THAT OLD DONATELLO CHARM

Okay, so we’ve established that there was absolutely no way, no how, no chance on this earth that I would ever even think about entering the Shark’s Bay/Hills Village Art Competition.

And on Tuesday morning that’s exactly what I didn’t do—think.

Without knowing why (and most likely because Ms. Donatello used some kind of sneaky alien brainwashing device), I found myself bundling up my best drawings and my sketchbook, putting them into a folder, taking them in to school, walking to the judging room, and submitting my drawings to the art competition committee.

As I closed the door on my way out, everything seemed to get sharper and clearer, as though the entire morning had taken place underwater. Ms. Donatello’s secret brainwashing device must have been more powerful than I realized.

It doesn’t really matter, though, I thought on my way back to class. There was no way on earth I’d win. Stuff like that doesn’t happen to me. Rafe Khatchadorian is the kid who gets busted, the kid who messes things up, the kid who’s stalked by Miller the Killer through the halls of Hills Village, the kid who, above everything else, fails.

But maybe there was an alignment of the planets or something, because…I won.

That’s right.

A trip to Australia, all expenses paid! An exhibition in Shark’s Bay! Best of all, THREE WEEKS OFF FROM SCHOOL!

Khatchadorian shoots! He scores! He WINS! Is there anything this kid can’t do?

And then I remembered something. Something that terrified me. Something that threw a 2,400-pound wrench in my plans. Something that meant the trip Down Under would definitely not be happening.

“You’re remembering the sharks, aren’t you?” Leo said. Leo is sharp like that. He always knows exactly what I’m thinking, which isn’t that surprising, since he lives inside my head.

“Uh-huh,” I said. “And the snakes and spiders and crocodiles and jellyfish and octopuses.” I shivered.

Leo shrugged. “You could always stay out of the ocean.”

I was about to say what a dumb idea that was when I realized that Leo was right. I could stay out of the ocean! I couldn’t remember hearing about anyone being eaten by a great white while skateboarding on land. Staying out of the ocean would reduce my chances of being chomped by at least 100 percent. I liked those odds a whole lot better. It would mean abandoning my plans to learn how to surf, but sometimes you can’t have everything.

“The snakes and spiders probably aren’t as bad as the Discovery Channel says,” Leo said. “TV exaggerates things, like, a million billion times.”

Leo was right again. I was probably making too much of the creepy-crawlies. I mean, they were just bugs. (Well, they might be bugs the size of a spaniel, and they might carry enough venom to knock out a polar bear, but they were still just bugs.) And besides, what was the chance I’d actually get bitten by a venomous snake or accidentally eat a poisonous fruit?

“If you still think Australia’s too scary, you could always say no,” Leo said. “Give back the prize.”

Give back the prize? I froze. Leo had a point.

A really stupid point.

“Are you out of your mind?” I yelled. “I won something! Me! There’s no way I’m handing that back. Are you kidding? Australia, dude! Sun, beaches, first-class plane tickets, surfing, girls, koala bears, the Sydney Harbor Bridge, my very own exhibition, the Opera House!”

“Because you really like opera.”

“I’m on a roll, Leo, and the only thing you can do when you’re on a roll is—”

“Put butter on it?”

“Go with the flow!”

Leo looked puzzled. “How does that work? Going with the flow and being on a roll? Like, wouldn’t you—”

“Don’t worry about all that! I won. We’re going. Things are finally going right for Rafe Khatchadorian!”

Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up, Khatchadorian. How is it that five minutes ago you were yelling about sharks and spiders and all that stuff, then—bingo!—you’re suddenly rolling over like a puppy getting its tummy rubbed and accepting the prize? What gives?

I’ll tell you what gives: success!

It’s not something I’ve had much of these past few years, and now that things were going well for me—for once—I wasn’t about to let opportunity pass me by. I’m not that stupid.

Besides, people were noticing me now more than ever. Jeanne Galletta said I looked “happy” in math class yesterday. Me! Happy in math class!

Earl O’Reilly, the contest’s sponsor, told Mom that Hills Village was very proud of me and that he was sure I’d do a great job of representing us in Austria and that I should get some good skiing in while I was over there. (I think Earl may have some work to do on his geography skills.) The Hills Village Sentinel was even planning to do a story on me. I’m officially in the big leagues, baby!

Of all the reasons for going to Australia, though, the best one was the look on my mom’s face when I told her I won the contest. She was smiling so much that I thought her face would break.

“Rafe, you’re amazing!” she yelled, and gave me a great big embarrassing Mom Hug right in the middle of Swifty’s, the diner she works at. “My own little Picasso!”

And the sharks? I guess I’ll figure that out once I get there.