Millionaires for the Month

by Stacy McAnulty

  Benji sniffed hard. The tightness in his throat made it hard to speak, so he just nodded.

  Felix

  Felix walked into the gym for the drama club fundraiser. The room was crowded with tables hosted by people selling hand-knitted hats, Christmas wreaths, and shirts with vinyl lettering that said things like DRAMA MAMA and WORLD’S BEST GRANDMA.

  He didn’t want to be there. He wanted to be at the vet hospital with Freebie. This morning, he’d paid off Freebie’s ever-growing bill of $4,991.00 and asked the receptionist to take another fifty thousand for Freebie’s future needs. She had refused to charge that much but did take another five hundred as a deposit.

  It probably wouldn’t be enough.

  Felix spotted Benji working at the bake sale, wearing a cotton-candy-pink apron. Benji had begged him to come.

  “Hey, Felix. What can I get you? A brownie? A cookie? Cake square?”

  “Why are we here?” Felix asked.

  “I’ve found a way to spend the rest of the money.” Benji wriggled his eyebrows.

  “We can’t win,” Felix sighed. “We broke a rule.”

  “We bent a rule.”

  “We still have over one-point-six million left.”

  “And we’re not giving up until the final buzzer.” Benji rubbed his palms together. “This is our buzzer-beater moment.”

  “Are you going to charge me a million dollars for a cupcake?”

  “Nope.” Benji looked at his phone. “I’ve got something better. And it’s about to start.” He took off his apron, moved closer to the stage, and waved for Felix to follow.

  Alma stood behind a podium and adjusted the microphone. She thanked everyone for attending and then read off the winners of the silent auctions. The prizes included VIP seating for Shrek, signed books, tee times, and about a thousand different gift baskets. She never once mentioned Benji’s name.

  “What’s going on?” Felix whispered to Benji.

  “Just wait.”

  “And we have one final item,” Alma said. “Mr. Palomino will tell you about it.” She stepped aside and, as she did, gave a little wave in Benji’s direction.

  The principal took over the microphone. “Our last auction item is not the silent type. We will be bidding live. At stake is your principal as your personal assistant for one day. I will carry bags, attend classes, do homework, serve a four-course lunch. Your wish is my command. Within reason, of course.”

  “This is it,” Benji said.

  “We’ll start the bidding at twenty-five dollars.” The principal scanned the crowd.

  “Twenty-five.” A tall man standing next to his tall daughter held up his hand.

  Then Benji stepped forward. “I bid $1,641,512.58!”

  No one had expected that, including Felix. He felt a surge of confusion and excitement, and maybe even hope.

  Could we really spend all the money on this? Could we win?

  “Benji Porter, that’s not appropriate.” Mr. Palomino pointed at him.

  Benji held his hands out wide. “Am I not allowed to bid?”

  “Keep it reasonable, or I’ll ask you to leave.” Mr. Palomino looked to the audience. “Do I hear forty dollars?”

  Benji’s cheeks turned red.

  Someone in the back of the room shouted “Forty!”

  “Do I hear sixty dollars?” the principal asked.

  “Sixty.” Benji raised his arm. “Am I allowed to bid sixty?”

  The principal nodded slightly but gave his sternest look before asking for one hundred dollars.

  The bidding continued between Benji and the rest of the audience, while Felix made his way to the edge of the gym. The challenge was over. He’d accepted that, even if Benji couldn’t.

  “Benji Porter has bid six hundred dollars,” the principal said. “Do I hear six hundred fifty dollars?”

  The room fell silent.

  “Can I bid a million now?” Benji asked.

  “No.” Mr. Palomino held up a wooden mallet. “Six hundred going once.”

  The crowd remained quiet. What did Benji expect? No one else had his kind of money.

  “Six hundred going twice.” The principal raised his hammer.

  No one but Benji had one-point-six million burning a hole in his pocket.

  “Six hundred going…”

  No one but Benji—

  And Felix!

