The Power of the Pearl Earrings by Linda Trinh

Author:Linda Trinh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Annick Press
Published: 2022-09-08T17:08:36+00:00

Chapter 9

What’s Wrong with Me?

I get the chance to make everything so great again when it’s time to present our coding projects in class. Since I have lots of time to work on my coding at home. Since Rohan stopped asking me to come over.

“Michael and Liz, your turn.” Mrs. Goodman calls us to show the class our animated names.

I don’t wear Grandma Nội’s pearl earrings

anymore. I don’t need the energy or the help of the Trung Aunties. My Make-Golden-Boy-My-Friend Plan will soon work. He’ll have to like me after being coding partners.

I pull up what we’ve done on the projected screen. The word “Michael” shows up.

Before I can talk, Michael steps in front of me. He says, “I tried a bunch of things with the letters,” and he presses play. All his letters do something really cool.

Everyone claps.

“Way to go, Michael!” Aiden says.

“Yay, Mikey!” Lucas shouts.

“Great job, that’s a lot more than we have seen,” Mrs. Goodman says.

“Liz helped,” Michael says.

Mrs. Goodman looks at me. “It’s nice Michael was able to help you. Glad you two work well together.” She turns back to the class. “Rosa and Madiha now.”

What is happening?

Michael didn’t help me! I coded the whole thing. He just pressed one button. My ears burn red hot. I can’t believe it.

At recess, I run over to where the “No Girls Allowed” Club meets near the back fence.

Michael sees me coming and walks toward me, away from the other boys.

“I did the work. The class and the teacher think you did it all,” I say.

“Not my problem,” he replies.

“What?” I ask.

“Everyone expects me to be good at everything. To be better than everyone. You try being the new kid!” He walks away.

I feel like there’s a big hole inside me. Michael doesn’t care about me. He only cares about himself! If only he knew how bad this felt. I start to feel hot around my neck. I’ll show him!

I look around. I see Anne and she’s with Jacob. She’s putting his toque back on and zipping up his jacket.

My knees are wobbly as I run over to them.

I hug my sister and bury my face in her shoulder.

“Liz?” she asks.

“Why doesn’t he like me? What’s wrong with me?” I begin to cry. “And my teacher thinks I don’t know anything.” I say everything I have been holding in.

“Elizabeth, that sucks.” Anne wraps her arms around me.

“And Rohan, he’s not my best friend anymore,” I sob.

“Then Rohan’s missing out. And we’re sisters.” Anne holds my face between her hands like Grandma Nội used to do. I feel the jade bangle along my chin. “That means we’ll be friends forever.”

The bangle reminds me of my pearl earrings and the Trung Aunties. They had each other. Anne and I have each other.

Jacob hugs me from the other side. “And me. I’m here forever too,” Jacob says.

I’m too quick, moving from one thing to another, Grandma Nội used to say.

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