One Lazy Summer

By Billie L Hicks

Chelsey Bodeine is a lanky, golden-brown-skinned preteen with a happy-go-lucky disposition. She's as beautiful as the word "angel," and nothing seems to get her down. Chelsey looks forward to finally becoming thirteen and leaving behind her preteen years. Unfortunately, she's not looking forward to the summer that stands between her and young womanhood.

She constantly reminds herself that after this summer, her mother will no longer be able to say to her "almost a young lady or almost a teenager." She vows the word "almost" will no longer be a part of her vocabulary after the most important day of her life! Chelsey remembers her grandmother always telling her that she became a "young lady" at the age of eleven. She doesn't quite understand the difference between the "young lady" her grandmother became at the age of eleven and the "young lady" she dreams of becoming, but she realizes that she will know once and for all what it means to be a young lady after this summer. She figures out in her mind that the young lady her grandmother became at eleven isn't the "young lady" she has dreamed of becoming since she was ten. All Chelsey cares about is becoming a full-fledged teenager on September 1.

Whenever she talks to her best friend Alisha about what her mother says, that with young womanhood comes responsibilities, Alisha becomes girly giggly and says, "That's not the kind of responsibilities your mom's talking about." Chelsey puts her hands over her ears when Alisha becomes girly giggly.

Chelsey spends every other summer in Louisiana with her mother's oldest sister, Aunt Ophelia, but unfortunately, this isn't the summer she'll be spending time with her favorite aunt. The thought of not spending the most important summer of her life with Aunt Ophelia gives Chelsey a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Chelsey's not looking forward to spending her summer alone and clueless. This summer is the most important summer of her life, and she will have to endure it without the wise advice and comforting arms of her Aunt Ophelia. Chelsey knows that without Aunt Ophelia, this will be one long and lazy summer.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9781641382922

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One Lazy Summer

Billie L Hicks

Copyright © 2018 Billie L Hicks

All rights reserved

First Edition

Page Publishing, Inc

New York, NY

First originally published by Page Publishing, Inc 2018

ISBN 978-1-64138-291-5 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64138-293-9 (Hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-64138-292-2 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

For your unfailing support and for reading exerts of my book and giving me your honest feedback.

For your unfailing support and for reading exerts of my book and giving me your honest feedback.

For your unfailing support and for reading exerts of my book and giving me your honest feedback.

For your unfailing support and for reading exerts of my book and giving me your honest feedback.

Prelude

Chelsey Bodeine is a lanky, golden-brown-skinned preteen with a happy-go-lucky disposition. She’s as beautiful as the word angel, and nothing seems to get her down. Chelsey looks forward to finally becoming thirteen and leaving behind her preteen years. Unfortunately, she’s not looking forward to the summer that stands between her and young womanhood.

She constantly reminds herself that after this summer, her mother will no longer be able to say to her almost a young lady or almost a teenager. She vows the word almost will no longer be a part of her vocabulary after the most important day of her life! Chelsey remembers her grandmother always telling her that she became a young lady at the age of eleven. She doesn’t quite understand the difference between the young lady her grandmother became at the age of eleven and the young lady she dreams of becoming, but she realizes that she will know once and for all what it means to be a young lady after this summer. She figures out in her mind that the young lady her grandmother became at eleven isn’t the young lady she has dreamed of becoming since she was ten. All Chelsey cares about is becoming a full-fledged teenager on September 1.

Whenever she talks to her best friend Alisha about what her mother says, that with young womanhood comes responsibilities, Alisha becomes girly giggly and says, That’s not the kind of responsibilities your mom’s talking about. Chelsey puts her hands over her ears when Alisha becomes girly giggly.

Chelsey spends every other summer in Louisiana with her mother’s oldest sister, Aunt Ophelia, but unfortunately, this isn’t the summer she’ll be spending time with her favorite aunt. The thought of not spending the most important summer of her life with Aunt Ophelia gives Chelsey a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Chelsey’s not looking forward to spending her summer alone and clueless. This summer is the most important summer of her life, and she will have to endure it without the wise advice and comforting arms of her Aunt Ophelia. Chelsey knows that without Aunt Ophelia, this will be one long and lazy summer.

