Stella Díaz Dreams Big

by Angela Dominguez

  “Awesome! Like what?” he asks.

  I get so excited that I ramble off all her suggestions at once. “Izzy recommended we think about protecting Humpty from all angles because we don’t know which way it will land. She also suggested using empty toilet paper rolls because they are light, using a few different materials to protect the egg more strongly, and, oh, watching online videos for inspiration.”

  “That’s helpful! My dad recommended watching videos, too!” Stanley then looks around. “Do you have any toilet paper rolls?”

  I nod and dump a box full of them onto the table.

  “I got them from our recycling, Linda’s, and Diego’s.”

  “Awesome,” says Stanley. He then opens up his backpack. “I also brought this old, broken umbrella for our project.”

  I stare at the misshapen umbrella. Is it supposed to rain tomorrow?

  Then Stanley adds, “I thought we could use this for the parachute, since my dad was going to throw it away.”

  “Ohhh! Genius!” I reply.

  Stanley gives me a high five. “Go team Humpty!” he cheers.

  Mom brings over the laptop, and we watch a few videos online. After a little while, I finally work up the courage to ask Stanley about yesterday’s Sea Musketeers meeting.

  “How did it go?” I ask, trying to be as cool as a sea cucumber.

  “Good,” he says. “But everyone feels awful and missed you. Still, Logan did a good job. I think you two would really make great copresidents.”

  I look at Stanley. He’s always honest with me. Logan also has great ideas and is so enthusiastic about the club. Without Logan, we would get sidetracked too much at our meetings. We also wouldn’t be presenting our pledge to the city council. Plus, all the names I came up with for my possible new save-the-oceans club were no bueno. The Ocean Angels and the Sea Mermaids just don’t have the same ring as the Sea Musketeers.

  I take a breath. “Okay, I’ll give it a try.”

  “Really?” says Stanley. “I think that’s great!”

  “But we’re hosting the next meeting at my house, and I’m calling everyone to let them know. I need it to be on my terms.”

  “Sure, whatever you need, partner,” says Stanley.

  Then I remember one more thing.

  “And tomorrow we’re dealing with Ben head-on,” I say in my most determined voice.

  “Deal. This whole ignoring him thing is not working,” Stanley replies.

  Then Stanley and I do a fist bump and continue with our egg-drop planning.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The next morning, I walk toward the entrance of the school with the determination of a crab that won’t give up. While it feels cooler outside and I have to wear a jacket and scarf, I feel fiery hot inside.

  Last night Stanley and I were able to launch an egg from a ladder in my backyard, and it didn’t break. I called everyone about Saturday’s Sea Musketeers meeting, too. They all agreed to come to my house for the next meeting. With that handled, I feel like I can manage everything today. I’m confident that we’re going to ace this project and that we’re going to deal with Ben the bully once and for all.

  Unfortunately, I don’t get to take on Ben right away. I am prepared to, too. I have my game face on. I feel like a luchadora ready to pounce in the wrestling ring. Instead, once the bell rings, Ms. Benedetto has us put our jackets back on. Then she takes us to the top of the school for our egg drop. We are wasting no time before getting started.

  Other than a wall around the edge of the roof and some boxy equipment, there isn’t much to look at. But still, we feel very special to be standing on top of the school.

  “I didn’t even know we could get up here!” Jenny shouts.

  “This is only for special occasions and, of course, with teacher supervision,” replies Ms. Benedetto, her teeth chattering a little. She adds softly, “I guess the cold front came in early.”

  We huddle beside Ms. Benedetto against the wall, staying close together so she can keep an eye on us, but more for the warmth. We look over the edge. While we’re only one story off the ground, it still looks awfully far down to the pavement below. I can also see Mr. Don, our custodian, bundled up on the ground waving up at us. We wave back.

  “Why is Mr. Don out there?” asks Chris.

  “This might be a little messy, and we don’t want to leave raw eggs on the ground,” Ms. Benedetto explains. “Plus, he’s going to give us the thumbs-up if it worked or not.”

