Before lunch was over, the PA cracked on. "Students, I want to wish you all a safe and happy vacation. We look forward to seeing you back on Monday. Unfortunately, one of our students will *not* be returning, and I think you all know who I mean."

It was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. My last day of school in Tierson. Maybe the last day I'd see Carla, Eden, and Jerry. Ever.

I went in early to say goodbye to Mr. Bryant and Denise. Denise gave me a hug. Mr. Bryant said how much he'd miss "all the excitement" and he wished me well.

Then, when I was about to leave, he caught my arm and said, "Marcie," in a soft voice. When I turned back to face him, he hesitated, then said, "I've spoken on the phone with your new principal. She seems quite professional, and I have no doubt that she's good at what she does..."

Uh-oh, I thought. This doesn't sound good.

"The thing is, sometimes school can really take the life out of a child, do you know what I mean?"

"I guess so," I said uncertainly.

"What I'm trying to tell you is... what I'm trying to say... is that you have to trust your own heart above all else, regardless of what people in authority tell you."

My jaw dropped in astonishment. "Mr. Bryant–" I began, but he interrupted.

"I hope you know me well enough to realize that I'm not advising anarchy or a life of crime and rebellion."

I nodded.

"And I wouldn't give this advice to everyone..."

I nodded again.

"What I'm trying to say is that, sometimes when adults are too strict, the wisest thing a student can do is find a way to bend without breaking. I hope you know what I'm getting at."

"I think so," I said. "You're telling me that my next principal is a real–

"Ah-ah-aah!" he cautioned with a raised forefinger.

"Okay," I said. "I get it. Thanks."

From there I visited Ms. Price and Ms. Tandy, since I wouldn't have class with them.

Ms. Price was nice; she hugged me and told me to try for the field hockey team at my new school. "Do something athletic," she said, "You're a natural."

Ms. Tandy didn't hug me, but she did give me her phone number and email address. "Keep in touch," she said. "I'll always be wondering what you're up to. And if you ever need somebody to talk to, I'm here." I was surprised and touched.

Then, with a twinkle in her eye, she asked whether I wanted the doll that fell off the train. "I still have it," she said. "It works, but I can't really use it."

I declined, horrified.

When she saw the look on my face, she laughed so hard she had to clutch her stomach. "I was only kidding, you silly! I'm going to keep that thing for myself! It's priceless!"

At lunch, the girls gave me going-away gifts. Carla gave me an address book, with the name, address, phone number, and email address of every freshman in school. Some of them wrote notes. I cried when I opened it, and had to shut it so I didn't blot any of the writing.

Eden gave me a framed photo of the three of us. I'd never seen the picture before. In it, Carla was obviously saying something funny. She was smiling, Eden was giggling, and I was laughing.

"Oh," Carla said, "I love that picture!"

"It's a good one of all three of us," Eden commented.

"Who took it?" I asked.

"Cory's friend, whats-his-name?"

"The chicken guy?" I offered. Eden nodded. She pulled out another, bigger package that was obviously another framed picture.

"This one's from Cory," she said. "It's really special to him. It's an original."

It turned out to be a cartoon based on the one that was banned, when I climbed the outside of the school building. It showed Cory wheezing and me coming to the rescue: climbing the building (in a ridiculously short skirt!) and climbing back down with the backpack in one hand.

The last panel showed everyone from school looking out the windows and doors, saying, "WE'LL MISS YOU!"

Again, I had tears in my eyes, but through them I could see the little drawn figures of Jerry, Mr. Bryant, Ms. Price, Denise, Mahon The Man and Cassie, Pat and Carla — even Mrs. Zeff!

Eden and Ms. Tandy stood on either side of Cory.

"He was particularly proud of this guy," Eden said. "He knew you were close to him." She pointed out a figure peeking out the door to the basketball court.

"Oh, my God!" I gasped, and started crying out loud. It was Mr. Bruce!

When I was able to compose myself, I turned to look at the boyfriend table and mouthed a Thank you! to Cory.

Before lunch was over, the PA cracked on. Mr. Bryant spoke.

"Students, I want to wish you all a safe and happy vacation. We look forward to seeing you back on Monday. Unfortunately, one of our students will *not* be returning, and I think you all know who I mean."

"Oh, no!" I whispered. Carla and Eden smiled conspiratorially.

"It's unusual for a freshman to make such a mark on the school. It's unusual for any student to display courage in the face of danger, to think quickly and do the right thing in a moment of crisis, but it's very rare when someone does those things over and over again. I know that I speak for all of the teachers and most, if not all, of the students when I say that we'll miss wondering what new adventure each week will bring.

"Please join me in a round of applause and thanks to Marcie Donner for her selfless acts of courage, for her quick thinking, and for keeping us all on the edge of our seats. Goodbye, Miss Donner. We will miss you!"

Everyone in the cafeteria began to applaud. People started standing up. I cried and cried.

Jerry came up next to me and said, "Do you want to say anything?" He waved everyone into silence, and helped me to stand on my chair.

"I just want to say thanks to all of you, and I will miss you, too!"

Jerry helped me down, and led me down the hall toward the front door. I handed him an evelope addressed to Nina. "It's the lifetime pass to the Little Train," I told him.

He handed me a brown manila envelope. "This is from Cassie," he said. "It's Cosmo." I smiled.

Jerry had already given me his present: a gold bracelet, which I was wearing proudly.

Everyone followed us, and someone started singing, to the tune of the Bye Bye Birdie theme, "We love you Marcie, oh yes we do..." It was sappy and silly, but it was breaking my heart.

We went out the front door, and Jerry turned me to face the building. A big, homemade banner hung from the second-floor windows. It read "WE WILL MISS YOU!"

It was like Cory's drawing come to life! Except that one person was missing... I looked over to the gym door, knowing that Mr. Bruce wouldn't be there. At that moment I knew that Cory's picture that would be my last image of Mr. Bruce, replacing the last time I saw him in real life...

Thanks, Cory! Thanks, Mr. Bruce!

I kissed Jerry like I would never kiss anyone ever again. I hugged Carla, hugged Eden, then got into the car with my mother. We drove away, and I cried as if I could never stop.

Tierson High rolled away behind us, and then Tierson itself.

Soon we were on the long, featureless highway to Sacramento Airport.

"Are you okay, hon?" Mom asked, reaching over to pat my leg.

"Yeah," I sighed, wiping away the last tears.

"I think you'll find good friends in New Jersey, the same way you found them here," she said.

"I hope so," I said. "But one thing's for sure: I'm not going to do anything crazy or dangerous any more. No more adventures."

Mom smiled. "That will be a relief."

"I want to be an ordinary girl with an ordinary life," I said. "Period. The End."

"Okay," Mom agreed. "One ordinary life, coming up!"

© 2006, 2007 by Kaleigh Way