Last Day of School

It’s important for Chelsey to look her best today. Her mother finally agreed she can go to the mall on the last day of school. Not only is today the last day of school, but it’s also the gateway to Chelsey’s young womanhood. She knows this will be the longest summer of her life, but she also knows that her family is planning a coming out party at the end of the summer and this is the only positive thing she holds on to before transitioning to young womanhood. All Chelsey wants to focus on this morning is looking her best today and making certain this day will be one of the best days of her life! Her alarm didn’t have to wake her this morning; she was up bright and early. Chelsey changes her hairstyle for the umpteenth time and needs a second opinion. She rushes into her mother’s bathroom and demands a verdict. Her mother is putting on her mascara, and Chelsey knows it’s important to her mother to get her makeup on right as it is for her to become a young lady! She tries to wait as patiently as she can, but time is of the essence! Chelsey clears her throat to get her mother’s attention, but her mother ignores her. Mom, can you please look at me for one second and tell me if my hair is okay, she asks.

Chelsey Bodeine, you know my bathroom is off limits to you in the morning!

Mom, please, this is the most important day of my life! Well, almost the most important day of my life! I really need an adult’s opinion!

Her mother looks over at her and lets out a small grunt from the deepest part of her throat. Chelsey knows what that means; it’s okay but not a knockout. Why don’t you leave some of your hair down in the back and put some of your butterfly hair clamps on each side? her mother suggests.

But, Mom, I’m wearing my blue outfit Aunt Ophelia brought me last summer, and I don’t have blue butterfly hair clamps to match my outfit!

You have purple ones, don’t you? her mother asks her.

Mom, they’re purple. I’m wearing blue!

Honey, it’s all in the blue family. Wear it! You asked for an adult’s opinion, so take it or leave it.

Mom, please, this is the most important day of my life!

I thought you said it was almost the most important day of your life, her mother questions her.

Elize Bodeine looks over at Chelsey again, picks up her brush, and beckons Chelsey to come to her. Chelsey feels a million bursts of happy exhilarations pulsating throughout her entire body! She knows her mother will make her look as beautiful on the outside as she’s feeling right now on the inside! Her mother smiles and remembers as if it were yesterday, her last summer before she turned thirteen. She hopes Chelsey doesn’t blossom as fast as she blossomed her last summer as a preteen. She thought about how the men gazed at her and flirted with her when her breasts seemed to change overnight from a size 34B to a size 36C. The thought of dirty old men and young boys gazing at her little girl made her stomach turn.

"I’ll let you borrow—and I say borrow, Chelsey Bodeine—my blue butterfly hair clamps if you promise to guard them with your life," her mother adds.

Chelsey turns around in a flash and gives her mother the biggest and tightest hug she can muster. Okay Mom, she says.

Hold still, her mother says. I don’t have all day.

Mom, since you’re giving out niceties, will you please, please, reconsider and let me spend the summer with Aunt Ophelia? Please, Mom, Chelsey pleads.

Now, Chelsey, how many times have we gone over this subject? I’ve told you time and time again I want you to spend your last preteen summer with me. You only turn thirteen once, you know. Besides, your Aunt Ophelia might surprise you and visit you this summer, her mother says.

Mom! You know how Aunt Ophelia feels about California! You said it yourself, every time Aunt Ophelia thinks about her husband-to-be running off to California with her so-called best friend, she vowed never to set one foot in any part of California!

You know as well as I know, honey, how much your aunt loves you, and besides, she wouldn’t let some low-down country boy stand in the way of her visiting her favorite niece, now would she? her mother asks her.

The bathroom door opens, and Sedell peaks her head slowly around the door. Is it safe to come in? she asks. Are you fully dressed?

Have you eaten your breakfast and taken your report off the computer? her mother replies.

The answer to your multiple-question is yes. Now may I come in?

