to you on a bus.”
Something hit Holden in the back of his head. He looked up into Ms. Shareen’s rearview mirror, but she’d missed it.
“Holden, you have something in your hair,” Pennie said.
“What is it?” He ripped out a chunk along with a wad of gum. When he saw what it was, he shifted around to see who’d thrown it. No one made eye contact.
“I hate it here,” Holden said, turning back and throwing the wad of hair and gum on the floor before remembering Ms. Shareen and her mirror. But she’d missed this too.
“Where?” Pennie asked.
“Here. School.”
“It will get better, Holden,” Pennie said softly.
“Sit your butt down back there!” Ms. Shareen yelled. A boy stood frozen in the middle of the aisle.
“Lost my paperclip.” The boy smirked, holding up a paperclip to prove it and then scurried back to his seat.
“If I were that guy, I’d probably love it here,” Holden said.
“That guy?” Pennie asked. “What does he have that you don’t?”
“Let’s see. That guy rules the school. So, respect, for one thing. He can do whatever he wants.” Holden snorted lightly. “Like that lacrosse jerk. Same thing. They were just born lucky.” He glanced down at his cast. “Not like me.”
“Someday, Holden, you’re going to find out just how lucky you are.”
Holden snorted again.
“It might not seem like it now,” Pennie said. “But you’re a special guy, Holden Wonderbolt. And you’re going to do great things. Try to remember that.”
“Would you go out with me?” he asked quietly. Then he turned to her with his cheeks flushed. “I mean like would you. Not would you?”
“Yes,” Pennie said. “If I were a girl in your class, I would.”
“You are a girl in my class.”
The bus started to move, and quickly screeched to a stop. Mr. Mingby’s paperwork flew off his lap and into the aisle. While Ms. Shareen honked at the squirrel in the middle of the road, Holden leaned over and gathered everything up for Mr. Mingby.
“Thank you, Mr. Wonderbolt.”
“No problem, Mr. Mingby.”
Pennie smiled proudly. And hoped Laraby was too.
Something buzzed.
“I think your dinosaur alarm just went off,” Holden said.
Pennie looked at her wrist. 01:00:00. The one-hour mark. The Fair Force were on their way.
“I love that you wear a dinosaur watch,” Holden said. “What’s it counting down?”
Pennie looked back at Tenley.
“How long I have left on Earth with Tenley.”
“You wish.” Holden laughed.
32
00:20:00
Adventures, Inc.
Forty minutes later, Ms. Shareen jerked the bus into park. “Adventures, Inc., people!” she announced, as if the gigantic, three-story neon Adventures, Inc. sign wasn’t visible enough.
The students rushed into the aisle, including Pennie. She had twenty minutes to get Tenley as far away from everyone else as possible.
Before anyone reached the doors, Ms. Shareen whistled again.
“Children, you are going to leave my bus in an orderly manner. No pushin’, shovin’, textin’. I see any funny business, you stay on the bus. I could use a smarty pants to help me with my Sudoku.” She elbowed Mr. Mingby standing next to her. “Picking up what I’m laying down, Mr. Teacher Man?”
Apparently, Mr. Mingby was. He nodded and said, “Remember, students. We cannot be responsible for lost items such as cell phones, iPads, iPods, you-hoo’s. So we suggest you leave them on the bus.” He waited for Ms. Shareen to laugh but really, it was a fail of a joke, so she turned back to the students who were stepping all over each other waiting to get off.
“Back rows, you start,” Ms. Shareen waved.
The students filtered out of their rows as instructed.
Ms. Shareen elbowed Mr. Mingby proudly. “And that’s how it’s done, Mr. Teacher Man.”
“Call me Stan,” Mr. Mingby said.
“I’ll do that, Stan. And you can call me Ms. Shareen.”
Outside, two boys were already tackling each other by the time everyone was finally off the bus.
“Get over here.” Ms. Shareen pointed to them. “Now which one of you is better at Sudoku?”
Neither answered.
“Words with Friends?”
No answer.
Pennie tried to get Tenley’s attention, but when she waved to her, the lacrosse boy mimed flapping wings at her again.
“You look smarter.” Ms. Shareen pointed to the smaller of the two petrified boys.
The small boy shook his head. “I’m bad at stuff like words.”
Ms. Shareen crossed her arms. “I don’t like the look of them, Mr. Teacher Man. I think you’ll be needin’ some help with these tweens and things. Mind if I come along?”
“I was hoping you would, actually,” Mr. Mingby blushed.
A girl next to Tenley put her finger down her throat and pretended to gag.
Ms. Shareen climbed back onto the bus, peeled off her bus-driver sweater, and locked the door after she stepped out again. “Adventures Inc., let’s see what you got!”
33
00:12:01
Adventures, Inc.
Pennie scanned the layout as they walked farther inside the park.
“Sit next to me on the roller coaster?” Holden asked.
Pennie nodded but looked away. She had only minutes now.
When the roller coaster came into view, most of the students broke out of their groups and sprinted toward it.
“Do we have to go on?” a girl asked Mr. Mingby, who looked a little green himself.
“Sure don’t,” he said, taking off his glasses and cleaning them with his shirt. “In fact, I’m happy to sit this one out myself.” He slid his glasses back on. “Those who want to go on the ride, get in line. Those who would rather not, stay with me.”
A few more students stepped forward, but Pennie didn’t move. She had just spotted an area beyond the merry-go-round that looked empty.
