Whale Song by Cheryl Kaye Tardif Read Free Book Online Page B

desk. She was busy straightening papers and that made me more edgy.
    “ How has your first few days been, Sarah?” She glanced up and smiled at me, her eyes softening.
    I looked from her to Annie. “Uh…good, I guess.”
    “ Any problems?”
    Annie heaved a sigh of impatience. “Why do I have to stay behind? I haven’t done nothin’.”
    Mrs. Higginson’s head whipped up. “Haven’t you?”
    She reached into her desk and pulled out a pair of blue-handled scissors― Annie’s scissors. A few long brown hairs were still trapped between the blades.
    She waved the scissors under Annie’s nose. “What exactly were you cutting?”
    Annie jabbed her elbow into my ribs and hissed under her breath. “Don’t say anything.”
    “ Sarah, do you want to tell me?” Mrs. Higginson asked, pursing her lips.
    I shook my head. “No, it’s okay.”
    She crossed her arms and stared at us for a few minutes. Then she looked at me and smiled. “By the way, your hair looks lovely. Don’t you think so, Annie?”
    The girl beside me remained mute―except for her enraged eyes. They flashed a message, loud and clear.
    “ Go on home, you two,” Mrs. Higginson said with a sigh of quiet resignation. “And I don’t want any more problems…Annie.”
    She escorted us to the classroom door and watched as we walked down the hall together. At the main school doors, I looked back over my shoulder. She was gone.
    Scurrying down the steps, I veered off to the left, but Annie grabbed my arm.
    “ Better watch your back, white girl.”
    Petrified, I ran off to meet Goldie at the bus stop. We boarded the bus and it ambled off down the road, passing Annie along the way. She stared up at me as she walked alongside the ditch. She mouthed one word.
    Bitch.
     
    During my first week at Bamfield Elementary, the burden of being a ‘white kid’ was almost too much to endure. Someone had poured glue into my desk, smeared mud on my jacket and one of my art projects had mysteriously disappeared.
    Of course, only one person I knew would do those things.
    On Thursday morning, I found a chocolate bar in my desk. I glanced around the classroom and tried to determine who had put it there. I was sure it had been Goldie.
    Later, we sat outside in the grass and I showed her the treat.
    “ I found it in my desk.”
    Goldie gave a quick shrug. “Mrs. Higginson must’ve left it for you―seeing as you’re teacher’s pet.” She grinned at me.
    I peered over my shoulder and saw our teacher sitting on the steps. She smiled at me and waved.
    “ You must be right,” I said, peeling back the wrapper from the chocolate bar. “Wanna bite?”
    She eyed it hungrily. “You first. It’s your chocolate bar.”
    I bit into the chewy treat, savoring the delicious flavor. Then I offered it to her. She laughed and grabbed it out of my hand. As she opened her mouth to take a bite, she gagged. Her horrified expression made me swallow what was already in my mouth.
    It didn’t go down easily.
    Goldie moaned. “Ew, gross.”

six
     
    She held out the chocolate bar and pointed to a small hole in the wrapper. Inside, a wriggling mass of tiny bugs infested the bar. And I had eaten some of them.
    My stomach heaved.
    I spit out everything while Goldie tried to comfort me.
    “ Who would do such a thing?” she demanded.
    Both of us knew the answer to that question.
    We spun on our heels as Annie and her gang gathered behind us. All I could see were boys and girls laughing at me, calling me malicious names.
    “ The white girl eats bugs!” Annie screeched at the top of her lungs. “Don’tcher parents feed you real food?”
    I cringed and wiped chocolate bug drool from the corner of my mouth. Determined not to cry, I blinked back hot tears.
    Goldie jumped to her feet, hands on hips. “Annie, you oughta be ashamed,” she shouted, furious. “That was a mean and nasty thing to do.”
    Annie let out a smug grunt. “Goldie, you goin’ white? Don’t you be gettin’ better