Sure, why not? It seems to be invasion morning, her mother replies.

Sedell looks nothing like her sister or mother. She’s as fair as they come, except during the summer months. The nosy neighbors, namely Mrs. Carmichael, always ask Elize Bodeine if Sedell spends every waking hour at the beach because she gets so tanned during the summer. Her nose is as straight as an arrow, which directs your attention to her large, light-brown eyes that look out at you, beneath her long lashes. She’s very opinionated, and even at ten, she already knows what high school she wants to attend and that she’s going to be a doctor when she grows up. She vows never to marry or have children, and she promises her grandmother she will take care of her for the rest of her life. The only thing Sedell despises about her grandmother is the fact that her grandmother insists she wear dresses instead of pants. If it was up to Sedell, she’d wear pants or short sets until the day she dies. She doesn’t quite understand the logic that wearing a dress provides any proof or validity that a girl is a girl, but since her grandmother buys most of her wardrobe, who is she to disagree with her grandmother’s choices? She’s quite wise for her young years, and her grandmother always tell her she’s a critical thinker. She giggles beneath her breath. She lives for the day when she will take care of her grandmother as she promised her. If only her grandmother knew the real reason she wants to take care of her. She giggles beneath her breath again. She promises herself that if her grandmother elects to take her up on her offer, she’ll make certain she buys her grandmother as many pants as her grandmother brought her dresses. This is her secret, she reminds herself. She definitely doesn’t want to spoil the element of surprise or the thrill of victory. Sedell giggles beneath her breath as she gazes at her mother spruce up Chelsey’s hair. Even though Sedell relishes the thought of controlling her grandmother’s wardrobe or envisioning her in pants, deep down, she really wants her grandmother around for a long time. She hopes Grandmother McIntyre lives a long and healthy life so she can see her graduate from college. Deep inside, she knows she loves her grandmother very much, even with Grandmother McIntyre’s many opinions, she thinks. She smiles as she thinks about the cherished fun times she’s spent with her grandmother. She thinks about the times she spends alone with her grandmother in her beautiful garden. She looks forward to kneeing down beside her grandmother as they pull up weeds and plant new flowers. She can get as dirty as she pleases, and her mother can’t yell at her for getting dirty.

Would you like Mom to spruce up your hair? Chelsey chimes in. Maybe Bert will whisper sweet nothings in your ear today. Chelsey giggles.

Sedell hates when Chelsey interrupts her thoughts! She can be such a nitwit sometimes, she thinks. Sedell has little patience for anyone who keeps their head in the clouds all day. Mom, tell her to be quiet before I step on her clean sneakers, Sedell snaps.

Girls, please, not this morning. I have a conference call with the VP of Marketing this morning, and I need a clear head, their mother scolds.

I thought you had a conference call with the vice president yesterday, Sedell says. At least that’s the excuse you used yesterday morning when you got grandmother off the phone, Sedell reminds her mother.

Who asked you for your intellectual opinion? her mother asks.

Mom, that wasn’t an intellectual opinion, they’re simply the facts as I heard them yesterday morning, Sedell replies.

Zip it, Sedell, her mother snaps. And the both of you, get a move on. I haven’t even had my first cup of coffee, their mother says with urgency in her voice.

Say, Mom, the VP guy, was that by any chance the tall, dark, and handsome man who showed you how to hold your tennis racket at the company’s picnic last summer? Sedell giggles.

Oh, shush, young lady. You’re too smart for your own good!

Mom, it’s not too smart, it’s too intelligent for my own good. Smart people make fools of themselves. Intelligent people turn challenges into success, Sedell interjects. I’m intelligent, not smart, she adds.

Well, intelligent one, I want you to come straight home after school today, and the only girlfriend or friend allowed in this house until Chelsey gets home is Erin, do I make myself clear, young lady?

Mom, Erin is my only girlfriend, and besides, the boys don’t want to be cooped up in a house all afternoon. That’s why boys rule and girls are foolish, Sedell says.

Well, if girls are foolish, what does that make you? Aren’t you a girl? her mother asks.

