Memorize it, Say What!

My Big Secret

Laura's POV

"Remember the test for language is tomorrow! Don't forget!" My teacher, Mrs. Conwell always told ME to study! So what! I could remember anything. I'm Lee Ann, but everyone calls me Laura. People also call me smart. I'm educated in facts and knowledge, not smart. The English language has so many boring words, minus the fact that educated and knowledge are in the English language.

Well, I have a photographic memory. I learned not to pretend to listen too closely to the teacher. If I do, I will keep correcting her. But, anyway I feel like everything is easy at school. So I need something harder, but I don't want everyone to know my secret, and I am not really sure I want to be in the gifted program.

Anyway, I better pack up my stuff now. Language is the last period of the day.

Realizing I hadn't grabbed my study sheet, Mrs. Conwell called me over to her desk in her sing song voice. She has lots of different voices and trust me, I know lots of them!  I could hear it now. "You forgot the sheet," or,"I know you're secret." But I am about to say something that I have never said before. I was wrong!

She said, "Laura you have talent! I mean like a gift. You deserve some prize for that gift. You could join TEC, that online program, or the all day gifted program. And of you want something good on a college application, skip a grade." She was a rocket with ideas blasting out of her at light speed.

I stepped away slowly shaking my head furiously. "No! No! No, no! Why! It has to be me!" That was the end of that conversation. Or so I thought.

I ran out the door, grasping hold of my book bag. As I ran out the door, I realized that I simultaneously just ran away from Mrs. Many Moods or Mrs. Conwell. I also noticed that I had left the study sheet on my desk. Wait, I left it on Mrs. Conwell's desk! Uh oh! She's going to see what I wrote! I closed my mouth after I realized I was gasping, and made my motorcycle feet whirl right around. You may be thinking that it doesn't matter what she sees on my sheet. You are wrong. I had memorized the Scripps National Spelling Bee words, the National Anthem, the Gettysburg Address and any other speech like thing. She would definitely want me in the gifted program now!

I ran down the hallway to the room labeled Room 15. I peeked in through the doorway, and just my luck, she is at my desk writing on a blue writing tablet and stapling the first page on my study sheet.

I turned away, but was caught by a girl named Josie. I had run into her, so she already wasn't my best friend or anything. She had a kind voice and chocolate hair, but the most intriguing thing about her was the sparkle in her eyes. I saw a rainbow of colors. "Here, I'll help you up. " She did have a kind voice. I knew it! "Were you spying on someone?" She tilted her head as she asked. "I think you look familiar. Are you in the gifted program?" She looked at me in wonder as if I were her long, lost twin. "No actually! That's why I was looking into Mrs. Conwell's room. She had just asked me to join, but I said no. Then, I forgot my study sheet which..." I trailed off. Why was I telling Josie so much important information? But then I blurted out, "I have a photographic memory." And of course, right when I said that, Mrs. Conwell came out.

"Lee Ann, you do?"

I stuttered, "I prefer Laura, but yeah."

Josie smiled warmly. I can go if you would like. Hope to see you at the gifted program!"

Mrs. Conwell gaped. "Lee Ann Wilson, how could you keep this a secret?! So many years I thought you were just a smart kid, but I didn't know you were this smart! I'd better see you in the all day gifted program!"

Her smirk turned into a grin. "You need a referral." The smirk was back. "I'll just write you one!"

Scribble, draw, scribble, signature. Her handwriting really did look like scribbles. Done. "Here you go!" She handed me the paper to me, or the slip of horror. "Bring it to Ms. Delarosa, the lady who teaches the gifted program. I said you'll start tomorrow."

Author's note
Sorry this did that weird thing with the writing. When I synched it, I chose the one that wasn't the top and it did this.