“Aren’t you coming?” Holden asked.
“I’m not really into heights.” Pennie answered.
“But you said you’d sit with me.”
To the left of the roller coaster was a small shed they could also hide behind. “My stomach’s feeling a little funny. Is it okay if I wait for you over there?”
“I’ll stay with you.” Holden deflated. “There’s too many jerks around here.” He narrowed his eyes at a group of boys laughing at Pennie.
“Holden, please go.” If he didn’t leave soon, the Fair Force would have to erase his memory.
The alarm on her stopwatch went off. The ten-minute warning.
“I think your dinosaur’s calling again,” Holden grinned.
“You should go on. Please.”
“You coming, Mr. Teacher Man?” Ms. Shareen called back from the front of the line.
“I’ll sit this one out.” He waved to her on his tiptoes.
Ms. Shareen stormed over, grabbed his elbow, and dragged him into the front of the line with her.
“Mingby’s got more game than you, Wonderbolt!” A few boys smirked, patting him on the shoulder. “How about you and your fairy go on over to the Log Ride?” They flapped their imaginary wings and cracked each other up.
“Very funny. Why don’t you losers go on it instead?” Tenley snickered, but when she pointed over to it, she froze.
Dan Ringer was standing in front of it.
“Dan!” Tenley waved. “Hey Danny, it’s me, Tenley!”
“Omigod! Dan Ringer!” A group of girls squealed.
Dan nodded politely, but when he noticed Pennie, he broke out into a wide smile. “Hey there, Pennie, Holden. You guys on a field trip this early?”
“Yeah,” Tenley answered, flipping her hair. “What are you doing here?”
“Community Service Work. I’m a Big Brother. I’m meeting my Little Brother here.”
“Wanna come on the roller coaster with us?” Tenley asked.
“I’m not much of a heights guy,” Dan said.
“Me neither.” Tenley stepped out of the line. “These things make me barf.”
Tenley sauntered over to Dan, who looked increasingly miserable.
Pennie’s heart raced. “Hey, come back Tenley. I need to talk to you for a second. In private?”
Tenley ignored her.
“We should go save him,” Holden told Pennie. “I heard he’s the assistant coach next year. And he knows my name. I had no idea he knew my name.”
A few small children and their parents, yawning and holding coffee cups, were the only people in line at the Log Ride.
Holden pressed on. “He has power. Power to play people. Come on. It’s the least you could do for someone who taught you how to skateboard.”
Holden started over to them. Reluctantly, Pennie followed.
Dan Ringer greeted them with a genuine smile but ignored Tenley who tugged on his arm. “Hey. Let’s all go on it!” she said. “It’ll be fun!”
The waterfall was much bigger than it seemed from the roller coaster line.
Tenley snuggled closer to Dan. “Come on, Danny. It’s higher than it looks. I’ll go with you.” She pulled him into the line with her and glanced back. “You two, come on!”
Holden shrugged at Pennie. “I’m game if you are?”
There was no way she was going to get Tenley away from Dan. The Fair Force would have to erase his memory too. “Okay, sure,” Pennie said, stepping into the line with him.
A boy in front of Dan dropped his mother’s hand and turned around.
Dan smiled.
The boy kept staring at him.
“Small child?” Tenley pointed to her sash. “Can you read this? I’m Tenley T. Do you think that tonight you could get your entire family to vote for me?”
The mother turned around and the boy pointed up to Dan. “Him!”
“Oh, no,” Tenley said. “He’s not
“How exciting,” the mom said. “What is it that you do to inspire teens?”
“Nail art,” Tenley answered proudly. “Building confidence one nail at a time.”
“Interesting.” The mother turned her son around quickly. “It’s our turn, honey.” They walked through the entrance.
A little girl ran up behind Pennie. “Again, again!” she cried, holding a stuffed bunny.
“Sorry, Sweets, we don’t have time.” The girl’s father hurried after her with a squirming toddler in his arms.
“Please, Daddy?” The little girl pouted. “Please?”
The father shook his head.
“Go ahead of us, sir,” Dan Ringer offered, stepping aside.
“Are you sure?” the father asked.
“Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease?” the little girl begged.
“Thanks an awful lot.” The father slid by the four of them. The moment the entrance gate opened, the little girl took off toward the empty log. “Wait!” The father hurried after her, shifting the toddler into his other arm.
Dan and Tenley were next. The attendant, who looked much in need of some sleep and allergy medication, eyed them suspiciously and pointed to a sign on the wall. Limit 280 pounds. Then he sneezed. Twice.
“Looks like I’m going to have to go with Pennie,” Dan said, stepping back.
There was no arguing. Pennie was a good twenty pounds lighter. Tenley growled and yanked Holden up beside her. “Come on, Wonderbutt.”
“Bolt.”
Holden groaned but complied with the attendant who waved them through to the next free log.
“Keep your hands inside the log at all times,” the attendant said, before sneezing again and throwing his well-used tissue into the trash.
Holden and Tenley climbed inside the log.
Pennie’s wrist buzzed. She couldn’t tell if Dan had noticed.
00:03:00.
“I think I’ll just watch from over there, Dan,” Pennie said.
But when the attendant waved them forward, Dan hooked her elbow into his.
“I insist,” he said quietly.
“Keep your hands in at all times,” the attendant said, then sneezed. This time he blew into his sleeve and rubbed his eyes. “Hey! Any a-you’s got a tissue by any chance?”