Eyes on the Prize Read online

“We’re doomed,” I moaned. “We’re sunk. We’re the Titanic.”

  I sank down to the ground, but instead of my butt hitting the floor, it hit something very gooey and sticky. I stood up and looked at my backside. It was covered in a bright green gloop.

  Matt smiled. “Oh good! You found my oobleck!”

  “JUDE!” I shouted. “CHLOE! ANYONE!”

  Chapter 15

  Jude’s face went pale when he saw Matt’s room.

  “You’ve been robbed!” he cried. “Call the police!”

  “No, no, there were no robbers,” said Chloe.

  “I don’t understand,” said Jude. “If there was an earthquake, why would it only hit Matt’s room and not the rest of the house?”

  Chloe laughed. “Because there was no earthquake. This is just what Matt’s room looks like.”

  “But—but—but…”

  Jude was stuttering like a robot who was short-circuiting.

  I snapped my fingers in front of his face to wake him out of his shock.

  “Jude!” I exclaimed. “Pull yourself together! Underneath this mess somewhere is our trophy-winning project. You have to help us find it!”

  “I can’t believe I’m saying this,” said Jude. “But I don’t think we can do it.”

  I put my hands on his shoulders and looked right in his eyes. “Listen to me! You are Jude B—”

  His eyes got wide and panicky because he thought I was going to say his middle name, right there in front of Chloe. But I have vowed I’d never tell anyone what his middle name is, and I never would.

  “You’re Jude B. Conti!” I exclaimed. “This is your destiny. You were born to battle this Monster Mess. Now take a deep breath and tell us what to do first.”

  Jude didn’t do anything for a moment. Then he nodded very fast and said, “Chloe, you’re on clothing. Fold clothing and place it in drawers.”

  He turned to me. “Ronny, you’re on books, magazines, any kind of papers—sort into piles.”

  I hate it when he calls me Ronny, but I bit my tongue this once.

  Then he turned to Matt, who was still reading his spider book on the floor. He slammed the book closed and barked, “Matt, you’re in charge of”—he picked up the bowl of oobleck with a grimace—“gross, unexplained goo stuff.”

  “What are you in charge of?” I asked.

  “I am in charge of everything,” Jude said, looking like the King of the World.

  At first, it felt like we weren’t even making a dent. Slowly but surely, though, we cleared off enough stuff so that the furniture appeared.

  “My motto is: a place for everything and everything in its place,” Jude lectured as we worked.

  “He is not exaggerating,” I said. “He has a pillow with those exact words embroidered on it.”

  While we sorted the stuff, Jude found a bunch of empty plastic containers, some paper, and tape. That was all he needed to go label-crazy.

  He labeled one box MAGNIFYING GLASSES and another box SCIENCE EXPERIMENT SUPPLIES. There was a COMIC BOOK box and a MODELING MATERIALS box and about a dozen others. He even labeled one box LABELING SUPPLIES.

  While we were cleaning, we found a lot of stuff:

  1. Eight homework packets.

  2. Six library books.

  3. Three missing puzzle pieces.

  4. A roll of Christmas wrapping paper.

  5. A bag of potatoes. All the potatoes had grown eyes. They had eyes so big, they could practically wear mascara!

  But did we find the project?

  No, we did not.

  Just as we were about to give up, Dr. Sawyer stuck her head in the door.

  “What does your poster look like?” she asked.

  “It’s got a hundred red sequins in the middle and a hundred musical notes around that and a hundred gum wrappers on the sides,” I said.

  “Does it look something like this?” she asked. Then she stepped into the room holding our poster!

  “Yes!” Matt exclaimed. “Where the heck did you find it?”

  “In the laundry room, on top of the dryer,” she said.

  “Oh yeahhhhhhhh,” he said, nodding. “I put it there to dry.”

  I wanted to clobber him. I wanted to pummel him. I wanted to give him a knuckle sandwich.

  But his mother and his sister were standing right there, and besides, I knew he hadn’t done it on purpose. So I just said, “Thanks, Dr. Sawyer,” and took the poster out of her hands.

  We got home so late that I didn’t even change into my pj’s. I just dropped into bed and fell asleep in about two minutes.

