Page 5 of Ugly Duckling
There was a note on the first twenty-dollar bill in red Sharpie that said, “Fuck Marx. Fuck the entire junior class. You’re awesome, and you should own it. They’re just jealous because they all suck compared to you. Keep the money. You deserve it after the bullshit they pulled.”
My heart clenched.
God, why did Gunner have to be so nice?
And why did everyone else have to be so mean?
SUTTON
Age eighteen
“And the class valedictorian is Sutton Sway!” Principal Edmonson called out. “Welcome her up here as she gives her speech.”
There were lots of claps from the crowd.
Nearly no one from my class.
Not surprising.
I got up to the microphone and started to talk.
The speech was good.
I knew it was good.
But it was also a silent dig at every single one of my bullies for the last how many ever years.
“I moved here when I was seven,” I said as I looked around. “I thought that this place was going to be my second chance. We moved from a school in Dallas where it was terrifying and big, and I was so nervous all the time. I thought by moving here, I’d get some close friends, and I’d love living in a small community where I’d know every one of my classmates.” I looked directly at Aleah. “But I didn’t get that. I got the worst of both worlds. All of my bullies knew who I was, and I knew who all of them were. I got personalized bullying from each and every one of you, but at least I wasn’t bombarded with thousands of kids every day. Only ninety-two.”
The crowd started muttering.
All of the kids sat back in their seats.
None of them smiled.
“I hope one day that you have children,” I said to my class. “I hope that those children have peaceful school lives. I hope that they come home every day and tell you how good their day at school was. I hope that they are happy and carefree. I hope that they don’t wake up every morning like I did and dread what’s to come.” I moved my gaze to Marx, my second biggest bully. “I hope that you marry and have kids. You get the fantastic job, and the beautiful wife who will love you. I hope that you are happy. I hope that all of you are happy. I hope that each and every one of you makes it. And I hope that you never treat someone the way you have treated me.”
The principal cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably.
“I hope that all of you succeed, and that you make something out of your life. Because there is only potential from here. You can only go up, because you’re already at rock bottom,” I said. “Here’s to us.”
With that, I walked back to my seat, uncaring that I’d just made everyone super uncomfortable.
It was only a small portion of what they’d done to me.
I’d gone out of my way to never let on how bad it was.
But it was all out in the open now.
“Thatta girl, Suttie!”
I looked to my left to see Gunner standing at the chain-link fence that wound around the field.
He was wearing his Alabama baseball uniform.
I waved.
He winked and stepped back, heading back down the slope of the hill and to his old Jeep.
