Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.

—Vince Lombardi

Friday, September 12, 9:29 p.m.

Winners and Losers

Today was a day of winners and losers in Faraway.

This morning was the SGA assembly and election. Billy was a winner. But everyone knew he would be. And Sophie was a winner too!

Everyone seemed to like her new girl platform. She was so poised and sounded so passionate when she talked about giving everyone, even the new girl, a chance. I think people really connected with what she had to say.

She really killed it in her speech, plus she rocked a retro ’70s look. And she was so enthusiastic. When she found out she’d won, she was thanking everybody, even though she didn’t know who had voted for her.

Emily was also a winner today. At dance practice, Ms. Baumann announced who she had chosen to perform the grade solos at the dance show in November, and she picked Emily to dance the ninth grade solo.

Not that Emily was surprised—she’s clearly the best dancer in our grade and one of the best dancers on our team. But still, when she found out, she was so happy. She even hugged Ms. Baumann.

May was a winner too. She played in her first middle school soccer game and scored two goals. She told me all about it the second I got home from dance practice. She’s been playing sports for years, and her teams have won lots of games, but I’ve never seen her so excited.

Mom was also a winner. Tonight at dinner she announced that she signed a lease to rent retail space and that she’s opening Flora’s Fashions in downtown Faraway—next month. Even though I knew it was happening, I was surprised it would happen so soon. She showed us the designs she’d drawn and the bolts of fabrics she ordered. She had tears in her eyes, and I wasn’t sure what to say when she told us her lifelong dream of opening a store with clothes she designed is finally coming true.

Now for the losers. Or, at least, the people who seem like they’ve lost something.

First, Brynn. I was standing by her when the SGA winners were announced. When Sophie heard she won, she gave me an excited hug. Then she went to hug Brynn, but Brynn actually pulled away like she didn’t want to be hugged by Sophie. Sophie shrugged it off and went right on hugging other people.

Sophie might have been able to let it go, but I couldn’t. I felt anger bubbling up inside me. “That was mean.” I mumbled the words, but I’d meant for Brynn to hear me, and she had.

She looked at me like she was going to say something in response, but she didn’t. “I have to find Billy,” she said. Then she ran off, and I watched as she found him and gave him a huge hug. She stayed glued to his side like he was the president and she was the first lady and they were at some official function where they were supposed to stick together.

I looked at Billy to see if he was uncomfortable with it, but it was hard to tell. He was laughing and smiling. I think he was just happy he’d won. But as Billy talked to people, I watched Brynn. I saw her eyes wander across the crowd and settle on Sophie. It was clear she’s not happy Billy and Sophie are on SGA together.

Next, my dog. Gilligan had to have his teeth cleaned today, and he had to be knocked out. I didn’t even know dogs could have their teeth cleaned. Apparently, Gilligan really needed it, which isn’t completely surprising because he has terrible breath. Still, it seemed kind of extreme that a dog would be knocked out for the sake of oral hygiene.

Last, but not least, Dad was a loser. Or at least I could tell he thought he was.

Dad loves to eat, but when Mom announced the news about signing a lease, I watched him pick at his dinner. I think he was worried about how much it’s going to cost and where we’re going to get the money. I could tell he was scared.

Which actually scared me.

What if something bad happens to my family? What if we run out of money? Thinking about it made me so overwhelmingly tense and stressed that I felt like I had to do something.

So after dinner, I went to my room, locked the door, and broke open the piggy bank I’ve had since grade school. I literally cracked open my beloved porcelain pig with a hairbrush. I pushed aside the shards and counted up what was inside. It amounted to a whopping $34.79. That’s it. I even counted twice. I don’t even see how it’s possible since I’ve been depositing all my spare change in there for years.

I wish I could do something helpful. I just don’t see any meaningful way if my life savings is next to nothing, which is why (unfortunately) I’m putting my name where it belongs.

In the Losers column.