  But before I drifted off, I said to Jude in the top bunk, “Hey, Jude?”

  “No singing,” he muttered sleepily.

  “I’m not singing,” I said. “I’m talking to you.”

  “Uh-huh?” he murmured.

  “Thanks,” I said. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  But all I heard from the top bunk was snoring. He was already asleep.

  Chapter 16

  The next morning was the hundredth day of school! Miss Mabel was dressed for the occasion. She was wearing a headband that had a big silver number 100 boing-ing around on top of springs.

  “My oh my, Miss Mabel, you’re magnificent!” I said.

  “Right back at you,” she said to me. “You’re rocking the red today.”

  “Thank you!” I said, spinning around in my homemade red dress. “It’s from my aunt Alice. She knows how to sew. Guess what I’m going to ask her to make me for my birthday next month.”

  “A leotard for when you win the Olympics?” asked Miss Mabel.

  “Good idea … but no,” I said. “I’m going to ask for a sari.”

  Miss Mabel put her arm around my shoulders and gave a big squeeze.

  Cora and Minnie were both dressed up, too. Cora was in a yellow dress that was pleated and poufy with a patent leather belt. Minnie was wearing her piano recital outfit of black velvet pants and a silky white shirt. She was chewing on the ends of her braids.

  “¡Comer cabello humano es malo para la digestión!” I said, pretending to be stern.

  “¡Por eso es que tengo un dolor de estómago!” she replied.

  “What’s that mean?” I asked.

  “So that’s why I have a stomachache!” she said, and we both cracked up.

  The morning seemed to stretch on forever, but finally it was time to go to the second-grade 100 Days gallery.

  There were so many cool projects! As my dad would say, we had some stiff competition. These were the best ones:

  1. A gigantic chocolate-chip cookie with one hundred chocolate chips in it.

  2. A paper-doll chain with one hundred paper dolls.

  3. A little schoolhouse made from one hundred Popsicle sticks.

  The one I was most worried about was a beautiful green parrot made from one hundred feathers stuck in Styrofoam. It was so pretty and realistic, and I thought it would win for sure.

  But then I walked past where our project was displayed, and I saw a big crowd of kids standing in front of it.

  “There’s my name!” one girl squealed.

  “Do you see mine?” asked a boy.

  “Oh, look! My sister signed, too, and Mrs. Rose! Cool!”

  I turned to Cora and whispered, “They love our project!”

  I noticed that Miss Tibbs was taking a long time looking at our project. Then I saw her scribbling something on a piece of paper and slipping it into the pocket of her black pants.

  I couldn’t get close enough to see, but I knew it must be Mr. Luntzgarten’s phone number that she’d written down. I could practically hear the wedding bells ringing! I could practically feel the petals I would toss as the flower girl!

  When everyone had a chance to see the projects, Miss Mabel handed out ballots.

  Then we all went into the auditorium to watch a video about a second-grade class in China that also did a 100 Days project. I knew Miss Mabel and the other teachers were counting up all
the votes, so I was really nervous. It didn’t just feel like there were butterflies in my stomach. It felt like there was a bunch of super-excited Chihuahuas in there.

  When the video was over, Principal Powell walked onto the stage and said, “Well, ladies and gentlemen, the results are in! First, I just wanted to say how impressed I am by all the projects. They are so unique.…”

  She said a bunch more stuff, but I stopped listening because the Chihuahuas in my stomach were wrestling with one another, and I couldn’t concentrate.

  “This year’s winner of the second-grade 100 Days Contest is…” She unfolded the piece of paper that had the winner written on it. I thought the Chihuahuas were going to jump right out of my mouth. The palms of my hands were so sweaty!

  “From Miss Mabel’s class … 100 Signatures Speak Up.”

  I grabbed Cora’s and Minnie’s hands and squeezed hard. Matt yelled, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” Then Miss Mabel was saying, “Guys! Go up on the stage! She’s calling your names!”

  I walked down the aisle and up the stairs to the stage in a daze. I was so happy, I felt like I was floating on a whipped-cream cloud.

  When we got to the stage, Principal Powell shook hands with each of us. Then Mrs. Rose handed each of us a big, heavy box. I did not know trophies came in boxes! I had so much to learn.

