I click and his army photo appears. “When the United States of America declared war on Japan after Pearl Harbor, my bisabuelo, at the young age of seventeen, volunteered. By the time the war ended, he was awarded the prestigious Congressional Medal of Honor for valor in action. He is the last living World War II Medal of Honor recipient in our state and one of the last few in our country. But what’s most important is that after the war, my bisa found his calling in life.” Several of the photos I took of my bisa at the GI Forum shoot across the screen. “For the rest of his life, he would dedicate himself to helping other veterans of war.
“How do you recognize a true trailblazer?” I ask the audience. “Is it by the medals they wear?” The slides stop, and the image of Bisa with the empty medal box zooms in slowly. I love how Bisa’s eyes glisten in the photo. The judges are now smiling and nodding at me. “Is it by the trophies they win?”
I pause and let the question float over everyone in the theater. I click for the final photograph. The image of Great-Gramps and all of his friends and family around him at the hospital comes into view. “You can always tell who a true trailblazer is by the friends and family that surround them. True trailblazers are motivated not by glory, but for love. For love of family, friends, and country. Their lives and stories remind us that we too can be great and accomplish the impossible. My great-gramps, Rocky Velasco, inspires me to be better everyday. Thank you very much.”
Applause sweeps though the theater. Next thing I know the judges are standing and soon the entire audience is up on their feet too. Are they standing for me? For Bisa? It doesn’t matter.
As I take my seat, I steal a glance at Victor. He’s clapping too, but he doesn’t look up at me. Sara and Skyler both pat me on the back and say my presentation was amazing.
I have to admit, I feel great.
Ms. Zaner tells the audience to give all the finalists another round of applause. “We’ll take an intermission and be back in twenty minutes with the results. Who will be this year’s winner? Stick around and see!”
At break, Ms. Zaner comes over to me and tells me that I am disqualified for submitting a new presentation. She says sorry a hundred times. “Your presentation gave me goose bumps,” she says.
I’m allowed to stay on the stage, but there will be no points for me. I will not win this contest. This news should hurt, but it doesn’t. In fact, I can’t stop smiling. From their seats, my parents are blowing me kisses, giving me the thumbs-up. Bisabuelo smiles. Just smiles.
Sara looks at me for a long time. “How are you not upset that you’ve just been disqualified?”
“Oh yeah, I expected that. I changed my presentation. They had to.”
“You sabotaged yourself?” Sara shakes her head. “Who are you? Where is Allie Velasco?”
I laugh and feel all the nerves of the past two weeks fade. Now, I just need to fix things with Sara and Victor once and for all.
“I’m really proud of you, Allie,” she says. “It took guts to do what you did. I watched Bisa’s face as you were presenting. He was loving it. Did you see?”
“Yes,” I say, and look down at my shoes. “I had to do it. I just wish I had learned earlier that winning isn’t worth ruining friendships. Maybe if I had, I wouldn’t have totally messed up with you and Victor.”
Sara turns to me with a shocked expression.
“You haven’t totally messed up with me.” Sara plays with a bracelet on her wrist. “And … I’m not talking to Hayley anymore. She’s mean.”
“You’re just now figuring that out? What did you ever see in her in the first place?”
“She was fun. You were too obsessed with winning medals and living up to your Velasco family legacy or whatever. The final straw was over winter break when we were supposed to do the Furry Friends Photo Contest together and you turned all crazy. There’s no talking to you when you’re trying to win something.”
I gulp hard. I’ve been a crazed Chihuahua. It’s like what happened with Victor and the Trailblazer contest. “I’m sorry, Sara.” I shake my head slowly.
“I prefer this new Allie, the one who redid her project knowing she would be disqualified.”
“I prefer the new Allie too,” I say softly. “But I miss the old Sara. Do you think we could be best friends again like we used to be?”
Sara starts to scrape the polish off of her thumbnail, but doesn’t answer.
I gently tap her hands. “Stop it.”