"Only in the physical sense of the word, Mom. I think outside the box, and the average girl doesn’t think beyond her nose.

As they proceed down the stairs, Sedell rushes ahead of them. She remembers she left her bowl on the table. What’s the rush, young lady? You know how I feel about you rushing down these stairs, her mother reminds her. And you know how your grandmother feels about you rushing down these stairs.

Sedell hurries to the kitchen to put her bowl and spoon in the dishwasher.

Her mother enters the kitchen just as she closes the dishwasher door. I don’t hope you think you’re pulling the wool over my eyes, young lady. I’ve already been where you’re attempting to go! her mother says.

For once, Sedell has nothing to say. She realizes it’s best to keep silent on this matter. Her mother smiles as she picks up her coffee mug and pours herself some coffee. She takes a quick sip.

Come on, girls, give me a kiss so I can be on my way, and please remember to turn any and everything off that can cause a fire or run up the utilities.

Okay, Mom, Chelsey says as she rushes past her mother and gives her a quick peck on her cheek.

Knock ’em dead, Mom, and break a leg, Chelsey adds.

Mom isn’t going to perform at a Broadway play, for Christ’s sake, Sedell replies.

Stop using God’s name in vain, you bean stock, Chelsey retorts.

"What would you know about using God’s name in vain? Can you spell vain?" Sedell snaps back.

Girls, please, not this morning, their mother reminds them.

Didn’t you learn anything at school this year? Sedell quickly shoots back as she looks over at her mother.

Her mother gives her one of her shut up now looks. Sedell Bodeine, I’ve told you several times to be quiet! I don’t have time to be standing around refereeing the two of you this morning!

Sedell knows if she gets one more warning, she’ll be exiled to a week’s punishment. She must have the last word, she thinks. Sorry, Mom, Sedell replies. Chelsey, I know you try real hard, but let’s face it, when they were giving out common sense, you were taking a nap in la-la land, Sedell blurs out.

Sedell, that’s enough! If you don’t be quiet—and I mean it—I’ll have Mrs. Carmichael come over this afternoon and stay with you until I get home. Do I make myself clear, young lady?

Sedell knows for sure she’s gotten on her mother’s last nerve! She knows a Mrs. Carmichael threat is the last straw. Sorry, Mom, she replies with a low pitch voice.

Chelsey has already shut her mother and sister out of her head. She didn’t hear a word they said. Chelsey gathers up her books as she thinks about meeting Brian Jenkins at the mall today. All she cares about right now is whether her hair looks great and if Brian Jenkins will be at the mall today. In one stride, she glides toward the front door. She’s about to leave her history book, perched near the door.

Chelsey, don’t forget your history book! her mom yells.

Thanks, Mom. Bye, Mom. Bye, bean stock, she says as she bolts out the front door.

Sedell sees a trillion stars flash before her eyes! Mom, that’s what I’m talking about! She can barely think her way out of a wet paper bag even if there is a large hole as big as the Grand Canyon, but she can call me out of my name in front of her airhead friends. If I called her an airhead in front of her friends, Sedell hesitates. She smiles. Never mind, Mom, her friends are airheads too! And besides, they’d probably spend the rest of the day trying to figure out what’s an airhead. Have a nice day, Mom, and good luck with Mr. Charmer. And, Mom, I don’t need Mrs. Carmichael babysitting me. Well, maybe after airhead gets home. Sedell giggles.

Sedell please, give your brains a rest, and lay off your sister. She’s going through a difficult time right now.

Mom, turning thirteen isn’t a big deal, according to Ms. Jessica, my health education teacher. Ms. Jessica says that as long as a preteen has a stable, loving, and nurturing environment, transition to a teenager is a piece of cake. Wouldn’t you agree that Chelsey has a stable, loving, and nurturing environment? she asked.

Lay off your sister, her mother warns her. Her mother leans down and gives her a kiss on her cheek as she whispers in her ear. If you don’t lay off your sister, I’ll sic Mrs. Carmichael on you. Her mother giggles.

