“What?” Pia said, trying to hold Willow back.
Willow jerked from Pia’s grip and shouted, “Naw, she’s been writing us these weird letters and been all close to us like she cares. Sending us eerie stuff from beyond the grave, scaring people half to death and junk. We need to get to the bottom of this. That stuff is not cool.”
“I don’t have any room to talk,” Octavia added.
Olive nudged Octavia and said, “Yes you do! If she duped you, you need to know.”
“Girls!” Ms. Davis excitedly said when they stood before her.
They all gave Pia a grueling stare, so reluctantly she said, “We have a question.”
“Yeah, and please tell us the truth,” Willow uttered with her usual big attitude as she placed her hand on her hip.
Still grinning, Ms. Davis said, “Sure. I’ll answer anything.”
Pia went in her phone and pulled up the last Leah note. “Did you send me this? Have you been the one writing the letters from Leah?”
Ms. Davis looked away. They could see a dejected look. The girls were dumbfounded by her reaction.
“Oh my gosh! You have been!” Willow screamed out.
“Just let her talk,” Sanaa said.
“Yeah, please, let her explain,” Octavia said to Willow.
Ms. Davis said, “Last year at this time, I was burying my niece. Her name was Leah Golf, and she went to a school in Warner Robbins. She was on the swoop list there. She was the only one on it at her school, and it was horrible.”
“We know,” Pia uttered.
“That’s right!” Ms. Davis replied, “You guys went down there and visited. We talked about it.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t tell us that was your niece, nor did you tell us you were writing us the notes,” Willow said.
Ms. Davis said, “I know I didn’t, and I’m sorry. See, I couldn’t help my niece, and every day I regret that I couldn’t be there for her. However, I could be there for you guys. When I saw the swoop list surface, I wanted do everything I could to help you all see that a dumb list that was devised to pull you down could be used to build you up. If you never forgive me, I understand. But with all my heart, I meant no harm.”
Ms. Davis turned to walk away, but Pia grabbed her and hugged her tight. All the other four girls joined in. The emotion that all of them shared was overwhelming and real.
“We thank you,” Pia said. “You’ve been there for us all along. And you’re right, you helped us become better.”
Sanaa chimed in, “We’ve learned to give it up—our foolish ways, that is.”
Willow said, “Yeah, I’m always hard on you, but you showed us how to get on our knees and pray. We really need true faith in our lives.”
Olive said, “And I liked it when you told us to back that thing up. We didn’t have to be in a boy’s face. We could go back in our lives and learn from our past mistakes.”
“And to truly feel real good,” Octavia shared, “was to give back to others.”
Pia said, “And you told us that to be true leaders, if we want to sit on top, we’ve got to find forgiveness and help those who have hurt us.”
“And y’all have done all those things. I believe Leah is smiling down. And I’m so proud of you,” Ms. Davis said. “Now all of you are truly at your best.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Sit on top ... to achieve greatness you have to be willing to stay positive, remain dedicated, and help others! As I sit on the mountain of completion after finishing this book and series, I have to thank those who helped me rise.
To my parents, Dr. Franklin and Shirley Perry, sitting on top I am thankful you gave me vision. To my publisher, especially Lindsey Matvick, I am thankful for your unending help with publicity. To my extended family, I feel a sense of accomplishment because of your support. To my assistants Ashely Cheathum, Alyxandra Pinkston, and Candace Johnson, I am grateful because you all helped me get another great series done. To my dear friends, especially Gwen Tatum and Melissa Mims, I strive for excellence because I hear you cheering me on. To my teens, Dustyn, Sydni, and Sheldyn, it is bittersweet to watch you enter into the next phase of your lives. To my husband, Derrick, I’m thankful for you. To my readers, especially the kids in Jackson, GA, sitting on top I pray this bully swoop list disappears from all schools. And to my Father, another series done and not knowing what’s next, I trust You.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
STEPHANIE PERRY MOORE is the author of more than sixty young adult titles, including the Sharp Sisters series, the Grovehill Giants series, the Lockwood Lions series, the Payton Skky series, the Laurel Shadrach series, the Perry Skky Jr. series, the Yasmin Peace series, the Faith Thomas Novelzine series, the Carmen Browne series, the Morgan Love series, the Alec London series, and the Beta Gamma Pi series. Mrs. Moore is a motivational speaker who enjoys encouraging young people to achieve every attainable dream. She lives in the greater Atlanta area with her husband, Derrick, and their three children. Visit her website at www.stephanieperrymoore.com.
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