The Wish Stealers (21 page)

“Okay,” said Griffin, tears still streaming down her face.

“Griffin,” said her mom, “everybody makes mistakes or uses poor judgment once in a while, but it’s what you do
next
that counts. Now, why don’t you write those apology notes and get a good night’s sleep.”

Her mom stood up, kissed Griffin on the forehead, and went to make some tea. Her mom’s warm kiss made her feel like crying even harder. Griffin turned to her dad. Between sniffles she said, “Dad, would you ever wish to be popular?”

“I’m sure a lot of people would like to be popular. It can make things easier or more pleasant, but popularity changes, grows, and can even get silly. The more honest and kind you
are, the more the
right
kind of popularity comes to you.”

“Yeah,” said Griffin, wiping her wet eyes.

“Griffin, we love you—popular, unpopular, around the moon, and back again,” said her dad.

Back in her bedroom Griffin dangled the “popular” penny in her hand and stood by her dark bedroom window. In the swirling moonlight she stared at the copper coin. Tomorrow she’d take the “popular” penny to school.

Popularity?
It is glory’s small change.

—Victor Hugo

D
r. Penshine dropped Griffin off at school fifteen minutes early. In the lobby of the school well-lit display cases held trophies and notices for science night. In front of the cases was a water jug Garrett and Griffin had placed there for donated pennies.

The jug looked sad. Empty. Forgotten. Inside the jug two inches of pennies nestled at the bottom of the container, most of which Griffin and Garrett had donated themselves.

The halls were clear of kids, but a stampede of rushing students would burst through the doors in ten minutes. Griffin dug into her pocket and removed the “popular” penny. She wanted Pennies for the Planet to be the most
popular charity, raising tons of money for the environment. Then, at least, this mess could count for something. Griffin was sure Garrett wished the same thing. But there was no way she could give it to him now. Griffin held the penny in her hand.

Samantha, Martha, and Sasha barged through the front doors of school. Huge designer bags were slung over their left shoulders, and they clutched chilled bottles of designer mineral water in their right hands.

Griffin’s and Samantha’s eyes locked.

Swiveling their heads, the girls looked at the pathetic almost-empty water jug. They laughed. “Checking on your project?” said Samantha. “We heard Garrett refuses to work with you. Too bad about
your grade
.”

The penny started to burn into Griffin’s palm. Round edges of copper pressed against her flesh, singeing her skin. Griffin took a deep breath.
Treat yourself with respect and ignore people who don’t treat you with dignity
ran through her mind. The penny was scorching her palm, burning to be set free. Heat surged through Griffin’s entire body.
Popular! Popular!
chanted through her head. Griffin fought to not throw the penny at Samantha’s face. Her fingers could hardly contain the penny, now a hot coal.

“What’s in your hand, Griffin? A frog?” said Samantha.

“Nothing,” said Griffin.

“
Nothing
doesn’t make your hand jump like that. Show us!”

“No,” said Griffin.

“Show us!” said Samantha, moving closer.

“No, Samantha. You’re such a bully,” said Griffin, fighting to keep her hold on the burning penny. But it burned so badly that she lost her grip and the penny tumbled out along the cold floor.

Sasha ran for it, scooped it up, and placed it in Samantha’s palm.

Griffin stood in front of her. Anger surged through her entire body.

“Look at this! This is too cute!” said Samantha, mocking. “A penny with ‘popular’ taped across it. Are you wishing to be popular? Do you carry around lucky pennies with labels on them for yourself?” The three girls howled with laughter.

Griffin bit her lip.

“You know what I think of you and your stupid penny?” said Samantha.

“I think this penny must be
nasty
being inside
your
pocket.” She dumped some of her designer water on it, and the ink on the label began to bleed. The word “popular” spread in all directions.

Griffin glared.

“Oh, look at this, girls,” said Samantha. “Her penny is ruined!” The girls laughed. “Maybe I should make a wish before it fades away …” In a baby voice, with her lips in a snarl, she mocked, “I wish Griffin becomes
superpopular
.”

The three girls cracked up. Sasha laughed so hard she snorted. She added, “Don’t forget her dork charity, too.”

“And her dork charity, too.”

“Here, Griffin, better take back your
lucky
penny!” said Samantha. But just as she threw it, the school bell blasted, and a charge of kids burst through the front doors along with a gust of wind. The penny flew through the air like a smoldering comet. In a ribbon of light the penny landed inside the water jug on top of the heap. The container lit up from within.

Samantha glared at Griffin. “Why did that penny light up? What kind of penny was that, anyway?”

“A lucky one,” said Griffin.

All appears to change when we change.

