The Baby-sitters Club. They're the best friends Stacey's ever had. But lately, they seem kind of immature to her.

I had vowed to be at this meeting on time. After what happened Friday, I knew I'd be in trouble. Dawn had had a whole weekend to tell everybody the news.

I needed wings. Better yet, a time warp.

My bad deeds were piling up. A few latenesses, a few skipped jobs... I could already hear Kristy's lecture.

Lecture? Iron shackles, maybe.

Robert and I raced down Elm Street and up Bradford Court. We said a quick good-bye in front of the Kishis' house. I barged inside, ran upstairs, and hurrying through Claudia's bedroom door.

Facing me were the Six Sisters of Doom: Grim, Grumpy, Glum, Sullen, Somber, and Bleak.

"Hi," I said with my friendliest smile.

Shift, hrrmph, grumble, cough, was the response.

"Sorry I'm late," I continued. "See, my mom was installing this exercise machine -"

Kristy cleared her throat. "It isn't just this lateness, Stacey."

"Oh?" I must have been nervous. My voice sounded like Tweetie Bird's.

"You've been on another planet lately," Kristy continued. "I mean, do you want to be in this club?"

"Of course I do!" I replied.

"Well, you don't act like it. It's bad enough you're breaking rules about subbing -"

"Kristy, I'm sorry -"

"But you tricked Mary Anne," Kristy barged on. "I think you owe her an apology."

Mary Anne was looking at the bedspread. Her hair was falling in front of her face. "No, it's all right," she said.

I could tell it wasn't.

Stacey vs. the BSC
Published by Scholastic Inc. 1996
ISBN: 0590482351