  I lifted the top off the box, expecting to see the gleam of gold. I did see a gleam, but it was of red, and yellow, and blue, and green. Inside the box was a gum-ball machine.

  “In recognition of your excellence,” Principal Powell was saying, “we’d like to award each of you a gum-ball machine with exactly one hundred gum balls inside. Just don’t eat them all at once. Your dentist will be furious at me.”

  Cora laughed. Minnie laughed. Matthew Sawyer laughed.

  I did not laugh. I was too busy waiting for the part where I would get my trophy.

  Then, before I knew what was happening, the principal was dismissing everyone and the rest of my group was walking offstage. As quick as a flash, I tugged on Principal Powell’s sleeve and said, “Thank you very much for the gum balls. But when do we get the trophies?”

  Principal Powell smiled brightly, which made me think her answer was going to be “Right now!”

  But instead her answer was “Oh, we don’t have trophies this year. We thought the gum balls were a bit more fun.”

  I knew I shouldn’t feel disappointed, because I had just won and everyone clapped and I got a hundred gum balls and everything. But I did feel disappointed. I couldn’t help it.

  I didn’t want Principal Powell to think I was ungrateful, so I nodded and glued a fake smile on my face. As Dad always says, “You gotta fake it till you make it.”

  Chapter 17

  It was the end of the day, so when we got back to our classroom, Miss Mabel told us to pack up.

  Everyone was congratulating me and asking for gum balls.

  “Sure,” I said. I handed out gum balls to anyone who asked.

  I popped a red one in my mouth, then a yellow, then a blue, then another red, and the big burst of fruity flavor started to cheer me up.

  I was just putting the top on my gum-ball machine box when Matt walked up to my desk. He handed me a big, lumpy envelope.

  “Does this have one hundred boogers in it?” I asked. “Because I’m really not in the mood.”

  “No,” he replied. “I could only collect nine, so I gave up.”

  “Is there a stink bomb in here?”

  Matt shook his head.

  “Worms?”

  “Just open it, will you?” He sighed.

  I was pretty suspicious, but I was also pretty curious. After a few seconds, my curiosity was stronger. So I tore open the envelope. Something heavy and shiny fell out onto my desk with a clatter.

  It was a medal!

  A shiny, golden medal with a big ribbon attached, with one blue stripe, one red stripe, and one white stripe. It looked just like what people who win at the Olympics get. The golden part had a big star in the middle, and it said, YOU’RE A STAR!

  “Is this for me?” I asked.

  Matt nodded.

  “But…” I was so confused, I didn’t even know what to say. “Why?”

  Matt shrugged. “To say thanks or whatever.”

  Matt looked serious. He sounded serious. But it seemed impossible that he could be so … well, nice.

  “Wait a minute!” I yelped. “Is it opposite day?”

  Matt rolled his eyes. “No.”

  “Which means yes!”

  “Whatever you say.”

  “What’s the opposite of that?” I said. “Whatever I don’t say? I don’t get it.”

  “IT’S NOT OPPOSITE DAY!” he hollered.

  “Okay, okay, you don’t have to get so upset,” I said.

  Matt let out a huge sigh. “Do you want the medal or not?”

  “What a ridiculous thing to ask! Of course I want it! I’ve been longing for a medal for my entire life.”

  I put the medal around my neck. It felt heavy, just like I thought it would.

  “Thank you, Matthew Sawyer,” I said. “I’m sorry I said your room was a hideous nightmare.”

  “It’s okay,” he said. “I’m sorry I put oobleck in your lunch box.”

  “It’s okay.” I replied. And then I said, “What? You did WHAT?”

  But he was already running out the door of the classroom.

  Chapter 18

  At pickup, Dad let out a huge whoop when he saw me holding the gum-ball machine.

  “Winner, winner, chicken dinner!” he shouted. I had no idea what that meant, but he sounded happy and proud.

  “Wonny won?” asked Pearl from her stroller.

  “Yes, Pearly Pie,” I said. “Wonny won.”

  Jude walked over with a glum look on his face and nothing in his hands.

  “Well, you win some, you lose some,” Dad said, patting him on the back.

