criss cross (standard:other, 852 words)
Author: kathyg	Added: Aug 03 2006	Views/Reads: 3444/2193	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Amy wanted to be just like Isabelle, and one day, she criss cross her fingers in happenstance...

Criss Cross... 

Amy wipes her sweaty hands on her dress just a second before it was her
turn to spell "aardvark" in the class spelling bee. 

Taking a breath, she closes her eyes and sees the word in her mind. 

"A D V A R K", sounding out each letter slowly, she rushes through the
word. 

"Wrong. Isabelle, it's your turn." 

"A A R D V A R K", Isabelle chants proudly and Amy looks down at her
shoes. 

"Correct! Very good Isabelle. Sit down now. Amy." 

The bell rang. Time for recess. 

Amy just sat at her seat, her eyes clamped shut. Tears fell to her
cheeks. "I study so hard and I can't spell when I need to! Isabelle 
wins everything." 

Isabelle and the rest of the class were already outside for recess. Amy
drags her feet over to the prize counter and once again touches the 
grand prize, a check for fifty dollars! 

Her heart just sank. 

"Go on now, Amy. It's recess. Take your hand off that check. It isn't
yours." 

"Oh, I know. Just looking.", Amy sighs and heads out to the hallway. 

The hallway is deserted and Amy takes one more look at the check on the
table. She closes her eyes, criss crosses her fingers behind her back 
and chants, "I wish I could be Isabelle for just one day ." 

The very thought lightens her spirits and she joins the others in the
schoolyard. 

It is a bright sunny day and as usual, the boys are on one side and the
girls on the other. Boys, playing soccer and every once in a while the 
ball goes over to the girls side. 

Thinking of her tiny wish, Amy isn't paying much attention to where she
is going. Suddenly, the soccer ball hits her on top of the head. 

"Hey, watch where you're going, Isabelle.", one of the boys shouted. 

Amy looks around. "Isabelle? Why is he looking at me and calling me
Isabelle?" 

"I'm Amy, silly. Open your eyes. A M Y. See I even spelled it for you!",
she shouts at the boy. 

"Ah, cut it out, Isabelle. I know your pretty blue eyes anywhere." 

"I am Amy." 

"Okay, A M Y, spelled backwards is Y M A  and I S A B E L L E spelled
backwards is E L L E B A S I...so that makes you YMASELLEBASI,isn't 
that the name of your M A M A, or is it A M A M?",the boy teases... 

"So, if I am Isabelle, I get the money right?" 

"Yeah, you get the cash prize. Lucky!" 

"I think I like being Isabelle today." 

Amy smiles and puts her fingers behind her back... 

Criss Cross... 

I wish I was Isabelle for another day... 


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