—Henri Frédéric Amiel

O
n science night, rubber sneakers squeaked over the gym floor that reeked of sweat and salt. Griffin had transformed the splatters and paint smudges Samantha’s friends had squirted onto her sneakers by turning them into a cool design. She’d made the paint blobs look like a van Gogh–inspired rain forest.

While Dr. Penshine parked the car, Griffin dragged her bags through the gym in search of her booth. Passing Samantha’s and Sasha’s booth, number 23, Griffin locked eyes with Samantha. An electric sign over her booth blinked:
THE SCIENCE AND JOY OF MY DAD’S DERMATOLOGY PRODUCTS
. Samantha’s father had donated the sign. When Griffin
looked closer, she noticed Samantha still had large warts all over her face.

“This lighting is unbearable!” screeched Mrs. Sloane. “Look at you! This is so bad for your father’s business.” Pulling more cover-up out of her purse, Mrs. Sloane slapped at Samantha’s skin. The gold bracelets up and down Mrs. Sloane’s arm jangled, calling even more attention to Samantha. “This is disgusting! I’m so embarrassed!”

Samantha glared at Griffin.

Griffin stared back. Mrs. Sloane made Samantha look kind. For the first time Griffin actually felt sorry for Samantha. Maybe there was a reason Samantha was so mean.

“Hi, Griffin!” said Audree, who was setting up her display table with facts about Darwin, the Galápagos Islands, and blue-footed birds.

“Wow, your booth looks great, Audree. Did you make that picture?”

“Yeah, my whole family. We spread out a giant sheet of paper on the living room floor and colored in the blue-footed birds. It really looks like a duck with powder blue feet.”

“It’s amazing. Good luck tonight,” said Griffin.

“Thanks. You too. My mom said I worked so hard on this project that I can have a huge sleepover party! I’m calling everybody tomorrow!”

“Cool. Thanks,” said Griffin, and she slid her heavy bags through the aisles, stopping at booth 17, which was assigned to Garrett and her. Doors opened to the public at six p.m., but Garrett was nowhere to be found.

Sighing, Griffin started to unpack all the things she and Garrett had made for their booth: poster boards, fact booklets, and clay models of alchemists’ equipment. First she hung the huge poster board:
THE ALCHEMISTS: GOLD, WISHES, AND FUTURE SCIENTISTS
. She set up the models of the equipment the alchemists had used in hopes of turning ordinary metals into gold. Griffin put out a tray of gold sprinkled cookies she had baked with her mom.

“You doing okay, Griff?” asked Dr. Penshine, hauling more bags for the booth.

“Yup,” she said.

“Looking really good!” said her mom. Carefully her mother took out a jar of pennies. Inside the jar, she and Griffin had displayed the “change the world” penny in a ring case. It was surrounded by a moat of pennies. Also displayed in the jar was a money order for eleven hundred dollars from the sale of Mariah’s ring, made out to Pennies for the Planet.

Griffin smiled looking at this. When her mom had told her the ring was worth so much, Griffin had jumped up and
down. She bet Mariah had never known her ring would one day help the environment.

Behind this jar Griffin and her mom tacked up poster boards that explained how pennies can be turned into gold, how when enough people give, each penny can help save the rain forest.
Saving the Amazon rain forest from being cut down is so important because trees supply most of the Earth’s clear air and oxygen,
read her poster. Griffin had drawn the Earth with lungs in the middle and trees circling the planet.

Every time the gym doors opened, Griffin thought maybe Garrett had changed his mind and was showing up after all. Maybe he’d even forgive her.

“The booth looks great,” said Mrs. Forester, walking over from the locker rooms.

“Mary Beth!” said Dr. Penshine.

“Nice to see you both,” said Garrett’s mom, smiling. “Hello, Griffin.”

“Hi, Mrs. Forester.” Griffin gulped.

“Thank you for your cards to me and Garrett. It meant a lot to both of us,” said Mrs. Forester.

Griffin nodded. “Is Garrett coming tonight?”

“He’s in the locker room practicing. The guys have been rehearsing night and day at my house. I was counting down to science night, just so I could get some sleep! I told him he
has to come over to the booth and help as well. I don’t want him marked down either, but he’s being very stubborn.”

“Okay,” said Griffin with a sad smile.

Taking a deep breath, Mrs. Forester said, “I want you both to know something. Garrett doesn’t know this yet. I plan to tell him at the end of science night. His dad flew into town late last night from Alaska. Ever since he received Griffin’s letter, we’ve talked every day. He wanted to come support Garrett for science night. Maybe even stay awhile. I told him he can watch, but he should only talk to Garrett when the night is over so Garrett doesn’t get nervous or upset.”