  Then she hands each team an egg from the egg carton, and we insert them into our devices.

  It’s the perfect amount. One dozen eggs for one dozen teams, I think to myself.

  Then I look over the edge again. From this height, I start to have doubts about our dear Humpty’s well-being.

  “Who wants to go first?” Ms. Benedetto asks, rubbing her hands together to stay warm.

  Before I can say anything, Stanley says, “Stella and I will go first.”

  I gulp. I guess it’s time. I hold our egg holder made out of toilet paper rolls over the edge while Stanley prepares the parachute.

  “Okay, on my count,” he says. “One … two … three.”

  I let go.

  I can barely look as our egg falls to the ground. I cover part of my eyes.

  “Did he survive?” I ask Stanley.

  Ms. Benedetto looks down at Mr. Don. After what seems like forever, she gets the thumbs-up from Mr. Don. Humpty survived!

  “Hooray!” we exclaim, and then we give each other a big hug.

  “Ooooh … Stanley hugged his girlfriend!” exclaims Ben.

  He starts making kissing noises with his mouth. He’s being so loud the whole class can hear him. It’s hard not to when we’re all so close together.

  I look around to see how everyone else is reacting, but Jeremy is the only one snickering. The rest of the group looks confused or annoyed.

  “Ben Shaw, stop that immediately. I will not tolerate that kind of distracting and mean behavior in my classroom,” says Ms. Benedetto. She says it in such a stern voice that everyone in the class is taken aback.

  Ben’s face gets white.

  I take the opportunity to say something.

  “Ben keeps saying that Stanley and I like like each other,” I say, looking at Ms. Benedetto. “But that’s not true; we’re just friends.”

  “Is that so?” Ms. Benedetto asks Ben.

  Ben looks at the ground and doesn’t respond.

  “Well, class. Let me clear this up for you. We are no longer in the Victorian era, or even the twentieth century. It’s the twenty-first century, and girls and boys at any age can be friends.”

  She continues, “And you and I, Ben, are going to have a chat about this later.”

  I feel relieved. It’s over for now. I also realize that Stanley and I should have just brought it up to Ms. Benedetto earlier. Sometimes a problem is too big to handle on your own.

  “Now let’s keep going. It’s freezing!” says Ms. Benedetto.

  Chapter Twenty

  The next day after school, I go to my art club. I’m in great spirits, too, because I found out that Stanley and I received an A on our egg-drop project. I can’t wait to tell Izzy about it. Ms. Benedetto also changed the class seating arrangements at the end of the day so each table would have new tablemates.

  “I was planning on doing this at the end of the six weeks, anyway,” Ms. Benedetto tells the class. “Who cares if it’s a couple of days early?”

  Jenny and Chris are now with Stanley and me at our table, while Ben is separated from Jeremy. Ben is now sitting at a table full of girls. I hope he learns to make friends with girls or it’s going to be a long six weeks for him.

  While we’re working on the mural, Chris comes over to talk to me. He looks a little serious.

  “I’m sorry Ben was picking on you and Stanley. I don’t know what happened to him. He just sort of became mean over the summer. That’s why I stopped being friends with him.”

 
I feel bad for Chris. It feels awful when you grow apart from a friend or have an argument.

  “It’s hard to lose a friend,” I say. “I hope he goes back to being like his old self.”

  I mean it, too. Even if Ben is not my favorite person right now, I don’t want Chris to be lonely. I would rather see Ben be nice and Chris have his friend back.

  Chris looks a little sad as he shrugs his shoulders.

  I add, “In the meantime, I’ll be happy to be your friend.”

  “Sure,” he replies with a grin. “I have absolutely no problem being friends with girls.”

  We get back to painting. I smile the whole time I work. Part of it is that my day has been great so far, but it’s also because I’m painting the part of the mural where the dolphin is reading a book.

  At the end of the club meeting, I walk up to Ms. Benedetto. I have one final thing I need to talk to her about, and that’s Saturdays. I feel nervous about it, but I blurt it out.