“Thanks.” She frowns and then pulls off a turquoise-and-purple bracelet from her wrist. “This is for you. You stopped wearing your friendship bracelet after the April Fool’s disaster, so I made you a new one last night. Like it?”
I quickly put it on. “Thanks. And what about Hayley?”
She shrugs. “We were never that close. She and Sophie are closer friends. I was just hanging out with her because I needed a break from your hyperobsessed—”
“Crazy Chihuahua-ness,” I finish for her. She covers a giggle with her hands. “Hey, do you want to join us for tacos after?”
“Definitely.” She smiles. “Meeting the new Allie has made me super hungry.”
The auditorium lights switch off and on. “Here we go,” I say.
Families who went out to get punch and cookies from the lobby rush back into the auditorium. Ms. Zaner comes out from backstage waving an envelope over her head. “We have a winner!”
“Would all ten finalists please stand?”
“Good luck, Sara,” I whisper.
All ten of us stand up. I look over at Victor, hoping to catch his eye, but he never looks my way.
“I will ask the top three finalists to step forward and then announce this year’s winner of the Trailblazer contest,” Ms. Zaner says. I cross my fingers for Sara and Victor to be in the top three. Please let it be someone from Sendak Elementary this year. Please. Please. Please.
Mrs. Zaner takes a deep gasp for breath over the microphone. “Clover Denton, Skyler St. John, and Victor Garcia please step forward.”
The crowd erupts into cheers. I nudge Sara.
“I’m glad it’s Victor,” she says.
“Now for this year’s winner of the Kansas Trailblazer Contest,” says Ms. Zaner. She opens the envelope. “Victor Garcia from Sendak Elementary! You are this year’s winner!” The audience roars.
At the center of the stage, Victor accepts his check and trophy from Ms. Zaner and shakes hands with the judges. All the other finalists encircle him to congratulate him, but I can’t move. “This is a first win for Sendak Elementary!” Ms. Zaner announces into the microphone.
Sara tugs on my jacket, “Let’s go congratulate him.”
I freeze. “I don’t think he’ll want to see me,” I say as Victor rushes off to his family at the edge of the stage. I’m so happy for him. Too happy to want to bother him with my apology when he should be happy and celebrating. “Can you tell him that I want to talk to him though?” Sara nods and rushes off. I veer toward my family, who are waiting for me in the audience.
My mom and dad are the first to reach me and give me a hug.
“Like the song goes, you took my breath away,” Dad says.
Adriana kisses me. “You had everyone completely enraptured. Did it feel good, Allie?”
I nod. It did. Aiden gives me a pat on the back and tells me, “Super proud of you, sis.”
Ava hugs me and says, “You showed real star power.”
“Allie …” Bisa pulls me into a hug. “I’m so proud of you.” I let myself stay wrapped up in his hug. I never want to let go of Bisa. It was only a week ago that we were all in the hospital fearing the worst. And now here he is with all of us. I feel so lucky. When I finally let go, I look for Victor, but I don’t see him anywhere.
As I head out of the auditorium with my family, I keep looking for him.
“Sara, did you tell Victor I wanted to talk to him?” I ask. She nods. “What did he say?”
“He didn’t say anything. He waited around for a li
ttle while, but after a few minutes, he left with his family.”
“Oh, I was hoping to apologize and see if wanted to join us for tacos too … I guess I messed up, again.”
“Don’t stress about it, Allie,” she says. “You guys will work it out.”
For once in a long time, everything in my world feels right. Bisabuelo is back home. Sara and I are friends again. Aiden and Ava seem genuinely proud of me even though I didn’t win first place. The only thing missing from my happiness is Victor. Will he forgive me or is it too late?
On the ride to Cosmic Taco, Sara says Clover and Skyler have also been accepted to Bishop Crest Middle, which is awesome. I can’t wait to head to Bishop Crest next year with Sara and new friends like Clover and Skyler. Still, what about Victor? Will he get into Bishop Crest? Will he get the scholarship he needs to afford it? I hope that him winning this contest tonight will help.