The thought of Mrs. Carmichael invading her intellectual being sends ice-cold chills throughout Sedell’s bloodstream like a blizzard! Please, Mom, not Mrs. Carmichael! That lady can’t possibly have a fully functioning brain, Sedell insists. What little intelligence she does have could turn my brain into mush!

Promise me you’ll lay off Chelsey, or I’ll make you spend the entire summer with Mrs. Carmichael, her mother threatens. Deal? her mother asks.

Okay, Mom, deal, Sedell replies.

For once Sedell doesn’t look like she just rolled out of bed and put on a pair of her cousin James’ wrinkled jeans and T- shirt. She’s wearing her pink frilly bell sleeved blouse her grandmother brought her with a khaki skort. She likes the way her bell sleeves move, when she walks. As long as she can relate the movement of her frilly blouse to the pattern of the winds, she knows that will justify her wearing her frilly pink blouse today. And just in case some stupid girl makes a wisecrack, she can quickly justify her wearing her frilly blouse from a scientific standpoint.

Sedell loves her skort! It looks like a skirt with shorts sewn beneath it. She thinks if the boys try to look up her skirt, all they will see is the shorts attached beneath. She giggles. Great design, she thinks. For once, some designer really used their brain, and Grandmother McIntyre finally made the right choice.

Sedell is experimenting with make-up and was hoping to sneak in her mother’s bathroom this morning to use her passionate pink lipstick. Her plan is ruined when she peep her head in the bathroom and find her sister and mother fully engaged in a girly conversation. Sedell wishes her mother will hurry up and leave! She can’t understand why her mother is still milling around the computer. She looks at her watch and realize she won’t have much time to put on lipstick and get to school in time! If her mother doesn’t leave in the next five minutes, her plans will be ruined. I don’t want to be late, she thinks.

You look very nice this morning, her mother says.

Thanks, Mom. I’m experimenting, and besides, it’s the only thing I have clean.

I thought I told you to take care of your laundry two days ago, her mother asks.

I was busy with my science project, Sedell replies.

I’m leaving. Please remember to turn everything off, and make sure you activate the alarm, her mother reminds her.

Consider it done, Sedell answers her. Her mother gives her another kiss and heads for the garage. Sedell watch as her mother backs out of the driveway. She waves good-bye to her mother. Sedell close the garage door and rushes up the stairs. She looks out her mother’s bedroom window and watch as her mother’s car reach the corner. She watch as her mother’s silver SUV Volvo, turns the corner. Sedell knows once her mother turns the corner, she won’t come back, even if she knew she’d left something behind. Sedell breaths a sigh of relief and rushes into her mother’s bathroom.

She opens her mother’s make-up drawer and takes out the lipstick tucked neatly away in one of the drawer’s compartment, her mother use to keep her drawers organized. She takes the top off the lipstick and slowly rolls it up out of the cylinder. She looks in the mirror and press the lipstick against the center of her top lip. She moves closer to the mirror. Sedell moves the lipstick with precision toward the corner of the left side of her top lip. She repeats the process on the right side of her top lip. She places the lipstick at the center of her bottom lip and repeat the process with care. She slowly puckers up her lips to even out the lipstick. She remembers her mother’s instructions to Chelsey. Her mother told Chelsey to slowly pucker up her lips so that the lipstick looks like her natural lips. Sedell looks at her reflection in the mirror and gives herself a slow, critical look. She rolls the lipstick slowly back into its small cylinder. She places the top back over the cylinder and makes sure she places the lipstick back in its rightful place.

As she walks out the bathroom, she notice her mother’s Burberry perfume. She sprays perfume on her wrists and slowly rubs them together. She sprays behind each ear as she close her eyes to avoid getting perfume in her eyes. She sprays perfume behind the crease of her knees. She place the top back on the perfume and returns it to its exact spot. She close her mother’s bathroom door and heads downstairs.

