The Birthday Party of No Return! (3 page)

My sore eye started to itch and throb. It still hadn't recovered from the bug that had to be tweezed from it. Tears rolled down my cheek.

It was hard to see clearly. Clouds floated over the sun. Long shadows spread over us.

I squinted hard with my one good eye. Cory has an awesome serve. My legs suddenly felt as if they weighed a hundred pounds each.

But I gritted my teeth and forced myself to move.

We play four-game sets. Two out of three sets wins the match.

I won the first set 4–2.

We changed court side. A lot of kids had gathered along the wire fence to watch us play. Laura flashed Cory a thumbs-up.

Why is she on
his
side?
I wondered.
Just because he saved her life the other day? Just because he's blond and blue-eyed and lucky all the time, and everyone in school thinks he's awesome?

Yeah. Maybe.

I forced myself to stop thinking about it. I tried to force all thoughts from my mind.

Tennis. Tennis. Tennis.

I repeated the word in my mind like a chant. It helped me concentrate.

I wiped the bad eye with the back of my hand. We started to play again. Even with only one good eye, I felt okay. I felt like I could finish him off.

That's when the sun came out. The clouds floated away. The sky brightened. The sun shone brightly again.

“Hey!” I shielded my eyes with one hand.

The sun was shining right in my eyes. One eye was totally blurred. The other eye was blinded by the sun. I couldn't see a thing.

Cory's serve bounced beside me and flew by.

I could see only a yellow-white glare. It was like someone kept flashing a camera right in my face.

I tried to shield my eyes and play at the same time. But that was impossible.

Cory sent another serve past me.

Not fair!
I exclaimed to myself.
With the sun right in my eyes, he's going to KILL me.

What am I going to do?

He killed me. Now we were even. We took a short break.

Ms. Andersen stepped up to the net. “Okay, guys,” she called. “I don't want to make you tense or anything. But it's game-breaker time. This win counts big-time toward the scholarship. Good luck.”

She didn't want to make us tense? Then why did she say that?

And did she have to keep saying “Good luck, good luck” all the time?

Cory and I touched rackets as we changed court side. I kept blinking, trying to force the white spots from my eyes. I mopped my runny eye with my T-shirt sleeve.

That sun was brutal. Sweat poured down my face. My hair was matted to my forehead.

I took a deep breath. I swung the racket from side to side. I wanted to make it feel like part of my arm.

I leaned forward and waited for Cory's serve.

And suddenly, I realized my luck had changed. I was about to win the tennis match.

Cory served. Too high. The ball bounced at least six inches past the line.

Cory couldn't see. He couldn't see a thing.

Because we had switched court sides. And now the sun was in
his
eyes!

Wow. I couldn't believe it. I felt like jumping up and down.

I watched him squinting and straining. The sun was like a big spotlight focused on his face.

He served again. Out!

Love–fifteen in favor of guess who? Me.

My heart pounded. This was too easy. Too easy!

Sports Camp, here I come!

He served the next one. I hit it easily and bounced it right past him. Ha!

Love–thirty.

I won the first game easily. Three games to go to win the match.

Cory wiped sweat from his face. He shook his head angrily. His cheeks were red. He stared into the sun.

I tried not to laugh out loud. But I felt so good. It felt so good to be the lucky one for a change.

I tensed my muscles, preparing to serve.

That's when the shadows rolled over the court.

The sky darkened. Big clouds covered the sun.

Cory's whole body instantly relaxed. He was smiling now. He was loose. He was in the shade.

He won. He won everything. The sun stayed behind the clouds, and he won the match.

Lucky Duck won again.

As soon as the match was over, the sun came out again.

I pictured it grinning down on us. Like it had played a big joke on me.

Cory even controls the SUN!
I thought.

“AAAAAAAAGH!” An angry cry burst from my throat.

I lost it. I totally lost it.

I just couldn't take all the good luck going Cory's way.

Without thinking, I swung my arm hard and let the tennis racket go sailing into the air.

Oh, no.

I saw what was about to happen.

Oh, no.

Nothing I could do. Too late. Too late. I couldn't stop it.

The racket flew into the back of Ms. Andersen's head.

CLONNNNK. It sounded like wood crashing into a wall as it smashed against her skull.

She uttered a high scream — and dropped to the ground.

Kids along the side of the tennis court gasped and cried out. Then everyone went silent.

I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe.

Did I really do that?

Okay. I threw the tennis racket. But could I really be unlucky enough to bean Ms. Andersen in the head with it? And knock her out cold?

Everyone hurried over to her. They formed a silent circle.

Cory and Laura leaned over her. I stayed at the back of the circle, afraid to look.

Forget Sports Camp
, I told myself.
You're going to prison for this, Lee.

Ms. Andersen groaned. She sat up and rubbed the back of her head. She blinked several times. Then she smoothed her dark hair.

“I'm okay,” she said. “I guess I was mostly startled.”

She's not dead!

Huddled behind some kids, I let out a long sigh of relief.

Cory helped Ms. Andersen to her feet. She brushed off her jeans. Then she rubbed the back of her head again.

She gazed around the circle of kids till she spotted me. “Uh … Lee, could you come over here?” she asked.

Uh-oh. Doom time.

I took a few trembling steps toward her. “I — I'm sorry,” I stammered.

She frowned at me. “Lee, you're going to have to work on your sportsmanship, aren't you?” she said. “You know, sportsmanship is important in this contest.”

