Ima Grace and the science disaster

A short story about a teenage girl "Ima" who is struggling with her everyday life. Ima is faced with a science fair, and she has the perfect project, but then an unexpected accident occurs.

Ima Grace and the Science Disaster

It was 3am as I was putting my finishing touches on my science project.  I had stayed up all night to finish it so that in the morning I could show it off at breakfast.

I had been working for the past three months on my model of the solar system.  I started with research and then I sketched it out.  I have ended up with a scale accurate, orbiting, realistic, model solar system.

I walked over to my door to put away the jeans that I had shoved in the crack so that it looked like my lights were off.  I then walked over to my window to take the quilt off that I draped over it in case my curtains let some light escape outside.  “I am so smart,” I thought to myself.   I sighed in relief.  I did it, I thought to myself.  I took off my painting clothes and put my pjs on.  Then I took out the rubber band that held my hair behind my head.  I set my alarm clock even though tomorrow is a Saturday.  If I didn't wake up ‘till 2pm my parents would get suspicious.  Finally, I burrowed under my covers and let myself drift to sleep.

Beep, beep, beep.  “Ugg” I rolled over and hit the snooze button on my alarm clock.  I heard Julio my older brother,  listening to Sports Center in the living room and my little sister, Lyla, complaining to my mom once again that I have more privileges than she does.

“Ima is more responsible and older than you,”  My mom reasoned.

“But I’m responsible too!” Lyla whined.

“Oh?”  My mom remarked.

I knew Lyla had probably given up and stomped  away to her room.  I heard a door slam, yep, I was right.  Our family puppy, Yankee, barked at the sound.

Yankee,  I thought to myself.  Ever since we got him last month we have always been cleaning up after him.  It gets annoying, but that all goes away when you look at him.  He’s just a tiny, helpless, black yorkshire terrier.

I rolled out of bed and slid into my slippers and bathrobe.  I grabbed my bathroom bag and opened up my door to go to the bathroom to take a shower.

Yankee ran excitedly around my feet as if to say “I thought you would never get up!”  

Once I was in the bathroom I turned the faucet on and splashed some cold water on my face to help wake up.  I shed my robe and pajamas and stepped into the shower.  Once I was out I threw  on some designer jeans and a blue Hollister shirt.  I put my long dark hair into a french braid and then I admired myself in the mirror.

I was beautiful.  I had impossibly pale skin, beautiful shiny, long black hair, and eyes as black as coal.  My skin had no acne.  It was perfectly smooth, clear, and soft.  I have gained the nickname Snow White.  Not only the way my features looked were gorgeous, but what I wore was always namebrand clothes washed and ironed before I wore them.  I had my nails done by my best friend Josie’s mom, who works at a professional nail salon.

I sprayed some perfume on and then put on deodorant and examined myself in the full length mirror on the door. I smiled and made sure my teeth were as white as my skin, whiter if possible.  I opened up the door and stepped out making a grand entrance as if  I were the Queen of England, except 100 times more beautiful.  Meanwhile, Julio was walking down the hallway.  He gave me a “You are an idiot Ima Grace” type-of- look.  I blushed but then scolded myself for letting him know that I was embarrassed.

“They know you stayed up all night,” he mumbled, clearly still half asleep as he

sauntered towards his room.  My mouth fell open like a codfish in shock.  How did they find out!?  I shrieked at myself.  I had a brief wave of panic, but then thought of my “superpower”, the ability to charm people to get me out of trouble.  It has only failed me a few times.

I entered the kitchen and flashed my parents one of my breathtaking smiles. My mom gave me an “Oh girl you're in trouble” smile.  My dad gave me an “Oh you really ticked your mom off” sort of smile.

“Ima,” My mom began. “Lyla came into our room at 1:00am and told us that there was an angry elephant butting his head against the wall separating yours and Lyla’s room.”

“Really?  Must have escaped from the zoo,”  I squeaked.   I was trying to add humor to the conversation to ease tensions.

“Ima,” It was my dad now.  “Could you please explain to your mother and I what, you exactly were doing in your room last night?”