Sedell skips down the stairs as she lets out a loud giggle. She thinks of the time her grandmother panicked when she first saw her skipping down the stairs. Her grandmother let out a squeal that could have awakened the dead. Sedell lets out a loud giggle as she reaches the bottom of the stairs. Grandmothers can be so dramatic, she thinks. She thought her grandmother would never stop lecturing her about the many bones she had already broken and warned her that her carelessness could lead to more broken bones. Sedell rushes to the kitchen table to gather up her books. She heads for the side door. She almost forget to set the alarm. She goes back in the kitchen and retrieves the small garage door opener and set the alarm.

She pushes her bike outside the garage and use the small garage door opener to close the door. I hate setting the alarm, she thinks. She’s glad she made it out in time, before setting off the alarm. Sedell places her backpack in the basket attached to her handlebars. She spots Mrs. Carmichael from the corner of her eyes. Whatever you do, don’t give her any eye contact, she warns herself.

Sedell is anxious to get to school on time. She checks her backpack for her library books. She wants to get her report card today. She knows if she fax her report card to her grandmother today, her grandmother will deposit funds into her account. Besides, she promised her grandmother she’d fax her report card to her today. Grandmother McIntyre promised to deposit her gift allowance, directly into her savings account, and she wants her gift allowance money today. She knew Chelsey would procrastinate to fax her report card to Grandmother McIntyre since her C’s didn’t net much gift allowance money.

Sedell noticed Mrs. Carmichael moving closer to the edge of her porch, as she rolls her bike down the driveway. She moves her bike quickly onto the sidewalk. Mrs. Carmichael is such a nosey and lonely old lady, she thinks. She avoids giving Mrs. Carmichael eye contact. She knew if their eyes met, Mrs. Carmichael would have a million and one things to ask her. Before she makes it to Mrs. Carmichael’s front gate, Mrs. Carmichael clears her throat. Sedell knew she had less than fifteen minutes to get to school.

Just as she reached the front gate, Mrs. Carmichael yelled out to her. Good morning, Sedell! Aren’t you running a little late this morning? she asks.

Sedell starts down the sidewalk in front of Mrs. Carmichael’s house. No, Mrs. Carmichael, we start later today, she replies.

But you usually leave out at seven forty-five. It’s eight o’clock, dear, Mrs. Carmichael blurted out.

It’s the last day of school, Mrs. Carmichael. We start late today, Sedell says as she zooms past Mrs. Carmichael’s front gate. Well, I have a little gift for you! Mrs. Carmichael yells out. That’s providing you get promoted today, she called out after Sedell.

By the time Sedell reached the corner, she realized what Mrs. Carmichael had said. Her thoughts were interrupted when Erin yelled out her name. Sedell, hurry up, the first bell has already rung! Erin yells.

Did you forget it’s the last day of school? Sedell yells back. We don’t have to be in homeroom until eight fifteen.

Oh, sorry, I forgot, Erin replies.

Sedell is so excited about what Mrs. Carmichael said, she almost forgot to look both ways before crossing the street. Erin’s staring at her with her mouth opened. What are you wearing, Erin asks her.

Clothes, Sedell snaps.

You’re wearing that silly pink frilly blouse. Erin giggles.

Don’t you know anything? Sedell asks as she ride her bike across the street. I didn’t think I’d have to explain my outfit to my best friend, Sedell snaps.

What do you mean? Erin asks her.

What I mean is that I didn’t think I’d have to explain to my best friend my reason for wearing my pink frilly blouse, Sedell repeated. This silly pink frilly blouse helped me figure out the pattern of the winds, Sedell retorted. Didn’t somebody I know get the answer wrong on her science test? Sedell asks her. And didn’t you only get a B+ on your final science test?

What does me getting a ‘B+’ on my science test have to do with you wearing that stupid pink frilly blouse? Erin snaps.

Well, for one thing, it means I got an A+ wearing this stupid pink frilly blouse because it helped me figure out the correct answer on my science test, Sedell shot back. And just how do you think I derived at the correct answer? Sedell asks Erin.

I don’t know, Erin snapped.

