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“Maybe Principal Nakamura is going to talk about school bullying?” Liam suggests. “She talks about it every year.”
“Maybe,” Chloe says.
“I’m glad she sticks to it every year,” Xavier says. “I heard jerks were giving a guy a hard time.”
Aidan shakes his head with a frown. “In this day and age, you’d think there would finally be an end to bullying.”
“I wish,” Ava says. “But I think VP Rivera is going to talk about the importance of grades. You know how kids slack off because it’s the last semester. But our grades matter for college and blah blah. Wish we could skip it because we’re all straight-A students.”
Xavier slowly raises his hand. “Some of us average A minuses and Bs.” He laughs sheepishly.
“Actually, I’m going to make a presentation,” I inform the group.
“Really?” Lily asks. “About what?”
I can’t hide the grin practically swallowing my entire face. “I finished my app last night!”
“Oh my gosh, really?” Ava flings her arms around me. “That’s awesome!”
“I know! I thought I’d have nothing to present to the students this morning, but the thing is actually functional.”
“I can’t wait.” Lily pulls me into her arms. “You’re so amazing, Willow.”
That makes me chuckle. “Thanks.”
Chloe hugs me. “All your hard work has finally paid off. Can’t wait to use it. We will be able to use it, right?”
“Yes. You guys are the perfect candidates for it.”
“What is it? What is it?” Lily asks, bouncing on her feet with impatience.
I zip an invisible zipper across my lips. “You’ll have to wait for the assembly.”
“I’m so happy for you,” Liam tells me with a smile.
“Thanks.”
Xavier and Aidan wish me good luck and tell me they’re looking forward to using it, too. My heart still races. Gosh, I hope it won’t be like this until the coding competition. Can someone die from nerves?
Just before the bell rings, VP Rivera’s voice booms over the loudspeaker. “Students, we have an assembly scheduled for this morning. Please make your way to the auditorium. I repeat, first period classes are canceled for today. Please make your way to the auditorium.”
My friends head for the auditorium, but my legs are cemented to the floor. It feels like my heart has just launched to the moon.
“Willow?” Lily hangs back and puts her arm over me. “You okay?”
“I feel…” I press my hand to my chest. “My heart is beating so fast. Lily, I think I’m going to die.”
She squeezes me close. “I’ve never seen you this nervous. But it’s a good thing. Remember what my mom always says? As long as you’re nervous about something, it shows that you care. So it means you carebig timebecause you’re super nervous.”
“I don’t think I can do it. Wow, I’ve never felt like this before. I don’t know what to do…”
“It’s okay. Just breathe. In and out, in and out.”
I do what she says.
“Better?”
“A little,” I admit. “My heart’s still racing, though.”