  “I know I missed last Saturday’s painting session, but I can’t always come to Saturday club meetings. I have my Sea Musketeers meetings at the same time. That’s my save-the-oceans club I started with my friends. I hope you’re not upset with me.”

  “Stella, that’s not the case at all. I think it’s great that you have many interests. You’re still so young. It’s important for you to discover what you like and what you’re passionate about. I’d never make you choose between the two.”

  “Really?” I smile with my whole face.

  “Definitely. Come whenever you can.”

  As I leave the school with Nick, I feel warm inside. Outside, though, it feels colder than the day before. We’re both bundled in our parkas now.

  “It’s like we skipped fall and jumped straight into winter,” Nick says while putting gloves on his hands.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I notice a pair of adults holding hands leaving the school. Because of the big coats, I’m not sure who it is, until I spy leopard-print boots. Then I realize that it’s Mr. Foster and Ms. Benedetto! I turn roja a little bit. Out of all the people I suspected, I guess two people do really like like each other. I laugh.

  “Dating is weird,” I say to Nick.

  “Ain’t that the truth. I’ve got one week to ask Erika to the homecoming dance.” Nick sighs. “I should just ask her tonight. I’m supposed to text her anyway and go over geometry homework together.”

  “She helps you with geometry? But you’re so smart,” I ask, stunned.

  Nick chuckles. “I know.” He messes with my curls. “But sometimes it’s smarter to ask for help, too.”

  “Oh,” I reply. I wish I had realized this earlier.

  Then he stops. “But why do you say dating is weird?”

  He looks at me suspiciously.

  “No reason,” I reply, and keep my mouth shut the rest of the way home.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  On Saturday morning, the three of us are sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast together. Nick is up early, already getting a head start on homework while he chomps down on his cereal. He looks extra happy this morning. Erika must have texted back and said yes to homecoming.

  “Niños, they are calling for snow tonight,” Mom says as she looks at her phone.

  “What?” I drop my spoon in my cereal. “It’s not even Halloween yet!”

  “You know the weather in Chicago, mi amor.” She continues, “¡Está loco!”

  “Does that mean we won’t have school on Monday?” asks Nick excitedly as he closes his American history book.

  “I think we’d have to get a lot of snow for that to happen, but you never know,” says Mom.

  Nick groans and reopens his textbook.

  Mom then says, “Oh, Stella. By the way, Linda called and asked if you could walk Biscuit this morning.”

  I bite my lip. As much as I’d like to walk Biscuit in one of his adorable sweaters, it might be too much with everything I have to do this morning.

  I hesitantly reply, “I probably shouldn’t. I have my meeting today, but maybe tomorrow? That is, if everything isn’t covered in snow.”

  Mom looks pleased. “Sí, amor. That sounds like a good decision. I’ll let Linda know. I’m sure she can ask someone else to do it.”

  I stand up proudly. “Well, I better get ready for my Sea Musketeers meeting.”

  “¡Es la verdad!” says Mom. “I’ve got Bagel Bites, too.”

  I pause to think. “Only bring them out if it’s going well.”

  “Got it, jefa,” she replies, saluting me.

  I go upstairs to clean. Mom always insists that I have a clean bedroom and bathroom for the meetings.

  While I put things away, I get nervous about the meeting. The more I think about the fundraiser, the more I realize I was the one acting badly by throwing a fit. It wasn’t Logan or any of my fellow Sea Musketeers. All they wanted to do was help. I hope the meeting goes well. At this point, I think my life would be ruined if I can’t make it work with the Sea Musketeers anymore.

  Stanley and Jenny show up at the house early before the meeting to lend moral support.

  “It’s going to be fine,” says Jenny. “And don’t forget what I said in swim class.”

  I reply with a smile, “I’ve got this.”

  It makes me feel better, but I still nibble nervously on one of the pretzels that Mom put out as a snack for the meeting.