“You guys really think I, Ima Grace is the type to stay up all night?  You're blaming, oh I don’t know, maybe some plumbing issues on me? You guys don't know me at all!”  I made my voice crack and wiped my eyes as if I were crying, and took a deep breath as if to regain composure.

“Maybe it was all a hallucination,”  My dad apologized quickly.  He was always the first to fall for my charm, especially if it meant me crying.  My mom pursed her lips.

“Maybe…,”  she agreed reluctantly.  I nodded my head.  I began to make my breakfast when  I heard a giggle from Lyla.

“Oh mother, father!” she sang in a flute-like voice.  And then I knew that Lyla had found my finished solar system and knew that I had just lied to my parents.  “Come here!” sang the little devil.  “I’m sure that you would just stay up all night to see this!”  I rolled my eyes at Lyla’s poor sense of humor,  But then I realized I was about to get in deep trouble.  I had to charm them, but how?  My parents walked to my room as I  followed behind them, dreading the near future.

“Lyla dear, what are you doing in Ima’s room?”  My mother asked completely unaware of the beautiful finished solar system model that sat precariously on my desk.

“Well…,”  Lyla began.

“Well, you were  just snooping around my room weren’t you?” I was stalling.  Lyla gave me a look that told me “Oh Ima you are exactly right, but I’m not going to admit it to mom and dad so, might as well get you in trouble!”  I clenched my fists as Lyla turned to face our parents.

“I  couldn't help but notice that your solar system is finished!” Lyla said in a mocking voice, her eyes like slits.  I gave her a glare that I bet sent shivers down her spine.

One week later, I’m stuck grounded in my room.  My parents were enraged at me, but I insisted I had done nothing wrong, just did some school work.  I was forced to stay home while the rest of family went to the orchard up north. Now it’s just Yankee and I.  The rejects.

I kept myself busy though doing my, Josie’s, Marylou's, Carter’s, Beatrice’s, and Lillian’s homework.  People pay me to do their homework.  To me, it means money.  To them, it means automatic A’s.

It is Monday morning and I am outside in the cold waiting for the bus with Julio.

“You put Yankee in his kennel right?”  I questioned.  The morning was pretty much a blur to me until I hit the cold air.  Lyla was crying because she forgot to study for a test.  Yankee was barrelling everywhere.  To put it this way, inside the Grace house this morning was complete chaos.

“Yeah,” said Julio absentmindedly, he had his Beats on and was nodding his head to the music.  The bus pulled up. I stepped up the three dirty steep steps and greeted the bus driver with a smile.  Like always, the old man smiled back.

“Ima, sit by me!”  squealed Josie as she does everyday as if I would decide not to sit next to my best friend.  “Still grounded?” she asked hopefully as I flung myself next to her in the seat.

“Oh yeah,”  I replied.

“Humph.” I stole a glance at Josie.  She wasn’t exactly pretty.  She had messy brown curls, a deep tan, and feline green eyes.  She usually wore old jeans and one of her brother’s old t-shirts.  Her tennis shoes often reeked and had holes in them.  Once I gave her a makeover, but when she looked in the mirror, she screamed when she saw her straightened hair, namebrand clothes and makeup and demanded that I make her look like Josie again.  So, reluctantly I did. Josie and I have been friends since kindergarten, when I didn't know that she was a little different.  Josie has always had her own special way in many things.

Once we were in school, I went to my locker and did my combination.  It clicked right open.  I have choir first hour.  I grabbed what I needed for that class.  I walked over to the school’s one and only drinking fountain.  As always, there was an endless line. Two minutes passed.  I looked at the clock and back at the line.  I was next,  but in front of me was Billy Morphin.  That name always leaves a foul taste in my mouth after I say it.  Billy is sooo stupid!  I mean just look at the way he drinks from the water.  He laps it up like a dog!  

“Billy, some of us care about not being tardy,” I stated in my sweetest voice.  He grunted in response as he continued lapping.  “So hurry up!”  I said a adding a little venom as if I were a snake.  After an eternity, Billy finished lapping and turned to me. He thanked me for being so patient with him.  I couldn’t tell if he was telling the truth, or if he was being sarcastic.  I pushed him out of the way, threw him a sweet smile as if to say excuse my inappropriate behavior.  That smile was only for charm.  Just as I bent down to take that first luscious drink of water, the bell sounded.