  “Six hundred and fifty!” Felix yelled.

  Every head turned in his direction, but Felix looked only at his partner. Benji’s face squished into confusion for half a second and then lit up with understanding.

  “Seven hundred!” Benji yelled.

  “One thousand.” Felix walked to the front of the gym, and the crowd parted to make way. Benji and Felix stood in front of the podium and bid over and over again.

  “One hundred thousand!” Benji said.

  “Two hundred thousand,” Felix countered.

  The principal tried to stop them. “Boys! Enough.” He pounded his hammer, and Felix didn’t know if that meant it was over or if it was just a way to get their attention.

  People held out their cell phones and recorded the event. Felix knew there would be a backlash tomorrow. Another viral video—and he didn’t care.

  “Five hundred thousand,” Felix said.

  “Six.”

  “Seven.”

  “Eight.”

  “Nine.”

  Benji turned and looked straight at Principal Palomino. “$1,641,512.58.”

  The room fell quiet again.

  “Are you done?” the principal asked.

  Felix smiled and shrugged. “Yeah, I’m out of money.”

  And Mr. Palomino looked out of patience. It was obvious that he didn’t believe this was real.

  “I want to talk to you both after this.” Mr. Palomino raised the hammer. “Going once. Going twice. And—”

  “Two million!” A voice rang out from the back corner. Felix recognized it without looking.

  Laura Friendly.

  Benji

  The crowd roared as the gavel cracked against the podium.

  Benji couldn’t see Laura Friendly, but he knew her voice. She had outbid them. His shoulders tightened, and his hands curled into fists. What was she doing here? Why did she outbid them?

  Because she’s an evil monster!

  Alma was suddenly at his side. She touched his arm, and his rage partially evaporated.

  “This is amazing,” she said. “We can afford wireless mics that work, cushions for the seats, or maybe a whole new auditorium.”

  He tried to smile.

  “Was this planned?” Alma pointed toward the crowd, where Laura Friendly was lost in the center.

  “Absolutely not.” Benji exchanged a look with Felix. He didn’t seem to know what to make of this either.

  “Anyway, thank you.” Alma squeezed his arm again.

  The principal left the stage and joined them. He put one arm on Benji’s shoulder and one arm on Felix’s. Benji immediately stepped out of his grasp.

  “You had me going there for a minute.” Mr. Palomino laughed and shook his head. “Ms. Friendly has been very generous to this school. I need to thank her.” Then he made his way through the crowd.

  “What just happened?” Benji asked Felix.

  “I don’t know.” Felix shrugged. “Why would she do that?”

  “She’s a bored billionaire who enjoys torturing kids.”

  But why does she want us to fail? Other than the obvious reason of not wanting to give away twenty million dollars. Would she even notice if someone took twenty million out of her billions? She’d certainly noticed when they’d taken twenty dollars.

  Benji pushed through the people. Laura Friendly, her assistant, and the troll stood nea
r a table of auction items. Tracey kept telling everyone no selfies. No questions. But plenty of people took pictures. Mr. Palomino shook Laura Friendly’s hand.

  Felix snuck in and politely asked, “Can we talk to you, please?”

  She nodded and turned toward the door.

  “No!” Benji yelled loudly enough to stun the crowd quiet. “We’re talking here. Now!”

  “Fine,” Laura Friendly said, crossing her arms.

  “Why are you here? Why did you outbid us?” Benji asked.

  “You invited me. Don’t you recall?” Laura Friendly said, and they had. On Sunday, which felt like a lifetime ago, they had thought she’d be handing them each a giant check.

  “Why outbid us? You made us lose,” Benji said.

  “Did I cause you to lose?” She pulled off her glasses like it might make the lasers shooting from her eyes more effective. “Two days ago, your parents managed to tie up the money with legal proceedings, ultimately ending any hopes you had of spending the final sum. Then Leonard called me this morning.” She glanced at the troll. “It seems, with mere hours left in the challenge, the court case was conveniently dismissed, and you were free to spend the money again. The timing felt motivated.”