  Finally, the rest of the crew shows up on time. Unlike our usual meetings, no one is really catching up about the week. It’s sort of eerily silent, like the deep sea.

  “Should I take attendance?” asks Logan, breaking the silence.

  I look over at him.

  “Or you could do it, Stella,” says Mariel.

  I take a deep breath. It’s about sharing responsibility. I don’t have to be in charge of everything, I say to myself.

  “You can do it, Logan,” I say sincerely.

  Logan takes attendance and then says, “Does anyone want to start talking first?”

  He glances at me. I pick up the toy orca.

  “I’ve given it a lot of thought, and it’s a good idea to have a copresident.”

  I can see everyone loosen up.

  I continue, “The city council presentation is a big deal, and I have a busier schedule now. The club is one of the most important things to me.” Then I say the hardest part of all. “And I’m sorry I reacted badly at the fundraiser.”

  I look at the ground. I feel a little teary-eyed just saying it aloud.

  No one says anything at first. Then like a giant wave, everyone surrounds me and gives me a big hug.

  “Don’t worry,” says Mariel. “We’re just glad you’re okay!”

  “We wouldn’t have this club without you,” replies Kristen, hugging me extra hard.

  I nod with a smile. I guess everyone was right. I feel foolish for even thinking they were trying to steal the club from me. Now that I think about it, the Sea Musketeers is like the egg-drop project. Each of us has to work together to succeed. If one person tries to bear all the weight, they will break. Sort of like me. I turn toward Logan.

  “Do you want to keep running the meeting, co-president? You’re doing a great job.”

  Logan grabs the toy orca excitedly.

  “Okay, I want to discuss the city council meeting. It’s only two weeks to go, and we need something big to impress them.”

  “A bigger poster?” asks Mariel.

  We shake our heads. We all stare around trying to brainstorm a good idea.

  I rest my chin on my hand. Then I come up with something. “What if we ask Mr. Kyle and Ms. Susan to come be our special experts?”

  “Our Shedd Aquarium camp leaders?” says Mariel, standing up.

  “OMG, that’s so smart! No one could deny experts!” exclaims Jenny.

  I nod.

  “They also said we could contact them whenever we want,” says Logan.

  “Let’s email them now,” Kristen says excitedly.

 
; “I’ll ask my mom,” I say.

  I run downstairs to talk to Mom. She’s reading a book on the national parks that she picked up from the library.

  “There are so many amazing places to visit!” she exclaims. Then she looks at me and asks, “Is everything okay?”

  I nod. “Can we use the computer to send an email?”

  “Of course, Stellita,” she replies. “I’ll grab the laptop.”

  “And can we have Bagel Bites now?” I say with a smile.

  She claps her hands together. “Mi amor, I’m glad it’s going well! I knew it would.”

  Then we walk up the stairs with the laptop and the warm Bagel Bites in hand.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  I wake up the next morning feeling extra cozy in my bed. When I think about stepping out of the blankets, I quickly change my mind. I can already tell my room is cold. Wintry cold.

  “Levántate, Stella,” says Mom, telling me to get up out of bed.

  “Why?” I reply, sitting up.

  She heads to my window and opens the curtains. “It snowed!”

  I look out the window to see the first snowfall of the season. It’s more than a poquito. It’s a couple of feet, and it’s still snowing! It’s always funny when it snows in the fall. The oak tree in our backyard still has many of its colorful autumn leaves, but they are all blanketed in snow. I also know many of those leaves will fall off by the end of the day with the weight of the snow.

  “Do you think we’ll miss school tomorrow?” I ask Mom excitedly.

  “It looks like you might!”

  Mom and I then grab our snow boots and parkas and head outside to the backyard to enjoy the wintry weather. After our fill of snow angels, we decide to head back indoors.

  “You know what I’d love to do now?” says Mom.

  “What?” I ask eagerly. Mom has the best ideas.

  She laughs. “Daytime camping!”

  “What? Don’t you remember our camping trip in Wisconsin?”

  “Indoors, I mean!” she replies, laughing even harder.