BACK IN MRS. Lee’s van, rumbling toward home, my brain’s too burnt out to process any more sounds, smells, or sights. I close my eyes. I’m done.
But everyone else is super excited. Dylan’s up front, chatting with Mrs. Lee. And here in back, Joon keeps badgering me with questions about the trivia clues and punching my arm. Now he asks, “Hey, can I see them?”
I rub my bruised arm and hand over the long blue envelopes with the red-and-gold logo of Comic Fest. He gently touches the giant gold Q embossed on the back.
“Remember that day on Olga’s bus?” I ask Joon. “When we first heard the radio ad for the Quest?”
Joon smiles. “And now you won it.” He carefully opens an envelope and stares at the shiny card. From the look in his eyes, you’d think it’s made of real gold.
Mrs. Lee pipes up from the front seat. “They said not very many Questers found all seven clues today. Congratulations, Stanley Fortinbras!”
“Thanks, Mrs. Lee.”
“And I am glad to hear Joon did a generous thing and replaced the token for you.” She wags her finger at Joon and Dylan. “That was the right thing to do. Always treat your friends right. Good friends are more valuable than silly tokens.”
Joon pretends to gag.
Mrs. Lee keeps on talking. “So, say again: Why did Liberty leave early, Stanley?”
“I don’t know. Her mom had some kind of worry-attack about her. She seemed pretty upset . . . I think Liberty’s life is kind of complicated.”
As we turn down Canyon Rim, Joon hands the VIP passes back and flashes me a strange look. “Well, at least you won, Stan. If I couldn’t, I’m glad you did. Hope you and Liberty have a blast next weekend,” he says.
I know that look in his eye. It’s the same look he had when we were nine, and I got a Power Rangers Super Megaforce Legendary Megazord for my birthday, but he didn’t. It’s Joon’s mega-jealous look.
But you know what? He had his chance to compete with me.
It’s not my fault he ditched me for Dylan.