Laggan Lard Butts by Eric Walters Page B

round of applause, and the two of them walked to the podium. They talked about why everybody should vote for Lynx as the name of the school team. They said that the lynx was native to the area and was powerful and small—small like our school.
    That sounded like a pretty good argument. It also sounded familiar. Hadn’t Taylor said those same things? I looked at him in the audience. He shrugged and gave a little smile. He hadn’t been able to resist telling them his ideas.
    They finished by holding up a big banner with a picture of a lynx. It was in shades of black and orange. Very nice artwork. Heather was probably the second best artist in the school. I started wondering what Sarah and the Leopards would hold up.
    Everybody clapped. As Brian and Heather sat down Mr. McGregor welcomed the second pair.
    â€œGo, Dragons!” somebody screamed from the crowd. A bunch of kids began to cheer.
    I leaned in close to Tanner. “Will anybody be cheering for us?”
    â€œI figure my brother will.”
    â€œI kind of like the Dragons,” I said. “They would have got my vote.”
    They finished their presentation with a cheer, and the crowd started to clap. If theapplause meant anything the Dragons had slain the Lynx.
    That was two down, four more to go, and then us. I could hardly wait.
    â€œAnd second to last, please welcome the Leopards,” Mr. McGregor announced. As Sarah and Katie walked toward the microphone the lights dimmed. When the gym was completely dark, music started to play. From the back of the gym a beam of light shot out onto the screen beside the stage—a screen I hadn’t even noticed.
    On the screen a leopard, a big beautiful leopard, walked along and then leaped into a tree. The leopard photo faded and was replaced with a striking drawing of a leopard. I recognized the artwork—she
was
the best artist in the school. The scenes kept changing until the back of a school uniform appeared on the screen. It had the name Laggan on the top and a big number four—
my
uniform number. I knew that was a dig at me. Before our eyes the sweater turned around to reveal the front with a drawing ofa leopard leaping across the jersey. Wow, it looked wonderful.
    The projector light died, leaving us in complete darkness for a second before the gym lights came back on. Sarah and Katie were still standing at the podium.
    â€œWhen you vote today, remember, think leopard, vote leopard,” Sarah said.
    â€œGo, Leopards!”
    Everybody started to clap and cheer. I almost cheered. I could picture myself in that uniform. Who, other than Sarah, would have thought of doing a PowerPoint presentation?
    â€œAnd now for our final presentation,” Mr. McGregor said.
    For a split second I’d forgotten we had to speak. How could we follow that?
    â€œPlease welcome Sam and Tanner.”

chapter thirteen
    I slowly got to my feet on unsteady shaking legs. My stomach was churning and for a split second I wondered if there was a garbage can in the corner where I could throw up.
    I was pleased and surprised by the cheering. It sounded like a whole lot of people were on our side—not as many as had cheered for the Leopards but more than any of the other names.
    â€œCome on,” Tanner hissed, poking me in the ribs to get me to move.
    We wobbled over to the podium, and Tanner stood in front of the microphone and started to talk. As he talked I looked out at the audience and then beyond them to the empty court and the basketball nets. I looked beyond the nets to the empty white walls. Most schools had banners hanging on their walls, banners celebrating team wins. Our walls were almost empty.
    I felt a rapid rush of anger, then disappointment, then, strangest of all, satisfaction. We’d never won anything, but some of the happiest times I’d ever had were in this gym. It was one of my favorite places in the whole world. The more I thought that the better my stomach felt. I