And let sleeping cats alone, too! Trouble is curled up on my pillow. I am not going to wake him up to play. Instead I am going to the poll for the first time this week!

I can't wait! The diving contest is this weekend. Natalie, Jessica, and I have to foil the boys' plot! Quickly!

Abby hurried into the pool area and flung her towel and bag on the grass where her friends usually gathered. They weren't there. Nor were they on the slide, in the water, or at the Snack Shack.

Near the diving area, Natalie, Jessica, and Bethany stood facing Mason, Zach, and Tyler. They appeared to be in the middle of an argument.

Abby's breath quickened. Was Natalie confronting the boys with the evidence? Had Bethany found out about the spider plot?

"What's happening?" Abby asked eagerly, coming up beside them.

"We want to delay the diving contest." Zach cracked his knuckles. "For three days or so."

"So Mason can take diving lessons first?" Abby asked.

The girls snickered.

Zach's face reddened. "We just aren't, uh, ready in, uh, other ways."

"Did their spider collection escape?" Abby whispered to Jessica.

"Probably," Jessica whispered back.

"We don't want to delay," Bethany said. "We're ready to have the contest now."

"Why won't you change the date?" Mason demanded. "Just three little days, that's all we ask. Monday or Tuesday will be just as good."

"No!" Bethany cried. "Brianna is free on weekends only!"

"Come on!" Mason coaxed. "Who cares about Brianna? You don't need her here when you lose the contest!"

"Yeah!" Zach and Tyler echoed. "Who needs Brianna?"

"For once, I agree with them," Natalie said under her breath.

Could Brianna dive as well as Bethany? Abby wondered. Even Brianna couldn't be the best at everything. Or could she? Bethany probably wanted to shine brighter than her best friend at least once in her life. And if Brianna saw her beat Mason, wouldn't she have new respect for Bethany?

Bethany folded her arms across her chest and scowled at mason. "No Brianna, no contest."

Mason scowled back. "I won't do it tomorrow!"

"What about Sunday?" Jessica asked. "That's still the weekend."

"No!" Mason said.

"It's her best friend," Abby pleaded.

Bethany shot her a grateful look.