Rachel stares blankly at the camera. There is a long, awkward silence.
Maria turns to me. “Hannah, how did you girls come up with the idea?”
“Well,” I say glancing over at Rachel, who looks like she’s about to be sick, “we brainstormed a lot, and then we did some research online.”
“So why bracelets? Whose decision was that?” Maria turns back to Rachel, whose face has lost all of its colour. She awkwardly giggles and points at me.
“So, it was your decision to make bracelets?” Maria asks me.
“No, it was both of our decision. This has been fifty-fifty all the way,” I answer.
“So, tell me a bit more about how you came up with the idea?” Maria prods.
The camera pans back to Rachel, who’s now turning green. She points at me again.
I thought that maybe after the whole business plan presentation thing with our parents, Rachel had finally kicked her fear of public speaking. I guess I was wrong because right now Rachel is officially suffering from the worst bout of stage fright you could ever imagine. I’m pretty sure there’s no way she’s going to be able to answer any of Maria’s questions. I’m going to have to handle this entire interview by myself, which totally doesn’t bother me. Actually, I kind of feel like a movie star on the red carpet being interviewed at the Oscars.
The camera pans back to me.
“Well, I was looking for ideas in the computer lab one day when I found out about these bracelets that they used to make, like, centuries ago. People would weave them for their friends — like old-fashioned friendship bracelets.”
Maria smiles. “Neat!”
“Yeah, but they weren’t just plain old bracelets; they were special.”
“How so?” Maria asks
“If someone made you one, and you accepted it, in exchange you would have to make a solemn promise.”
“Really? What promise?” Maria turns to Rachel, giving her another chance to join the conversation.
Rachel stares ahead blankly and hunches her shoulders. The camera pans back to me.
“Well,” I say, widening my eyes for effect, “you had to promise to keep it on forever … you know, as a sign of total loyalty to your friend.”
“Forever?” Maria’s eyes go wide as well.
“Well, eventually they’d get worn out and just fall off on their own.”
“So why do you call them Wishbandz?” Maria asks.
“Well that’s the most exciting part! When you get your bracelet, you make a wish, and just like back in the olden days, when it falls off, your wish will come true.” I hold up my arm, showing Maria my bracelet. “Rachel made this for me. If I keep it on until it falls off, I’ll get my wish!” I smile. “It’s a powerful spell that’s woven into each and every bracelet.”
“Wow, that’s really neat,” Maria says, smiling. “So Hannah, you’re quite the clever entrepreneur. It seems to me that a lot of this was your idea, right?”
I shake my head. “No … like I said, it was fifty-fifty all the way!”
“And tell me more about the name; did you come up with it?”
“Yeah, but …”
“So, how did you come up with it?” she asks.
“I guess it just came to me when I was in the computer lab.”
“The computer lab where you came up with the idea in the first place, right?”
“Yeah, but …”
“I’m sure your partner, Rachel, did her fair share, but it seems like you’re the brains of this operation,” she remarks, tapping my head, “Miss Smart.”
“No, no …” I stammer.
“So, what made you girls start your business in the first place? Was there a special reason?”
Now here’s a question I like! I look over at Rachel to see if there’s any chance she’s ready to speak, but she’s still in a bug-eyed trance.
“Maria, I can answer that question in two words,” I say, beaming, “Josh … Taylor.”
Maria tilts her head. “Josh Taylor?”
“Well, you see, Maria, Rachel and I are Josh Taylor’s biggest fans, and when we found out that he’s coming to Glen Haven to do a concert, we of course told our parents right away. Well, Maria, I can tell you it was quite a shock when they said there was no way they would be paying for our tickets.”
“It must have been.” Maria nods supportively.
“It’s a responsibility thing.” I nod back.
“So you started the business to earn money for your tickets?”
“That’s exactly what we did!” I answer proudly. “We started our business to earn money for our …”
Suddenly, I notice Scarlett Hastings, her eyes like slits, standing directly behind the cameraman. My hand flies up to my mouth, clamping it shut as I realize what I’ve done. My head is spinning … Scarlett … Rachel’s lie … her aunt … the fake tickets …
Scarlett silently mouths to Rachel, “I-knew-you-were-lying.”
Rachel’s eyes are filling with tears. I can’t believe this is happening, that I made this happen; I took over the entire interview and even worse than that … I’ve ratted us out. I’ve ratted Rachel out.
“Well, thanks, girls. I think we have enough material to work with here,” Maria says.
“That’s a wrap!” the cameraman adds.
“Hannah, you did super! You’re not only a great little businesswoman, but you’re a natural on camera,” Maria exclaims, giving my shoulders a little squeeze.
Suddenly, a crowd of kids swarms around us, and before I can get free to talk to Rachel, she’s gone.
11
Attention-Grabbing, Backstabbing Jerk of a Friend
It’s official. I am the worst friend on the face of the earth. I’m so ashamed of what I’ve done, I couldn’t even bring myself to call Rachel last night, not that she would have talked to me. Who would, unless it was to say, Hi, Hannah, you attention-grabbing, backstabbing jerk of a friend.
I march into school, fully prepared for the attack. I’m hoping no one saw me on TV last night. It was horrible. They barely showed Rachel at all, and worse than that, they cut out so much stuff they made it look like I was totally taking credit for everything! I’ll be surprised if Rachel ever wants to speak to me again.
I rush through the lobby, trying to shield my face so that no one notices me. It’s no use though;
they were all waiting. Kids start storming at me from all angles, and in like three seconds I’m surrounded. I stop in my tracks, squeeze my eyes shut and brace myself for what’s coming. Everyone is yelling at me. I just want the ground to open up and swallow me so I can get