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“What do you mean?”
I slowly raise my eyes to her. “Some kids aren’t my biggest fans. They won’t be happy. They might boycott the paper.”
I doubt she knows about the many times Paisley picked on my articles just to take a jab at me. I took it personally in the past, but it’s not about me now—it’s about the paper. What if it suffers because of me?
Her face changes. “Is someone giving you problems?”
Oh, shoot. The last thing I need is her yelling at Paisley. “No,” I quickly say. “I don’t have problems with anyone. I just mean I’m not very popular and I don’t know if students will be interested in the paper.”
“Chloe, you are an amazing writer and a talented journalist. You’ll flourish as editor-in-chief and lead your team exceptionally well. The students will eagerly stand in line every month waiting for the next issue. I have no doubt about it. You need to believe in yourself.”
A part of me wants to argue, but I realize she’s right. I know I’m a talented writer and journalist, and with hard work, I can make the paper the best Edenbury High has ever had.
With a smile, I stand. “Thanks so much for giving me the opportunity, Principal Nakamura. I won’t let you down.”
She grins. “I know you won’t.”
I make my way back to the cafeteria.
“What happened?” Lily asks when I return to our table. “You look like…” She peers closer at me. “Are you trying to hide a smile?”
My cheeks flushed, I drop down in my seat and blurt, “I’m editor-in-chief of the Edenbury High Times!”
“What?”
“Are you serious?”
“No way!”
“This is amazing news!”
At once, they throw their arms around me and hug me so tightly I think my spine might snap in half. Each and every one of them can’t stop praising me and telling me how happy and excited they are for me.
“I knew you’d get the position!” Ava says as she yanks me in for another hug. “No one deserves it more than you.”
“You’ll be amazing,” Liam says as he gathers me to his chest. “The best editor-in-chief the paper has ever had.”
“Thanks. I’m just so…I don’t know. In a state of shock.”
“Don’t be,” Willow says as she hugs me. “Like Ava said, no one deserves it more than you.”
Lily flings her arms around me, then lets me go, then hugs me again. “I’m so proud of you. So happy for you!”
“Thanks. It’s going to be a lot of hard work and it’ll take up a lot of my time, but I think I can do it. And don’t worry, I’ll still have time for book club.”
***
My cheeks hurt because I haven’t stopped smiling since this morning. First the poem from the secret admirer and then receiving the title of editor-in-chief. I feel like I’m in a dream.
Now as I sit in my room doing my homework, the secret admirer’s sweet words run around in my head. I wish I could write back to him and let him know how much his poem means to me. How much I appreciate him. But since I have no idea who he is, I’m stuck.
If only there was a way…
I sit up sharply in my seat. Wait a second. Of course! He reads my articles, both in the physical edition and on the online one. If I can somehow write him a secret message in one of my articles…
I head to my computer and plop down. The truth is, the online edition can use a few more articles…
My fingers fly over the keys as I delve into my new article, the words coming straight from my heart. I’m so gone in my writing world, that when I finally return to Earth, I realize it’s gotten pretty late.