“Yankee!” I yelled.  Man, I did it again, whenever something bad happens I yell Yankee, out of instinct.  Yankee does something bad every day it seem.  

Just as I thought that I had quenched my thirst, I heard a booming voice and hot breath ruffle my freshly straightened hair.

“Miss Ima Grace I believe that was the bell about a minute ago.  So, you better think of a good excuse to why you’re still here, at the drinking fountain.”

“Mr. Liston!” I exclaimed flashing him one of my smiles.  Use the charm I told myself.

“You see, Billy Morphin was just taking forever to drink, or should I say lap the water!  And I was just sooo thirsty!”

“Ima, enough,” he interrupted me.  “Billy Morphin told me everything that happened and I believe that you left out a few details.” Should I lie? Or just take the time for the crime? I debated in my head.

“Come to my office Ima,”  Mr. Liston said with no humor in his husky voice at all.  I gulped.  Ok so I get a little talk with Mr. L and I have to apologize to Billy.  As long as my parents don’t find out.

I pleaded guilty.  I apologized to Billy. He was excused to go back to class.  I am still in the office.

“You know Ima this could be considered physical harassment,” he looked up from the computer.

“Or it could be considered as an accident that won’t happen again?”  I reasoned.  He glared at me.  I tried to shimmy lower into the chair imagining I could disappear through it.

“Ima, this is serious, I’m going to have to call your parents.  I’m going to have to suspend you for the rest of the day.”

“Mr. Liston, I’m begging you!”  I pleaded, hysteria flowing through me.  

“Ima, I’m sorry, but you should've thought about all of this before you harassed Billy.”  I looked down annoyed that he was still using the word harassed.  He picked up the phone

and I saw that he was calling my mom’s work phone.

“No,”  I squeaked to myself as I closed my eyes hoping she wouldn’t answer.

“Hello, Miss Grace this is Mr. Liston.”  There was a pause where I imagined my mom saying “What has Julio done this time?”  “You see, Ima had an incident at the drinking fountain with Billy Morphin…”  He told the whole”brutal” story and ended by  telling my mom that he was sorry, but I was suspended for the rest of the day and that she was to pick me up immediately.

“Your mother will be here soon,”  Mr. Liston told me without looking up.  I groaned because I knew I will be grounded for even longer and that this will go on my permanent record.

My mom walked into the office with the look of death on her face.  I got up and avoided her eye contact.  Only once we were driving down the road did the true torture start.

“Ima Grace, I can’t believe you!”  She roared.  “Pushing sweet Billy Morphin?”

“Sweet?”  I echoed, totally shocked and disgusted that she had just called Billy Morphin sweet.

“Ima Grace…,” she was too angry to finish.

“Yes?”  I asked not even bothering to use my charm.

“You are grounded again.  Your phone is mine.  No TV, and ugh!”  I took a deep breath afraid of the answer for my next question.

“For how long?”

“Ima!”

“Sorry, just wondering,”  my mom sighed, I turned to look out the window.

Our house came into view.  My family lives in a one story ranch style house.  I have lived in this house all of my life.  In fact, Julio had too.  We pulled into our garage.

“Right to your room,” ordered my mom.

“Ok,” I agreed.  I fumbled for the house key to unlock the door.   Finally, it opened.  I braced myself for Yankee to start barking, but he didn’t.  I thought that was odd, I guess my mom did too because she gave me a strange look.  I walked to the kitchen to grab an apple and that’s when I saw it.  The entire kitchen and living room was littered with clothing, food, toys, and other odds and ends.  I let out a blood curdling scream.  “Oh my gosh we have been robbed! They have Yankee!” My mom came running in and she gripped the counter for support.

“They could still be here,”  my mom whispered, her face white.  I tried taking deep breaths but I just couldn’t. “Shhh, Shhh,” my mom cooed.  A movement caught my eye.  My mom saw it too and covered my mouth as if my first scream hadn’t alerted the intruder already that we were there.

