فصل 25

CHAPTER 25

Celebration or Devastation?

Mr. Daniels is wearing a tie with little trophies on it. Also, he has a goofy smile on his face. Even goofier than most days.

Okay, my Fantasticos! There is one among you who is even more fantastic than usual—and that’s hard to do. So, we are going to celebrate. You see, when you all wrote those nature poems the other day, you had all been secretly entered in—he puts his arms up and raises his voice—the first annual Fantastico Poetry Award.

Oh, great. Another thing for Shay to brag about. I look over at Albert and hope he will win instead. He’s hoping so, too. I can tell by how he pulls his chair in more, like he’s getting ready. I think that Suki has a good shot as well.

So, Mr. Daniels begins, this poem is a splendid surprise. Great work. And I am very happy to give the first annual Fantastico Poetry Award to . . .

I watch Shay out of the corner of my eye. If she wins, we’ll never hear the end of it.

What she does doesn’t make sense. She shows surprise, but it’s followed by disgust.

Mr. Daniels’s hand on my shoulder makes me jump.

Congratulations, Ally, Mr. Daniels says.

This can’t be. It’s too early for April Fool’s Day. I look over at Albert and Keisha, wondering if they put a poem in with my name.

Mr. Daniels takes a step back and says, C’mon. Come claim your prize.

Prize? I swallow hard.

Mr. Daniels stands at the front of the room, waving me up. Well, what are you waiting for?

I stand and walk toward him like the floor will swallow me up. I turn toward the class and he puts his hand on my shoulder.

He holds the poem in his hand. I look and see it is actually mine. Maybe I was just having a good day. I mean, it’s about time I have a good day for once, right?

Happiness seeps in. Have I really won an award? The thought of that would have been something for my Sketchbook of Impossible Things before now.

Me.

So, Ally is our first poetry winner for her piece entitled, ‘Rain, Rain.’ He turns to me. Do you want to read it, or shall I?

The paper crinkles in my hand. I’ll read it, I say, happy that I have it memorized.

Rain, rain falling down

Down, down on the ground

All the birds go in the trees

They don’t like the rain, you see.

It doesn’t take long to say, but it took me a long time to write. But now it’s all worth it.

There is silence until Mr. Daniels motions to everyone to applaud. Albert and Keisha clap loudest. Mr. Daniels motions again and the applause gets louder. Oliver slaps his desk until Mr. Daniels’s pulling on his ear calms him down.

Looking out over the class, I remember some of the other poems I heard people working on. Really good poems.

And then the whole thing hits me. I finally get it.

Mr. Daniels holds out a certificate with fancy letters and swirls around the edges. He also holds a coupon for a free ice cream in the cafeteria, and I think how happy Albert would be if I gave that to him.

But I can’t reach out and take them. I look up into his face. He smiles and then he winks. I look out over my classmates, who have stopped clapping. Shay has pressed her mouth into a flat line. Most glance at each other with knowing looks. They all know but figure I don’t.

This isn’t a poetry award.

This is a pity award.

I look up at Mr. Daniels, who gives me a serious nod, as if to say, Go ahead and take it. They don’t know.

Getting an award for not being smart enough to deserve it is the worst feeling I’ve ever felt. Like getting this certificate is going to make me pat myself on the back and, somehow, transform into a different person. I swear that I’ll never accept an award that I don’t deserve.

Never.

Keisha calls my name as I run from the room.