“It … was an accident,” I said. “The racket … it slipped from my hand.”

Lame. I know.

“I know it was an accident,” Ms. Andersen said in a soft voice. “But you were upset about losing the match, right? And you lost your temper.”

I nodded. “Well … yes. But I didn't mean —”

She raised a hand to silence me. The sunlight flashed in her brown eyes. “Cory and Laura have a good head start toward the scholarship,” she said. “I want to see you try harder, Lee. And I don't want to see you lose your temper again.”

“Yes. Right. I mean, no problem,” I stammered. “I'm really sorry. I mean, really.”

Yes. I was sorry I threw my racket. Sorry I smashed her in the head. Sorry I lost the match. Sorry I had such bad luck.

I trudged home with my head down. I felt so sorry for myself, I didn't look at the corner and almost got run over by a bunch of teenagers on bikes. They shouted all kinds of names at me.

I deserved it.

What a bad start for winning that scholarship. “Lee, you're going to need a lot of help if you're going to win now.” That's what I told myself.

And I guess that's what made me think of that package. The box with the good-luck charm that I'd stuffed into a desk drawer.

Maybe I should give it a try
, I decided.
After all, I'm totally desperate.

It couldn't hurt — right?

Arfy greeted me at the front door. He leaped onto my chest and knocked me back against the wall. Then he pinned me there with his huge front paws and licked most of the skin off my face.

“Good dog. Good dog. I'm happy to see you, too!” I cried. I had to wrestle him to the floor to escape his greeting.

I was eager to get past him. I wanted to check out that good-luck charm. I needed it to start working — fast!

I took the stairs two at a time and lurched into my bedroom. Arfy came clumping up the stairs, close behind me. He kept bumping the back of my legs, and I nearly tripped.

Into my room. I dove to my desk. I bent down and tugged open the bottom drawer.

I shoved some papers and things out of the way. Then I pulled up the box with the red letters.

INSTANT GOOD LUCK
.

I read those words a couple of times. I felt excited. Maybe I was holding something that really did work. Something that would give me the luck I needed to defeat Lucky Duckworth.

I read the tiny type.
This rare good-luck charm never fails.

“What could it be?” I said to Arfy. He had his furry head raised and was sniffing at the box. “Think it's just a rabbit's foot?”

I tore off the top of the box. The item inside was wrapped in a ball of red tissue paper.

Carefully, I unwrapped the tissue paper — and gazed wide eyed at the thing inside.

“Ohhh, sick,” I moaned. “It's … disgusting.”

I stared at the ugly thing in my hand. It was hard and kind of crusty. At first, I thought it was covered with black hair. Then I realized it was scraggly feathers.

Some kind of horrible, dried-up claw. Was it a bird claw?

I turned the box on its side and read the words:
RARE VULTURE CLAW
.

Vulture claw?

It sure didn't look like a good-luck charm. I turned it over in my hand. It had three bony talons. The cracked nails at the ends were yellow and curled.

It looked like something out of a horror movie!

I held it up and scraped the air with it.
“Caw caw cawwww.”
I made an ugly bird sound.

Arfy barked. He kept his eyes on it. I could tell he didn't like it.

I tried to picture the bird that lost this claw. A scrawny black vulture. I pictured it hopping on one claw.

Didn't vultures swoop down and eat dead things on the ground?

Since when were vultures
good
luck?

The claw was attached to a slender black rope. Like a pendant. I swung it in my hand. I couldn't decide whether to wear the claw or not.

Arfy barked again.

“I know, boy,” I said. “It's kind of gross. But I need all the help I can get.”

“Lee.” Mom stepped into the room.

I slid the claw into the desk drawer and closed it. I didn't want her asking questions.

“What is it, Mom?”

She handed me a white envelope. It had a small orange and yellow pizza on one corner. “This just came for you,” she said. She turned and headed back downstairs.

I tore it open and read the letter inside.

The letter was from Pizza Planet. My favorite pizza place.

“Whoa … whoa…” I muttered to myself as my eyes ran down the page.

“Hey, Arfy — it says I won!” I cried.

The letter said I won a drawing. My contest card was picked. I won a free pizza dinner for me and my whole family!

“Wow!” I cried, jumping to my feet. I pumped both fists in the air. I'd never won
anything
before! Never.

I read the letter again. I was excited. Free pizza!

I pulled out the ugly vulture claw. Was it possible? Had the good luck started already?

I grabbed the slender rope and slid it down over my head. I straightened the claw over the front of my T-shirt.

A minute ago, I didn't believe in good-luck charms. But now I
believed
.

I'm going to wear this thing forever!
I decided.

Arfy barked again. Then he jumped. He snapped at the claw. He was trying to pull it away from me.

“No, Arfy!” I screamed.

I pushed the big dog away with one hand. With the other hand, I tucked the claw out of sight under my T-shirt.

My elbow bumped the box. A small square of paper fluttered out from inside it.

Before it hit the floor, Arfy grabbed it in his mouth. He turned and ran off with it, like it was some kind of prize.

I laughed. He looked so funny. Like a criminal eager to check out his loot.

I read the pizza letter again and let out a cheer. I felt great.

I rubbed the claw under my T-shirt. I had a feeling my life was going to change now. I had a feeling
everything
was going to change.

And guess what?

Everything did!