But what I saw was not a robber at all, it was Yankee, with a bag of half eaten potato chips.

“Yankee!”  We both exclaimed in relief.  No one robbed us. Julio had simply forgotten to put Yankee in his kennel.

“Yankee!” My mom screamed in outrage.  He came trotting over, circled around himself and sat down completely overjoyed with his masterpiece.  For a moment we just looked around at what we had lost in the two hour time period in which we were gone.

“My room!” I thought back to myself, did I close my door this morning?  Lyla obviously hadn’t closed her’s because random doll body parts were creepily scattered over the floor. I hadn’t seen any of Julio’s belongings.

I walked to my room.

The door was open.

I peeked in.

I cried out in pain for there shredded on my floor was 3 months worth of sweat, blood and tears.  My scale accurate, actually orbiting, realistic, model solar system had been destroyed.

I fell to my knees.  My head dropped to my hands.  Tears streamed down my cheeks. I heaved a huge sob.

“Ima, are you alright?”  My mom came running down the hallway with concern in her eyes.  She saw the mess in my room.  “Ima wa…,” she trailed off as she realized that my pride and joy had just been destroyed.  “Oh honey, we can fix it,” my mom soothed.  I looked up at her with my doubtful, tear streaked eyes.

“No, we can't,” my voice broke.

“ Ima Grace is NOT a quitter, now come on, you still have the blueprint right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well then let’s get in the car to buy some new supplies,”  she was serious.  After what I did today my mom was showing sympathy, offering to buy me new materials.  I got up off the ground and ran to my room to get my supply list.

“Here,” I said.  “I think Julio took me to Michaels, Target, and Office Depot.”

“We have all day,”  she said with a smile.  I smiled back.  I was going to let nothing get in my way.

“The mess,” I started.

“Oh, Julio is going to have to be here to help, he is the reason for all of this mess anyway,” my mom interrupted.

“Ok, just let me fix my hair and makeup, and put on a dry shirt,” I said, finally feeling a little bit of hope.  

“Like I said, we have all day,”  my mom remarked with a smile.

I threw on a white cami with a pink blouse and did my hair in a side ponytail.  I cleaned off the makeup that had streamed down my face as I was crying but decided that my natural beauty was breathtaking today and that I didn’t need the aid of makeup.

“I’m  ready,” I exclaimed as I put on my shoes and grabbed the list.

“Ok!”  My mom answered as she grabbed her purse and the car keys.

By the time we got back from shopping and grabbing a bite to eat it was almost 2:30pm.  I only had just over an hour until Julio and Lyla came home.  I figured that in that time I could get the background and Mars done.  Then I would have to help clean and that will probably take till 4:30pm.

Tonight is Lyla’s night to cook so then I will have another hour in which I could get Uranus done.  Then dinner at 5:30 which will take until about 6:00.  After dinner I will head over to Josie’s for a couple hours.  Then I will have another hour in which I can get Saturn done.  If I get up an hour earlier tomorrow I could get a couple more planets done.  I have one week til the science fair. I can do it.  Ima Grace can do anything.

Lyla screamed when she walked in the door at 3:28pm.  My mom came rushing in the kitchen explaining that Julio had forgotten to put Yankee in his kennel, but left out my incidents at school and my science project.  When Julio came in all he said was”Oops!”  My mom glared at him.  I was in the kitchen now, eager to find out what Julio's punishment was going to be.

“Oh honey, everybody makes mistakes and forgets things, no harm done as long as you help pick up.”

“No harm done?”  I yelled. “Look at this!” Just then Lyla screamed .

“Deena Dinosaur’s head!” and sure enough there on the floor was Deena,

Lyla's favorite stuffed animal’s head.

“See mom, Deena dino is dead, my science project… all of this other stuff, Julio should use his own money to replace everything!”

“Yeah!” nodded Lyla, for once agreeing with me.

“No I like mom’s idea better,” Julio said quickly. “Don't worry, I will help pick up.”  Lyla and I both scowled at him.