We arrive at Cosmic Taco and pile out of the car. I breathe in the fresh April air mixed with the scent of spicy chili coming from the restaurant. Last time we were here, I had lost the science fair. This time, I’ve lost again, but it doesn’t feel the same.
That’s when I see a boy leaning against the front of the restaurant. He looks up, sees me, and heads my direction.
“What is Victor doing here? How did he know I’d be here?” I ask Sara.
“Um, I might have texted him and told him where we were going.” Sara shrugs. “You said you wanted to talk to him. Here’s your chance.”
My heart does a cartwheel. I meet Victor halfway. I’m not sure if he’ll accept a hug, so I put out my hand for an awkward handshake. He grins and takes it.
“Congrats, Victor!” I say. My family comes over and give him hugs and congratulations.
“We’re all happy you won, Victor,” says Adriana. “Your poem was beautiful.”
“Gracias. I’m glad it’s over. It was nerve-racking. There were so many people staring at me,” he says. He sneaks a shy look over at me, and I smile back. Something is definitely on his mind. Maybe he’s waiting for my apology?
Here it goes. In front of Bisa, Sara, and the whole family. If I can speak in front of an auditorium of people, I can do this.
“Victor, I need to talk to you—”
“Actually, I’d like to say something,” interrupts Victor. “Can I go first, Allie?”
“Okay, I guess,” I say, and chop down on my bottom lip. Maybe he’s going to complain about me or tell everyone what a dork I’ve been. He’d be right, but still …
“A couple of days ago, I was told a secret about you, and I want to share it with everyone.”
“Yes! A secret!” Ava squeals. “Tell us!” I roll my eyes at her because she is always little Miss Drama. Adriana puts her in sisterly head lock.
A secret? I gulp hard. Does he have to tell everyone? I may pass out. I narrow my eyes at him.
“Adriana told me about something you did,” Victor continues. I look over at Adriana. What could she have told him? Adriana winks at me like everything is okay. Whatever Victor has to say I can take it. My face, head, and entire body feels hot again, like I’m standing onstage.
“Stop stalling! Let’s hear it already!” Aiden says.
Thanks a lot, Aiden.
“Adriana told me that you asked her to write a recommendation letter for me to help me get into Bishop Crest. True or false, Allie?”
“True.” I nod. Sara gives me a that’s-cool nudge, but I’m still nervous about what else Victor is getting at.
“Well, I’ve been accepted to Bishop Crest and I won a It Takes a Village scholarship, so I’ll be with both of you next year,” says Victor, pointing at me and Sara.
My heart jumps. Yay! I clap with everyone else. I’m so happy for him. Now Victor and I will be in middle school together. Victor smiles at me. I let out a sigh of relief. I thought he was going to tell everyone that I was an over-competitive Miss Prissy-Pants.
Victor looks straight at me now with warm twinkling brown eyes. I’ve never noticed before how much his eyes shine like a hundred trophies. “Thank you for believing in me enough to ask Adriana to write a letter. That, to me, is the real prize tonight.”
“Yes, it is,” says Bisa, and he kisses the top of my head. “Let’s leave these kids alone with their crazy secrets and get some tacos.” Everyone heads toward the restaurant, but I chase after Bisa.
“I love you.” I hug him super tight. “I wanted to do the right thing tonight and tell your story.”
“Te quiero mucho, Allie. I’ll see you inside for victory tacos.” He walks into the restaurant, leaving me outside with Sara and Victor.
“You said you had something to tell me?” says Victor.
“That’s right. I wanted to say I’m sorry for being such a trailblazing dork about the whole contest, Victor. I’m really sorry about being mean to you,” I say. “You too, Sara. I can’t say I’m sorry enough.”
“If you say you’re sorry again, I’m taking back my bracelet,” says Sara. “Last time, okay?”