  Technically, Benji had never said a word about the challenge to anyone. He could deny telling his parents. She didn’t have any proof, just a very accurate suspicion.

  “What is going on?” Mr. Palomino asked. Their conversation was causing confusion in the crowd.

  “What if”—Laura Friendly tapped a finger on her chin—“I offered a million dollars, right now, to anyone in this room who could prove you broke my rules?”

  “Oh God!” Tracey said, and then she swore under her breath. “Laura, you have to stop doing this.”

  Everyone in the room began talking at once. The crowd pushed closer, and Benji thought they might be crushed.

  “Stop it! Stop it!” he yelled, and then he said to Laura Friendly, “You’re right. It was convenient because my parents found out the truth. They listened to my journal, which I knew they would. It was the only way to get the money back, and we needed it.”

  “What in heavens for? Another drone? New tennis shoes, perhaps?” Laura Friendly narrowed her eyes.

  “For Freebie,” Felix said. “He was hit by a car, and we needed to pay his vet bill.”

  “That’s awful.” Her face softened. “I’m sorry. Is he okay?”

  “No, he’s not,” Felix said. “We had to bend your rules to help save his life.”

  “And it was a stupid rule.” Benji didn’t care if he offended Laura Friendly. “If any rules are meant to be broken, it’s the stupid ones.”

  “Benji,” the troll interrupted. “Regardless of how you feel about the rules, with this breach of contract, the challenge is terminated immediately.”

  Benji didn’t know if he should feel relief or disappointment or anger. He just knew he was tired of all of it.

  “You’re right,” Laura Friendly said. “The whole thing was stupid.”

  “Okay.” The principal held up his hands like a fight was about to start. “Someone needs to explain what is happening. What rules? What contract? I don’t like the sound of any of this.”

  “That’s exactly what I want to know.” Ms. Rannells stood at the edge of the crowd.

  “Mom!” Felix said.

  But Ms. Rannells just held her hand up to Felix; she was focused on Laura Friendly.

  “At this time, Laura Friendly is not making a public statement,” Tracey said. “Our office will address the issue as necessary later this week.”

  “Oh, Tracey, please. I can address this. I took a well-orchestrated publicity opportunity and turned it into an impossible challenge.” Laura Friendly shrugged. “It was a mistake.”

  Benji nodded. Laura Friendly had made a mistake with the challenge. Felix and Benji had made a mistake in accepting it. And it all had started because he’d borrowed twenty dollars.

  No, he’d stolen twenty dollars.

  Benji knew what he had to do. As the principal and others badgered Laura Friendly with questions, Benji made his way to the podium. There was something that had to be said, and he should have said it thirty days ago.

  “Excuse me! Excuse me!” He spoke into the microphone. “I feel like I need to explain some things. Last month, on the field trip, Felix and I found Ms. Friendly’s wallet.”

  People nodded because everyone knew this part.

  “And we turned the wallet in to the police.” Benji swallowed. “But not before we took twenty dollars. When we realized it was Laura Friendly’s wallet, we thought, What’s the big deal? She won’t miss it. So we stole her money to buy hot dogs and ice cream.”

  Laura Friendly stared at him. He couldn’t tell if she wanted him to continue or to shut up. Then she gave the slightest nod.

  “Ms. Friendly knew we took her money and didn’t deserve a reward.” He let out a deep breath. “So she offered us a challenge to spend over five million dollars in a month, but we couldn’t tell anyone, and there were about a hundred other rules.” Benji exaggerated.

  A murmur swept across the room.

  Why would you do that?

  What were the rules?

  Do the parents know?

  “We took the challenge, and we failed,” Benji admitted. “It’s a lot harder than you think. Plus, I’m breaking the rules right now by telling all of you.” No way to call this a bending of the rules.

  Benji glanced at Felix, who was chewing on his thumbnail. A month ago, Benji wouldn’t have been able to guess what Felix was thinking. Now he knew his friend was worried about his future.

