Vindication

Debbie picked her head up when the school intercom turned on, her small body overcome with jitters. They had the science fair yesterday, and while it would continue for another couple of days, today was the day they would announce the winners. And Debbie had heard rumors from some of her classmates that her science project had managed to place!

Well, her and Laura’s science project. Because they were in the fifth grade, they were allowed to do it in two-person teams. Debbie had been excited about it, and they both agreed to do their project on potatoes conducting electricity. Laura had been so gung-ho in the beginning that she managed to write one full paragraph to put on their board pretty quickly. However...that was the only thing she did. She didn’t offer to do anything else and refused any offers to come over to Debbie’s house to work on the project together. Laura simply gave the paragraph that she had written over to Debbie and left her to do the rest of the project.

Surprisingly, Debbie didn’t fight her on it. Maybe it was because it had been just easier to accept it than to persistently plead for Laura to do her part. Maybe it was because Debbie saw her as a close friend, so she was willing to cut her some slack. Coordinating times to meet up to do the project would be kinda a hassle, even though Debbie would love to have her friend visit her place. Or vice versa. To be friends outside of school, other than just in school.

And maybe, just maybe...Debbie had already expected Laura not to do much.

But it had been okay, because Debbie had her mom and older sister. Mom helped her with the writing parts and conducting the actual experiment. Her sister drew and cut out the lightning bolts to put on the board so it would look cool. Debbie thought that she had done a good job of presenting it to the judges.

So if-

“Hello everyone! It is time to announce the winners of this year’s science fair! First up, the winners of the fourth grade…” the lady on the intercom said.

Debbie squirmed in her seat as the lady continued with the announcement.

Fifth grade was next…

“Next, the third place in fifth grade goes to…”

Debbie crossed her fingers.

“Debbie Wright and Laura Evans!”

Debbie sat there for a moment before a wide smile overtook her face. They won...they won third place! She...had never placed in anything before, let alone third place! And the prize for third place was ten dollars...Debbie never won or made that much cash before!

“Laura, we did it!” she exclaimed happily to her friend, who was sitting at the desk across from hers. “We got third place!”

“Yeah…we did,” Laura said with a small smile. Debbie was too ecstatic to wonder why Laura didn’t seem as excited as she was as Debbie clapped her hands.

“I can’t believe it...I really can’t believe it!” she said joyfully. Then Kira, their mutual friend who had wanted to do the science project with someone else, leaned over to Laura’s ear.

“Why is she so happy? It’s just ten bucks,” Kira said in a normal tone of voice, even though Debbie was right there. The disdain in her words made Debbie falter in her celebration as her smile dropped a little while Laura shrugged.

Was...was she not allowed to be happy about this?

Thankfully, her other classmates went over to congratulate Debbie and Laura, which made Debbie feel better and forget about what Kira said. However, Kira’s words came back to Debbie some time after she got home and told her proud mother and the rest of her family about her achievement.

“Mom?” Debbie asked her when it happened to be just the two of them in the family room.

“Yes, sweetie?” Mom replied as she worked on crocheting a blanket.

“I heard Kira asked Laura why I was so happy about winning third place because it was just ten bucks. Why would she say that? Is it really that weird? Everyone else congratulated me.”

Mom stopped crocheting as a serious expression overtook her usually gentle face.

“What did Laura say?”

“Nothing, she just shrugged. But she didn’t seem that happy about it either. Is it...I mean, I know that third place isn’t first, but we still won something, right?”

“Exactly,” Mom said as she put her needles down. “You put real effort into the science project, and you got acknowledged for it. Of course, you’re happy about it. Anyone would be. There’s nothing weird about it at all.”

“But Laura-”

“Barely did anything. That’s why she wasn’t that excited about it as you. Why would she care about the reward when she didn’t care about the science project in the first place?”

Debbie didn’t say anything because while it was a bit harsh...her mom was right. Even though Debbie had a lot of help, she still devoted a lot of time to the science project. Of course, she should be happy that her hard work paid off!

She guessed Kira and Laura just didn’t understand.

“You’re right. Thanks, Mom!” said Debbie with a huge, wide smile again, relieved that she was right to be happy about getting ten bucks after all.

It felt nice to be vindicated.