The President’s Plaque: Part 11

Left It Behind

I walk back out to the open set with Mr. President, and we say goodbye to each other. He’s friendly!! I walk back to my dad and my little brother. The announcer joins us one last time.
“And that concludes our program, ladies and gentlemen. This year’s National Most Intelligent High School Student award goes to Cindy Albott, the first freshman to receive the award. Congratulations, Cindy,” he finishes.
“Thank you for having my father, my brother, and me here!” I reply with a wide grin. “It was a pleasure to meet the president and everybody else.”
So the program is over. The pressure is lifted. Guess what? I didn’t mess up. Even once! Isn’t that AMAZING? So Dad, Mike, and I walk back out. We pass by the bushes again, and Dad wants to see my plaque.
“W-w-wait… AAAAAAHHHH!!!!!” I shriek. “I LEFT IT BEHIND!!! IT’S ON THE TABLE IN THE ROOM WHERE THE PRESIDENT INTERVIEWED ME!!! WE’VE GOTTA GO BACK FOR IT!!!”
Without waiting for an answer, I sprint back toward the room. “Aah!” I yell again as my high heel snaps. “Aw, great!” I say to nobody in particular. I pull my other shoe off and snap the heel, too. So now I’m wearing flats. The clicking noise of my heels is absent as I continue running.
I emerge into the room, and it is empty. Gosh, they’re fast at cleaning up! But I hear two grunting voices somewhere… And it sounds like it’s coming from the room where I left my plaque. I walk quietly toward the room — thank the Lord my heels aren’t clicking — and creep up against the doorway, just close enough to hear the conversation inside.