Victor shakes his head. “You go a little overboard, Allie, but that’s what I like about you.” Victor digs into his front pocket and pulls out a red ribbon with some sort of tin lid attached to it. “This is for you. It’s not a fancy trophy, but I want you to have it because you believed in me and helped me get into Bishop Crest.”
Victor gives me the handmade medal. I quickly put it on. It says #1 Best Friend.
“My brothers and sisters helped me make it last night,” he says. “I’ve been planning to give it to you ever since Adriana told me about what you did.”
“I love it,” I say, and show it off to Sara.
“You got your very own medal, Allie,” says Sara.
I lock eyes with Victor. “Thank you.” I give him a great big hug and can’t help but giggle when he hugs me back. It’s so much better than our awkward handshake earlier. I know that medals aren’t the most important thing in the world, but when you get one for being a #1 Best Friend … well, that feels like being Billy Mills crossing the finish line, Gwendolyn Brooks taking home the Pulitzer Prize, and Junko Tabei reaching the top of Mount Everest—all at the same time.
I would like to give the following wonderful individuals a huge shiny gold trophy for supporting me as I completed this second novel. As always, big hug to my agent, Adriana Dominguez, for her encouragement and believing in my voice. You’re #1!
Thank you a hundred times to my editor, Anna Bloom, for the amazing revisions, enthusiasm, and laughs.
Muchas gracias to Rocky R., World War II veteran, for sharing your scrapbook with me. You’re an inspiration to me and I thank you for your service to our country.
A big kiss and #1 Best Friend medal to my husband for keeping me sane and fully supplied with snacks while I wrote this second novel.
Finally, special thanks to all the teachers, librarians, and kids who’ve invited me to speak at their schools. Getting to know all of you has been the best part of this entire writing journey. I hope I’ve made you proud with this second book.
Angela Cervantes is an award-winning author whose debut book, Gaby, Lost and Found, was named a Best Youth Chapter Fiction Book by the International Latino Book Awards and a 2014 Best Children’s Book of the Year by the Bank Street College of Education. Angela is the daughter of a retired middle-school teacher who instilled in her a love for reading and storytelling. Angela writes from her home in Shawnee, Kansas, and is presently working on her next novel. When Angela is not writing or reading, she enjoys hanging out with her husband, running, and watching the clouds. Learn more about Angela and her writing process at www.angelacervantes.com.
Copyright © 2016 by Angela Cervantes
All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., Publishers since 1920. SCHOLASTIC, SCHOLASTIC PRESS, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibil
ity for author or third-party websites or their content.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Cervantes, Angela, author.
Allie, first at last / by Angela Cervantes.—First edition.
pages cm
Summary: Born into a family of over-achievers, fifth-grader Allie Velasco has never finished first in anything, and lately things have been going badly: her science project is ruined by a well-meaning student, her former best friend is hanging out with another girl—but now she is determined to win the Trailblazer contest with a photographic presentation about her great grandfather, the first Congressional Medal of Honor winner from their town. ISBN 978-0-545-81223-8 (hardcover)—ISBN 978-0-545-81267-2 (ebook) 1. Hispanic American families—Juvenile fiction. 2. Great-grandfathers—Juvenile fiction. 3. Contests—Juvenile fiction. 4. Self-confidence—Juvenile fiction. 5. Best friends—Juvenile fiction. 6. Elementary schools—Juvenile fiction. [1. Hispanic Americans—Fiction. 2. Great-grandfathers—Fiction. 3. Family life—Fiction. 4. Contests—Fiction. 5. Self-confidence—Fiction. 6. Best friends—Fiction. 7. Friendship—Fiction. 8. Schools—Fiction.]
I. Title.
PZ7.C3197Al 2016
813.6—dc23
[Fic]
2015031306
First edition, April 2016
Cover art created from the following images: Girls: Michael Frost; Cat: © Simon Murrell/Corbis Images; Ribbon: © GlobalStock/iStockphoto
Cover design by Nina Goffi
Author photograph by Kenny Johnson
e-ISBN 978-0-545-81267-2
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., Attention: Permissions Department, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.
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