  “I realized something just ten seconds ago,” Benji continued. “I never apologized for taking the twenty. I only made excuses.” He looked over at Laura Friendly, ignoring everyone else in the room. “I’m sorry, Ms. Friendly. I stole from you, and I’m sorry it took a month to say I’m sorry.”

  Laura Friendly smiled and mouthed, “Thank you.”

  “Anyway, feel free to post your videos and make fun of me. But now you know the truth. At least our school is getting a couple million out of this.” Benji saluted his audience and then jumped down from the stage.

  Laura Friendly didn’t answer anyone’s questions or make any more statements. Tracey managed to escort her, Felix, Ms. Rannells, and Benji through the crowd and out of the gym. They stood in the hallway near the boys’ locker rooms. Benji would have been lying if he’d said he didn’t still hope Laura Friendly would change her mind about the money. Maybe say, I appreciate your apology. Here’s ten million dollars.

  But she didn’t.

  “Guess it’s my turn. I owe you both an apology for issuing the challenge. It is not my place to teach you a lesson.”

  “What is wrong with you?” Ms. Rannells didn’t seem to be in the mood for apologies. “You gave two twelve-year-old boys a five-million-dollar secret?”

  Laura Friendly pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “When you say it like that, it sounds awful.”

  “It is awful.”

  “You’re right. I’m sorry. I don’t expect I’ll be getting an invitation to Thanksgiving next year.”

  “Oh my God.” Ms. Rannells literally shook her fists at the woman. “I need a minute to think. I need some air.” She walked toward the exit.

  “Mom?” Felix ran after her.

  “I still don’t understand,” Benji said. “You outbid us because you knew we lost?”

  “You had a brilliant idea, bidding against each other in the auction. You were very close to winning.”

  “Don’t remind me,” Benji mumbled.

  Laura Friendly straightened her coat. “But honestly, I didn’t do it to make you lose. I just got caught up in the excitement of the bidding.”

  Benji rolled his eyes.r />
  “So, what did I win?”

  “Basically, a date with our principal.” Benji laughed. It was Laura Friendly’s turn for torture.

  “That sounds horrendous.”

  “At least you won something.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and stuck out his bottom lip.

  “Oh, stop your whining.” She pretended to shoo him away. “If I just gave you a million dollars, you wouldn’t appreciate it when you actually earned your first million. I’m doing you a favor.”

  “That’s some nutty billionaire logic. I’m pretty sure I’ll always appreciate a million dollars.” But he did like the idea that she thought he’d someday be financially successful.

  She scoffed. “But maybe you’ve earned something.” She tapped a finger on her chin, and Benji held his breath. “How about this? You and Felix can each keep one thing you bought. Just one thing. And it can’t be a car. Those were rentals.”

  “Seriously?” Benji didn’t know if he should cheer or complain. Laura Friendly was an expert at delivering good news with a disappointing twist.

  “Yes, seriously. But whatever you select, you can’t sell it. You gotta keep it. Maybe there should be some other rules too.”

  “No. That’s enough.”

  Felix

  “I knew something was going on, but I never imagined something like this,” Felix’s mom said. They sat on a buddy bench outside, near the bus parking lot.

  Felix was freezing, but his mom didn’t seem to notice the temperature.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t win the money.” Felix pulled his knees to his chest. “If I’d won the challenge…we’d be okay.”

  “Felix. We are okay.” She rubbed the back of her neck and took a breath before continuing. “What did I tell you? You don’t need to worry about money. That’s not your responsibility. It’s mine.”

  “We don’t have an apartment. You quit your job at the warehouse. And I could have made everything better for us.” His nose ran—maybe from the cold, possibly from the realization that the challenge was actually over, and they’d lost.

  She put an arm around his shoulder. “Hey, hey. I’ll figure it out. That is my role as your mom, Felix. I take care of you. You don’t take care of me.”