by Nancy Rue

Antoinette LaCroix, the noble French girl, pulled the hood of her cape over her forehead to avoid being seen by the British soldiers. She must get this message to Lafayette, or his mission to save the American colonists from defeat would be foiled. Antoinette heard the menacing sound of boots on the Williamsburg sidewalk and quickly crawled under a bench until they passed. It was fortunate that she was small as well as clever. They would never find her here.

“Sophie LaCroix, what on earth are you doing under your desk?”

Giggles erupted as Sophie peeked out from the hood of her sweatshirt and looked at her social studies teacher.

“Pretending,” Sophie said.

“Well, pretend you are sitting in your desk like a normal student, please.” Ms. Quelling put her hands on her hips as Sophie emerged from her hiding place. “I thought we were done with this kind of thing after the Williamsburg incident —”

“When you ruined our whole field trip by getting lost,” a voice chimed in.

“Thank you, B.J.,” Ms. Quelling said. “But we only need one teacher.”

I wasn’t lost, Sophie thought, shooting a glance at B.J. I was just getting away from people like you.

This included B.J.’s four friends whose names and faces blurred together in Sophie’s mind. They all looked like they belonged on a magazine cover. Sophie just thought of them as “pops,” because they were, of course, popular. And their favorite hobby seemed to be making fun of her.

They’re doing a fine job of it right now, Sophie thought as B.J. peered out of her sweatshirt hood like a freaked-out mouse while the rest of them laughed.

“The show’s over,” Ms. Quelling said. “Back to work.”

“The show is never over,” Anne Pop whispered to the new girl next to her. “Soapy does something weird every minute.”

It’s Sophie, Sophie thought with an inner sigh. Or better yet Antoinette, the young heroine who had to find Lafayette before it was too late . . . .

Battle Station

Sophie hurried through lunch and escaped to the playground. She headed straight for the monkey bars, which no popular sixth-grader would be caught dead on.

But I’m not a Pop, Sophie thought, swinging herself halfway up. I don’t even want to be a Pop. I’m just me — and sometimes Antoinette.

Sophie rested her chin and arms on a bar, deep in thought. She knew she wasn’t really Antoinette — not like her 5-year-old brother was Spider-Man. Even though she’d been at her new school for four months, she didn’t have any friends. So she made one up.

Sophie looked down at the pops, who were forming a possessive circle around the new girl.

They take all the friends, Sophie thought. I just want one — somebody who isn’t obsessed with wearing lip gloss and doesn’t make fun of people who aren’t.

Every time one of the pops called her “weird” or “whacked,” it stung. But not enough to make her want to be like them.

Antoinette gazed at the Colonial Williamsburg girls with their lacy mobcaps and ringlets. ‘I can’t feel sorry for myself,’ she thought. ‘I must find General Lafayette. Perhaps if I climb to the top of that oak, I can spot him.’ Antoinette valiantly climbed until she was standing on the highest branch. She shaded her eyes with one hand, surveying the ground below. But there was no Frenchman leading his army — only the gaggle of Colonial maids, staring and whispering.

Just then, one of them screamed and pointed. Antoinette felt her feet give way, and she began to tumble. Branches flipped past her until she came to her senses and grabbed one. With her usual bravery and strength, she held on by one arm, dangling above the ground —

“Are you OK?”

It was the new girl.

“Don’t worry,” Pop Julia said. “She’s always doing something weird. Like when she wandered away from the class in Williamsburg and ended up in some church. We had to sit on the bus while everybody searched for her.”

“You’d better get down,” Anne said, “or you’re going to get in trouble with Ms. Quelling.”

“Again,” B.J. added.

They turned away, leaving Sophie hanging.

Seeking Refuge

In science class while they were supposed to be reading, the pops passed notes. Sophie thought about that day in Williamsburg.

She had been dreaming about Antoinette when she lost track of her group. She had wandered into Bruton Parish Church. It had been so peaceful and perfect inside that she had imagined Jesus — not Antoinette.