My mom looked at the three of us.  She was now  clearly seeing the full damage, which included her black satin heels which were her “babies”.  She gasped when she saw the heels shredded on the floor.

“It was just unfortunate that you two, and I…,” my mom said as she gave her heels an exasperated glance as if they were alive. “That the three of us left our doors open.  Julio didn’t mean to have Yankee destroy everything.  He didn’t even mean to leave him out of his kennel.”  It sounded like she was reassuring herself more than us.

“Yeah.”  rejoiced Julio.

“You like Julio better than Ima and I!”  Lyla burst out, suddenly outraged instead of devastated.  She looked at me for support.  Justice must be served.  I gave her a nod.

“No!” my mom exclaimed surprised that Lyla had jumped to that conclusion and utterly more surprised that I was going along with her.  “No, not at all!”

“What?” spat Julio, “Not at all?”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” my mom said as her stress level continued to rise.

“Oh really? Then what did you mean?” Julio uttered, his voice quivering in anger and his hands balled up in fists.  My mom heaved a huge sigh and I realized how immature we were all being.  This was our mother for crying out loud, of course she loved us.

“I love you all the same.  Now let’s start cleaning.”  Lyla was about to protest and press the topic even further but I shot her a look that told her “It’s over.  Justice was lost.  We lost.  I lost.”

By the time my dad came home we were just about done cleaning and the story was explained again.

“Julio is so irresponsible and immature,” I muttered under my breath.

“What was that young lady?  You are already in enough trouble as it is,” my mom shot at me.  I groaned as I remembered Billy Morphin and the drinking fountain.  By now the whole family knew what had happened at school.

“Finished!”  Lyla exclaimed proudly and retreated to the kitchen to make her special, bacon and mango mac n’ cheese.  I retreated to my room to work on my solar system.

“Hey where were you in language arts yesterday?”  Josie questioned the next day at school.

“Billy Morphin,”  I shuddered

“You ditched with him?  Wow, I thought you hated him, he’s a complete nerd Ima, I thought you liked Jim-Oops- who decided to ditch, you or Billy?  I can’t believe Billy agreed to do it!  Did you make out?  Is he a good kisser?  Oh my gosh Ima you have a boyfriend?  Marylou and I always knew you would get one first…

“No!” I shrieked “No, No, No, ewe, No!  Billy made me tardy because he took too long “lapping” at the drinking fountain and then I “harassed” him and got suspended for the rest of the day!” I said in a rush not wanting to be late again.

“Lapping, kissing, same thing,” Josie giggled with a smirk that started at her mouth and spread all the way up to her eyes and then to her forehead.

“Josie, No!”

“Well Ima Grace remember when you set me and Isaac Flinton up last year?”  I remembered that vividly.   One day Isaac and Josie were both wearing a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shirt and bam, of course they were meant to be, and of course dumb ole Isaac was more than thrilled to go on a date with Josie.  So I set them up.  Josie, however did not agree with that idea.

“Josie, of course I do, you two were meant to me.”

“Payback.”  I rolled my eyes because I knew that Josie was too goodie-goodie to spread a rumor.

At lunch Marylou, Josie, and I discussed the science fair that was in exactly five days.  Josie and Marylou tag teamed to make a volcano.  They just have to put it in presentation form and bring it to the gym the night of the fair.

“How far are you Ima?”,  Marylou asked as she peeled apart her green beans.

“100% finished,”  I lied.  Josie frowned.

“What’s wrong Josie?” Marylou asked, clearly concerned.

“Well, I went over to Ima’s house the other day, when you were walking Yankee,”  she directed at me.  She paused and looked at me her brows furrowed, not wanting me to get mad, but also not wanting to get lied to.  Marylou gave her an encouraging nod. “Lyla invited me in to show off your solar system, except 4 planets were missing and well,”  she looked up to see my expression, which was of horror and concentration, for I was thinking up a believable excuse.

“Go on,”  Marylou urged.  She seemed so eager to have a reason to be mad at me, after all, I “hog” Josie.

“The other five planets were on you desk and all that there really was of a solar system was a black background and the orbiter.”

