Read Online What the Moon Said by Gayle Rosengren - Free Book Online Page B

blazing hot while the rest of her was cold as ice. She didn’t know how that could be, but it was.
    The other students tried to be kind. They didn’t stare, except for the very youngest ones. But Esther had never been so ashamed.
    At lunchtime she tried to eat but she couldn’t. Her throat was still too tight. And when Mary and Pamela invited her to play tag, she shook her head. “I don’t feel well,” she said, and it wasn’t a fib.
    When they left, she pretended to read, but really she was imagining she was in her bedroom holding Margaret close. She had disappointed Miss Larson, her beautiful, kind teacher. She would never let Esther help teach now.
    When the afternoon bell rang, Esther remembered the spelling bee. Suddenly it was more important than ever that she win. Before, she had just wanted the blue ribbon to make Ma proud of her, but now winning was a way to make her teacher proud of her again, too. Esther was determined to be the last speller standing.
    Social studies and science seemed to take forever that day. But at last it was time for the bee. The third- and fourth-grade girls lined up along one wall. The boys lined up across the room. At their head was Thomas Nielson. Thomas was a better student than his twin, and Esther had heard he was a star speller. He wore such a cocky grin that Esther’s mouth went dry. Her voice squeaked when she spelled her first word. But she spelled it correctly. That was what mattered. The next time her voice didn’t squeak.
    One by one, girls and boys missed words and went back to their seats. Finally, only Thomas and Esther were left. His cocky grin was gone. He frowned in concentration when Miss Larson gave him his word. For the first time he looked worried.
    â€œNuisance,”
he repeated. “N-u . . . s-a-n-c-e. Nuisance.”
    â€œThat is incorrect,” Miss Larson said. “Esther, can you spell
nuisance?
”
    Esther’s heart, already beating fast, drummed harder and faster still. She took a deep breath. She crossed her fingers in the folds of her skirt.
“Nuisance,”
she said. “N-u-i-s-a-n-c-e.” She held her breath and looked at Miss Larson.
    The teacher beamed back at her. “Correct!” she announced. Excited murmurs came from the girls.
    Now there was just one more word for Esther to spell. If she spelled it correctly, she would win the bee. If not, Thomas got another chance and the bee continued. Esther held her breath, waiting for the word.
    â€œYour next word is
performance,
Esther.” A hush fell over the room.
    Esther let out her breath. She smiled. “
Performance
. P-e-r-f-o-r-m-a-n-c-e.”
    â€œCorrect!” Miss Larson said. “Esther Vogel wins the bee.” All the girls clapped.
    Joyfully, Esther accepted the blue ribbon from her teacher. The scalloped paper circle pinned to the top said
Champion Speller.
Wait until Ma saw it! And Miss Larson was smiling at her. Perhaps in time she’d forget that Esther had cheated. Perhaps she’d even give her another chance to teach the first-graders. For now, though, Esther was happy just to see her teacher’s smile and know that Miss Larson wasn’t angry at her anymore.
    But at the end of the day Miss Larson handed Esther an envelope. She handed another one to Wesley. “Please give these notes to your parents,” she said. Esther felt like someone was squeezing her tight around her middle, so tight that she could barely breathe. Because she knew the note was to tell Ma and Pa she had cheated.
    She whispered, “Yes, Miss Larson,” with the last bit of breath in her.
    After Miss Larson walked away, Wes said, “Uh-oh.” Esther couldn’t bring herself to look at him, though. Her own fear and misery were enough to bear. Instead, she plodded toward the door on feet that felt like they did the time she’d stepped in wet cement in Chicago. And just like that time, her feet got