  “I just don’t get it,” he said, shaking his head. “Our project was so complicated, and so perfect. And you know whose project won? Gary Grotowski’s group! It was a top hat with a lever on it, and when you pulled the lever, one hundred pieces of confetti burst out.”

  “Sometimes the crowd just wants a little razzle-dazzle,” said Dad, shrugging. “Whatcha gonna do?”

  I had to bite on my tongue to keep myself from shouting, “Told you so! Told you so! Told you told you told you so!!”

  I have done that to Jude before, and it only got me in trouble. Plus I felt sorry for the guy. He looked like a plant that hadn’t been watered in a few days and was all wilted.

  I offered him a gum ball, but he shook his head. And then who should I spot but Chloe, picking Matt up. She was giving him a high five, which wasn’t very easy for her to do, because she was carrying her enormous backpack and humongous dictionary.

  I waved at her, and she and Matt walked over.

  “You did it! Congrats!” she said.

  Jude was suddenly looking much more cheerful. He was like a plant who had just gotten a big drink of fresh water. “Hey, congratulations is another con word.”

  “Yes!” Chloe laughed. “So is confection. And speaking of confections, I’m going to take Matt out for a treat, to celebrate. I hear the bakery across the street has delicious German chocolate cupcakes.”

  “I love German chocolate cake,” I told her. “Mostly because when I was little, I used to think it was called German shepherd cake, and German shepherds are my fifth-favorite dog breed.”

  Chloe laughed. “You should all come!”

  Jude turned to Dad. “Can we?”

  “Why not?” Dad said. “Wasn’t it Marie Antoinette who said, ‘Let ’em eat cake’? That lady knew what she was talking about.”

  Then, at the same exact time, Jude and Chloe both said, “Actually, Marie Antoinette didn’t say that.”

  “Yeah, she really said, ‘Let them eat brioche,’” said Jude.

  “Actually, I was reading a book about the French R
evolution…” said Chloe, and the two of them walked together and talked about stuff that seemed pretty boring to me.

  “I wanna vaniwa cake!” said Pearl. “I don’t wike gewbiws. Or gewbiw chocowate.”

  “It’s German chocolate, silly,” I told her. “Not gerbil chocolate.”

  “Oh, hey, Pearl!” Matt said. “You just reminded me. I wanted to tell you about this article I read about gerbils.…”

  Chloe and Jude were chatting behind me, and Matt and Pearl were chatting in front of me. I walked next to Dad and felt my heavy medal swinging under my jacket and my huge wad of gum balls in my mouth, and I felt warm and happy.

  That Monday, during independent reading time, Miss Mabel called me, Cora, Minnie, and Matt to her desk.

  “I have some reeeeeeeally exciting news,” she said with a smile.

  “We’re going to Disneyland?” I guessed.

  Whenever anyone has exciting news, that is always my first guess.

  “Uhhhh … no,” she said.

  Figures. That guess is never right.

  “At the 100 Days gallery, your project caught the attention of the Parents’ Association,” she explained. “They found the petition very persuasive. And this morning, the PA president gave me this.”

  She opened her desk drawer and pulled out a little gray-and-black rectangle.

  “Holy cannoli,” I said. “A speaker!”

  Miss Mabel tapped her phone a few times, and all of a sudden, “Rama Lama Ding Dong” rang out of the speaker.

  “Who wants to doo-wop?” Miss Mabel asked the class.

  Everyone did, naturally.

  It was our best doo-wop ever.

  Take the Fix-It Friends Pledge!

  I, (say your full name), do solemnly vow to help kids with their problems. I promise to be kind with my words and actions. I will try to help very annoying brothers even though they probably won’t ever need help because they’re soooooo perfect. Cross my heart, hope to cry, eat a gross old garbage fly.

  When Distraction Gets You Down …

  Picture this:

  You’re in class, and your teacher’s going on and on about some spelling rule that’s so boring, you’re about to fall asleep. Then you see a cool spider crawling on the windowsill. Maybe you run over to look, or you point it out to a friend, or maybe you watch it from your seat really, really closely. Then all of a sudden, your teacher’s saying your name. You realize she just asked you a question, and you completely missed it. “Pay attention!” your teacher scolds. You gulp and nod, but really you’re thinking, I can’t help it!