“Yeah, now it’s finished.  Remember, I stayed up all night to finish it?”  I replied trying to keep my cool as I felt my face turn hot and my pale skin turn tomato red.  Marylou and Josie gave each other a look but didn’t press me any  further.  I got up to dump my tray but mostly to get away from the awkward silence.  I knew Marylou and Josie will burst into conversation as soon as I get out of earshot.  I stole a glance behind me, sure enough they were blabbering away.

As they saw me approaching the table again their talking turned into a rushed whisper and then a silence as I sat down.

“Ima, Marylou and I were going to check out the mall tonight to get something nice to wear for the science fair.  Wanna come?”  Josie asked ignoring Marylou’s elbowing and glare.

“Um, actually, I am uh,”  I racked my brain for a good excuse.” I have plans, you know, family stuff.”  When really I actually needed to work my butt off on a solar system.

“Oh, well that’s ok!”  smiled Marylou much too cheerfully.  Josie sighed and got up to dump her tray, Marylou mimicked her.  I heaved out a huge exasperated sigh.

“Ima could you pack your things any faster?” whined Josie.  Josie and I are neighbors so we always walk home together.

“Nope,” I said as I slammed my locker shut.  The science fair is in three days now,  time is running out.

“Ima, maybe you could come over this evening?”  Josie asked when we reached my driveway.

“Can’t,” I said in a rush and kept walking.

“Ima...why? she whined.

“Because Josie, ok?”  I stopped and turned around.

“Gees, just a question.”

“Josie I’m just really busy alright?”

“Doing what Ima?” she demanded, her usual playful eyes now hostile.

“MYOB” I said as I spun on my heels and typed in the garage code.

“Whatever Ima, I’ll just ask Marylou,”  Josie said cooly and began walking towards her house.

Josie doesn't need to know everything I do, I mean I have a personal life too.

Sure, Josie would probably help me finish my science project, but I want to do it by myself.

It’s the night before the science fair.  My science project is now 100% done.  I turned my light on for the third time to admire it.  It’s even better than last time.  Thanks Yankee,  I thought to myself.  I have been thinking about who my main competition is and by far it’s Marylou and Josie.  I have no doubt, that I will win.  Aa sleep finally took me under I dreamed that it was the science fair.  I had just won and everyone was congratulating me.  I was shocked as Jim, my secret crush, came up to me.  He is such a jock.

“Wow Ima, that solar system is really something.”  I expected my face to get all hot.  It didn’t and that's when I realized that it was all a dream and that Jim paid as much attention to me a he did to a pile of poop.  So I thought to myself, why not enjoy this?  I went back to my dream state.

“Thanks Jim,”  Ima couldn't control herself so she touched her lips to Jim’s lips and started kissing him.  Ima was totally shocked because he kissed Ima back.

“Oh Ima, I love you.” Jim whispered in Ima’s ear.

Then I woke up to the sun shining in my room and my Jim gone.  I glanced at my clock 8:09 am.  Eleven hours until the science fair.  What am I going to do all day?  I decided enough was enough.  I am going to bike over to Jim’s and ask him out.  That’s what my dream told me. Ask him out.  I spent four hours getting ready and practicing what to say  Finally, I found myself on Jim’s front porch ringing the doorbell.

“Ima Grace?”  It was Jim.  My heart was pounding.  What if he says no?

“Um, yeah, hey Jim.”  There was a long pause.  Jim started drumming his fingers on his khaki shorts and glanced inside, clearly  getting impatient.

“So, um…,” I began

“Jim, who's here?”  came a woman's voice, probably his mom, from inside the house.

“Just Ima, we will be outside.”  Just Ima?  I thought, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. “Yeah?”  he said towards me.

“Oh right, um…” Ask him Ima! I was screaming at myself but my mouth wouldn’t work.  I wanted to run, run far away but my legs wouldnt move.  In fact none of my body was working properly.

“Listen, I have to get ready for my football tournament tomorrow so, speed it up.”

“Yeah ok… um,”  I stammered.

“Ima what do you have to tell me? Why are you here? If all you are going to say is “um” then screw this, I have things to do, Ima Grace.”  I was shocked at how he was speaking to me.

