“That’s what happens when you use a mitt as much as you do,” his dad commented. “Wear it in good health.”
“This one is from me,” said Aunt Julie, handing Derek the small box.
He opened it to find a metal object wrapped in tissue paper. It was a gold chain, with a gold interlocking NY pendant hanging from it!
It took Derek’s breath away.
“I… I don’t know what to say.” Derek draped the pendant around his neck and glanced at the mirror by the front door. “It’s beautiful. Thanks, Aunt Julie. You’re the best!”
“Aunt Julie had it specially made for you,” Mrs. Jeter said.
“That’s right,” said Aunt Julie. “It’s a reminder that your whole family is behind you.” She kissed him on the cheek again. “We’re all so proud of you, Derek. You’re really growing up.”
Sharlee nestled close to him on the couch. “Even though Mommy did the writing on the cake, it was me who put in the ‘almost,’ so you wouldn’t feel so bad about losing.”
“Aw, Sharlee…,” Derek said, putting his arm around her shoulder.
“That’s why it’s so messy. We had to get home before you, and I had to rush, so…”
“I’m sorry you had to change it,” Derek told her. “It would have been perfect the other way.”
“Don’t feel bad, Derek,” Sharlee told him. “Even the best teams lose sometimes. Even mine! Even when Daddy coaches! Right, Daddy?”
Mr. Jeter laughed, shaking his head. “Yup. Can’t argue. Sharlee, you’re quite the philosopher.”
“Huh?” Sharlee said, confused. “What’s a philofficer?”
That made the whole family crack up.
Leave it to Sharlee, thought Derek. She could put anybody in a better mood!
“Oh, and there’s one more surprise,” said Mrs. Jeter. She went to the front door and opened it. “You boys can come in now.”
“SURPRISE!” Vijay and Dave shouted as they burst through the door. “Happy birthday, Derek!”
“I can’t believe this!” Derek said. “It just keeps getting better!”
“I’ll cut you all a slice of cake,” said Aunt Julie. She picked up the cake and took it into the kitchen.
“Don’t you want to know what our present to you is?” Vijay asked.
“Okay, I’m game,” Derek said. “What is it?”
“As soon as we’re done scarfing down your cake, Chase is driving us over to the golf range!” said Dave.
Derek laughed. “You said you were going to be too busy.”
“Well,” Dave said, “it was all part of the surprise, so…”
“You guys are too much,” Derek said, smiling and shaking his head. “Okay, Dave. You asked for it. I’m going to outdrive you by at least ten yards. You wait and see!”
Standardized test results were handed out on Monday. As he watched Ms. Terrapin go around the class handing out the results, Derek could feel a lump of fear rising in his throat.
This was it. He could already feel the chicken suit weighing heavily on his shoulders as he wrote “Gary Parnell is smarter than me” on every blackboard in the school.
Gary sure seemed pleased with his grades. He looked over at Derek, who still hadn’t gotten his. Gary smiled with evil anticipation.
Ms. Terrapin handed him his results. 695 and 670! Derek was surprised and pleased to see that he was in the 97th percentile in math and 95th in English. He only hoped it was good enough…
Class was dismissed at noon, as it would be the following day, the last day of the school year. Derek cleaned out his desk and headed for his locker, where Gary was waiting for him.
“Well? Let’s see ’em, Jeter!”
“You first.”
Gary shrugged. “Why not? Read ’em and weep, my friend.”
Gary showed Derek his grade sheet.
Derek couldn’t believe his eyes—686 and 665!
“Nice job, Gar,” he said. “Now check these grades out! Buck-buck-b’guck!”
Gary’s eyes grew as wide as saucers as he read the fateful numbers. “WHAT? NO WAY!”
“Amazing, huh?” Derek said, which was exactly how he felt—surprised and exhilarated, but mostly relieved.
“This is baloney!” Gary complained, shoving Derek’s grades back at him.
“What happened to ‘aptitude,’ Gar? I guess we know for sure now which one of us is smarter, huh?”
“Give me a break,” Gary scoffed.
“I don’t think so. I don’t think I’ll do that.”
“Seriously, Jeter? You know standardized tests are totally bogus!”
“You didn’t think so till now. Anyway, we made a bet, and you lost.”
“No way. I’m not doing this!” Gary turned to go.
“Waaaaiit a minute,” Derek interrupted. “What about tomorrow? Writing on the blackboards? The chicken suit?”
“Nah, I don’t think so.”
“Oh, come on, now,” Derek said, getting angry. “If I had lost, you wouldn’t have let me off the hook.”
“Maybe not,” Gary admitted. “But I know for a fact that I’m smarter than you, Jeter. So there’s no way I’m going to write a lie on the blackboards, let alone dress up in a chicken suit!”
“Where’s your sense of honor? We had a deal!”
Gary shrugged and offered Derek a sickly smile. “Honor, shmonor,” he said. “When it comes to chicken suits, I’m camera shy.”
“You know I beat you fair and square!” Derek called after him as Gary sauntered away.
It really burned him that Gary had welched on their bet! He knew he would have honored his word no matter how painful it was. But Gary wasn’t Derek—and thank goodness for that!
He sighed, feeling proud and contented. It didn’t really matter so much in the end what Gary did. The whole school might not get to know who was smarter. But Gary knew. And most important, Derek knew.
From now on Gary would never be able to lord it over him again!
All the sweat and suffering had been worth it, Derek thought. Good old Vijay. If it hadn’t been for his help… and it wasn’t just the test-taking tips. He’d kept Derek sane the whole time they’d been studying.
Sure, Dave was moving away. But Derek still had one best friend. He lived just down the footpath. And he’d still be here.
Derek was already standing at home plate on