Me wearing this stupid pink frilly blouse! Sedell yells out. When I moved, my bell sleeves helped me understand the theory Mr. Lewis explained about the pattern of the winds.

Oh, Erin replies. Why didn’t you just say that? she asks.

I just did, Sedell snapped as she rode passed Erin. My mom says you can come over to my house after school today, if it’s okay with your grandmother! Sedell yells over her shoulder.

I can’t, Erin replies. I have to go with my grandmother to her doctor’s appointment. Would you like to come with us? she ask Sedell.

I’ll have to call my mom! Sedell yells over her shoulder.

Erin rode her bike faster to catch up to Sedell.

Why does your grandmother have to go to the doctor so much? Sedell asks.

I don’t know. I think when you get older, you have to make sure everything is all right, Erin replies.

Come on, let’s park our bikes on this side, Sedell insists. That way when school’s out, we can use the side entrance to get out faster, she adds.

Okay, Erin replies.

Mr. Mark, the vice principal, was waiting just inside the door when they walked in. Good morning, girls. We’ll meeting in the auditorium before homeroom today, he says.

Thanks, Mr. Mark, Sedell replies.

Sedell and Erin walks through the auditorium doors and spots Chris and Bert sitting close to the front of the auditorium. Bert beckons for them to come and sit with them. Sedell didn’t want to sit too close to the front, so she headed for the middle row on the right side of the auditorium. Erin follows her. Sedell beckoned for Chris and Bert to come sit with them. She laughs at how quickly the boys obeyed her command.

What’s so funny? Erin asks her.

Nothing, Sedell replies.

You don’t laugh for nothing, Erin says.

It’s my personal inside joke, meant only for my thoughts, Sedell replies.

Well, be that way, and I won’t tell you what Jason said about you yesterday—it’ll be my personal secret, Erin snaps.

Fine by me, Sedell retorts. Sedell knew Erin couldn’t keep water on her stomach.

Okay, okay, Jason said you’re beautiful, Erin relents.

What would he know? He has four eyes. Sedell giggles.

Well, I guess he knows that you’re beautiful, Erin replies.

Let’s just change the subject to something more digestible, Sedell insists.

Hello, girls! Chris yells out as he walks towards them.

As he got closer, Sedell reminded him. How many times do I have to tell you about yelling out your business for everyone to hear? Sedell scolds him.

Chris plops down in the seat next to her. Sorry, he said.

That seems to be the story of your life, Sedell snaps.

Hey, it’s the last day of school, guys. Can’t we just all get along, Bert pipes in.

When pigs fly, Sedell snaps.

I thought we were friends, like I got your back, you got my back, Bert snapped back.

Who told you that you can think? Sedell asked him.

When I figured out that you are an impossible person, Bert retorted. Bert was Sedell’s match, and Sedell was Bert’s match.

Okay, guys, truce, Erin chimes in.

I didn’t know there was a war going on, Sedell replies with sarcasm in her voice.

Bert stretched out his hand to shake Sedell’s hand. She folded her arms and ignored him. Just forget it, she says. All you boys want to do is start an argument, then you expect an apology, Sedell snapped. She continued to fold her arms and look straight ahead.

I apologize, Sedell, Bert says.

I accept your apology, Sedell replies.

The auditorium filled up fast. Mr. Mark closed the side door and walked toward the stage. He mounted the four steps and went straight to the podium. He gave the mic a couple of light taps and began speaking. Good morning, boys and girls and administrative staff. Mrs. Burton, the principal, and four teachers were seated behind him. Mr. Mark cleared his throat as though he was trying to hold back his emotions. I guess you’re asking yourselves why you’ve been called to the auditorium on the last day of school, he said.

What is this all about? Sedell whispers.

Shush, Erin replies.

I guess some of you or perhaps all of you may know by now that I have been promoted to principal, Mr. Mark said. I will not be returning to Elk Grove Elementary next fall, he said. Some students shook their heads yes, but Sedell waited to hear him out.

"I have been chosen to become the new principal