The Perfect Score by Rob Buyea

Author:Rob Buyea
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2017-10-03T04:00:00+00:00

It wasn’t often that Jane and I left practice early. As a matter of fact, it had never happened before. Missing practice was the last thing Coach Jane wanted after my disastrous showing at the Halloween Gymnastics Spooktacular. So already she wasn’t in the best of moods. She had hoped to schedule her parent-teacher conference in the morning, before school, but Mrs. Woods was unable to make that work.

“I can’t believe that old woman is so busy that she can’t find time to meet early in the day,” Jane complained. We were in the car, racing to get back to Lake View Middle. Jane had taken the last time slot of the night, but we were still going to be cutting it close.

“I don’t know why you feel like you need to have a conference anyway,” I said. “I’m getting all As. There’s nothing to talk about.”

“I just do. It’s part of being a good parent.”

And so is yelling at your daughter when she doesn’t win? I thought.

“Besides, I like to hear your teachers brag about you,” she said.

Instead of smiling, I felt my body stiffen. Something told me Mrs. Woods wasn’t going to be doing any bragging. My first marking period report card may have had all As, but my current math grade was anything but an A. I had missed several homework assignments and gotten a 72 on my last test. That was the lowest grade I’d ever earned in my whole life. If Mrs. Woods mentioned that to Jane, I’d be hearing about it for the rest of eternity.

I was hoping for another broken water pipe or a flat tire or anything to make us miss our appointment, but none of that was my destiny. Instead, it was smooth sailing, and we made it to school a few minutes early. I sat next to Jane in the chairs Mrs. Woods had put in the hall for the people waiting.

The conference ahead of us was just finishing up. I heard them saying their thank-yous. I couldn’t tell who it was, but I knew it wasn’t Gavin’s parents, because they never attended these sorts of things. I was glad it wasn’t Gav, because he was mad at me and I couldn’t handle another person’s anger right now. Jane’s was enough, and she was about to get even angrier once she discovered I wasn’t only falling off the bars but off high honors, too.

The classroom door opened, and Natalie stepped out with her parents. We glanced at each other. Natalie gave me a small wave, and I did the same back—Gavin wasn’t there to see me.

“Good evening, Ms. Cunningham. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Pearl Woods.”

“Please, call me Jane,” Mom said, shaking my teacher’s hand.

I saw the look on Natalie’s face. She’d just discovered Coach Jane’s secret identity.

“Hello, Randi,” Mrs. Woods said.

I smiled but I didn’t shake her hand. My hands were all sweaty and gross from where I’d been picking at my calluses. I went to sit back down, but Mrs.

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