The week after, early in the morning, everything got set up to help with Madeline's campaign at Laguna Beach High. A stand was open for selling friendship bracelets; posters of Madeline were hung up on the walls; Skye's rock band settled their instruments outside in front of the entrance doors. As more teens came to school, Madeline handed out her stack of fliers to anyone trying to pass her by.
"Vote for me," she told one kid, "Madeline King. I beez in the trap." She handed out another flyer to a different kid. "Vote for me; I'm Madeline King. I beez in the trap."
Soon, she was approached by a positive Lizzie.
"Hello, candidate Maddie," she greeted.
"Well, hello, assistant Lizzie," Madeline greeted back.
Lizzie giggled. "I'm an assistant. How's your campaign going?"
"It's going sweet. Everybody is accepting my flyers and checking out my merchandise." Madeline passed out a flyer to another passing student. "I'm Madeline King," she told him. "Vote for me; I beez in the trap."
"What does 'beez in the trap' mean?" asked Lizzie.
"I don't know. But it's garnering lots of attention."
"You are so gonna win that election."
"I know. Have you seen my poster?"
Lizzie shook her head. Madeline motioned her a couple of feet towards a nearby bulletin. Over it was a high-definition poster of Madeline posing like a supermodel with the slogan in big purple letters, "Vote for Mads. She is rad!"
"Wow, you look like a rockstar," Lizzie commented. "Not one of those loud, dirty, drug-addicted rockstars. Like one of the simple rockstars. The rockstars for kids."
"Gee, thanks," Madeline looked up into space. Then her eyes illuminated with a reminder. "And speaking of rockstars..."
Madeline led Lizzie out of the school through the doors and showed her where Skye and her bandmates resided. Skye's band was performing a song on their instruments for arriving students with a hard rock noise. Skye sung melodically to the microphone on its stand:
Vote for Maddie, she's so cool
Vote for Maddie, she rules the school
Vote for Maddie, she's so cute
She can help everyone of you
Vote for Madeline King, King, King
You can kiss her ring, ring, ring
Aw, yeah
The students applauded the band when they finished effortlessly. Madeline and Lizzie entered the crowd and stood right in front of Skye.
"Very impressive, Skye," Madeline complimented.
"Thanks," Skye responded beside her microphone. "Oh, and Maddie?"
"Yeah?"
"Write better songs."
Madeline squinted her eyes at Skye. She then got over it and walked away with Lizzie.
"We don't get paid enough for this," said Sean, the rhythm guitarist.
"We don't get paid at all," added David, the lead guitarist, walking by.
Madeline and Lizzie entered back into the school and walked through the lobby. Then Madeline stopped, making Lizzie stop.
"Wait, did you produce the T-shirts?" Madeline asked.
Lizzie's eyes widened, not enough to look surprised. "Oh, yeah. Yeah, I left them in my car."
"Can you get them?"
"Of course."
Lizzie turned around and headed for the door. As Lizzie walked off, Madeline noticed something strange about her. Something strange going on behind Lizzie. Then she spotted it: the back of Lizzie's right sleeve of her green top was split. It was strange because nothing was wrong with the left sleeve and the split looked as if it was cut from a pair of scissors.
"Lizzie," called Madeline.
Lizzie stopped then turned. "Hmm?"
"What's wrong with your sleeve?"
Lizzie scoffed. "Nothing."
"No, something's wrong. Why is your sleeve cut?"
Lizzie looked down at her right sleeve. "I-- I have no idea. Maybe it-- it wanted fresh air."
"It wanted fresh air?"
"You know because sleeves can get a little tight sometimes."
"But your sleeves are baggy."
"Really? I had no idea."
"Did you get your shirt stuck in the sewing machine again?"
"You have no proof!" Lizzie ran off before Madeline could say something else.
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