“Excuse me, but that is no way to speak to a person,”  I said without thinking.

“Oh so now you can talk.”  I glared at him. This is definitely not taking the road I had expected.

“Ok Ima, I’m sorry, but please get to the point.”

“Jim… I… I was wondering if you would… ya know… go out with me?”

“Oh, um, you mean like a boyfriend-girlfriend thing?” he asked clearly not expecting that question.

“Yeah something like that.”  I looked at his face, his brows were furrowed as he scowled at the ground.

“Is this some kind of dare?”  he asked.

“Um, no, I decided to do this, ya know ask you out and stuff, and, well, I don’t mean to be pushy or anything, but you still haven’t answered me.”

“Right, the answer.”  He looked up at the sky as if it would magically tell him.  He looked uncomfortable, like he didn’t want to be rude and hurt my feelings again, but then also thinking, what crazy person would want to go out with Ima Grace?  Certainly not me.

“Still waiting here,”  I reminded him, he looked so wrapped up in his own thoughts.

“Well, let’s just start with friends and go from there,” he said finally looking at me to see my response.

“Of course,”  I said sounding like an idiot.

“See ya at the science fair I guess then.”

“Yeah, table 9,”  I said unable to keep my face pale.

I was in the gym setting up my area.  Marylou and Josie were at the table next to mine, table 8.  I peeked at the door where there was a growing line to get in.  I wasn’t looking for my family though.  I was looking for Jim.  Mr. Liston came in the gym.  “Everyone ready?” he asked

“Yep,” everyone nodded.  He opened up the door and a wave of noise and people came our way.  I turned my solar system on.  My first audience was at my table.  They oohed and ahhed over it, asked a few questions, and then moved on.

“Hey Ima,” I turned and grinned.

“Hey Jim.” he was looking at my solar system in awe.

“This is amazing,” he said.  I smiled even more and just nodded my head.

“I hope you win.”

“Me too,”  I said with a laugh.  The evening stretched on and Jim never left my table.  My family came by and told me how proud they were.  Finally the judge stopped at my table.  She smiled kindly at me.

“Present,”  She said so I told her everything I knew. She took notes the whole time, nodded her head, and left.  At 9:30 pm everyone got silent as the judge walked around the gym displaying the blue ribbon.

“And the winner is…” I held my breath and looked around.  Everything seemed to slow down.  My parents gave me a thumbs up.  Mr. Liston gave me a nod.  Jim held my hand. Marylou and Josie had crossed their fingers and scrunched up their eyes.

“Ima Grace!”  I squealed and jumped up and down as she placed the blue ribbon on my display.  My parents hugged and kissed me, Josie and Marylou hugged me and squealed when they got second place.  The judge shook my hand and then when nobody was looking, Jim hugged me.

“I think I’m ready for that boyfriend-girlfriend thing,” he whispered in my ear.

“Me too,” I whispered into his neck.  I have a boyfriend.  I turned and looked at my science project with my blue ribbon as my boyfriend held my hand.  Everything worked out after all, everything was perfect.

I thought of how I had changed in the past few weeks.  I understand now that everything does not orbit around me. Just like a solar system I depend on other people and things.  I learned that when I suddenly realized that Jim liked me, that even through my flaws, yes I have them, he and my friends and my family all love me.  Of course they do I thought to myself, because after all, I am Ima Grace, full of imperfection  but, still me, 100% Ima Grace.

Reviews

[AngeliqueSJ]

The voice and characters are quite vivd. There were so many events and details between the finishing of the first solar system and the final grade that I was often distracted from the main story line. The "fashionista" comments seemed less important to the story line. I liked that the dog was the focus of the damage and that you recognized that dogs will get into mischief if they aren't supervised. Too many people want to blame the dog. The one mechanical thing that I struggled with was the switch from present to past tense and back again in the same sentences. It was confusing.
Overall I liked the story line and the characters, it sounded just like my house growing up. #LRWP2016

[Mik Mak]

Thank you! I will keep in mind focusing on the main story line, and making switching from past and present more understandable. Thank you.