Sophie had pictured Him sitting beside her, smiling at her with kind eyes. He’d listened as she told Him about how badly she wanted just one friend who understood her. It hadn’t seemed right to make up His answers, the way she did with Antoinette, but she knew He was listening.

Now I’m not so sure, she thought, gazing out the classroom window. Still, Sophie could picture Jesus, just on the other side, beckoning with His eyes for her to tell Him more.

I want somebody I can be Antoinette with, Sophie told Jesus, and not have her tell me I’m nuts and a baby and too old to play.

Sophie leaned closer. I want somebody I can be Sophie with, too, and make up stories and keep secrets and poke each other when something’s funny. Please, Jesus, can’t I just have that?

“Sophie’s doing that thing again, Mrs. Utley,” B.J. said.

Sophie stared down at her textbook as B.J. launched into a description of Sophie’s latest weirdness. Even after Mrs. Utley shushed B.J., it felt like people were staring at her. When she looked up, she saw the new girl blinking her wide brown eyes.

They already have you believing I’m from Planet Weird, Sophie thought. And you don’t even know who I am.

Difficult Mission

Sophie imagined Antoinette many times over the next few days. It helped her to feel less lonely when the pops curled their lips and said, “Where are you today, Soapy? On the moon?”

That Friday at lunch, she was about to take a bite of her apple when one of the pops let fly with a handful of raisins, pelting Sophie squarely in the chest.

“Pretend they’re Peanut M&M’s,” another one said.

Sophie’s throat grew thick, and she couldn’t gulp back tears as she snatched up her lunch box and ran for the playground.

Tearing across the battlefield, Antoinette tried to gain control of herself, but it was difficult. Those cruel girls had no idea the mission she was on —

A mission to just be allowed to be Sophie — and Antoinette. To save Lafayette from certain death. And to save Sophie from endless loneliness without a single friend.

She knew Jesus wanted her to have one. She could tell by His kind eyes — and the safe way she felt when He was with her on top of a hill overlooking Yorktown, where the final battle was to take place.

Antoinette and Sophie sagged at the top of the monkey bars. Sophie knocked a raisin out of a fold in her sweatshirt. Maybe it was time to give up the dreams and put on lip gloss.

Unexpected Ally

“Hey, where are you?”

Wide brown eyes blinked up at Sophie.

“Are you climbing a hill or a wall?” the new girl said.

Sophie knew what would happen if she said what she was really doing. It would be easier to say, “What does it look like? I’m climbing the monkey bars.”

But Sophie still wanted to trust.

“Hill,” she said.

“Who are you?”

“Sophie LaCroix.”

“I know that. I mean, who are you right now?”

“Antoinette,” Sophie said.

She waited for the eye-rolling.

“Oh,” the new girl said. “So can I play?” Her eyes took on a dreamy glow. “I’m Fiona. But for today I could be Henriette.”

Sophie stared with her mouth wide open as “Henriette” began to climb.

“Why are we climbing this hill?” Henriette asked.

Sophie sucked in her breath.

“I must get a message to Lafayette,” she said. “Or else he and his troops will walk into a trap.”

Fiona glanced down at the playground, where the pops were glaring up at them. “Those British will try to turn you into their kind. I’ll keep watch for you.”

Sophie squinted. “Can you be trusted?”

“You have my word,” Henriette said solemnly. “I know how treacherous they can be.”

“All right then,” Sophie said. “But stay low.”

Behind them, the school transformed into Williamsburg, and the shouts of other students became those of the British, foiled in their attempt to trick the brave Lafayette.

Fiona threw herself into playing Henriette just like Sophie did Antoinette. But just before Lafayette bowed on one knee to thank them, Sophie made a decision: She was going to imagine Jesus a lot more from now on.

He really did understand.

	Q: What dessert do birds like best? A: Chocolate “chirp” cookies. Rawlin K., 11, Louisiana Clubhouse Jr. Click here to subscribe