WONDER
Chapter 11
Graduation
August
The next morning, Mr. Tushman and some others went back to the forest. They looked for my hearing aids, but they didn't find anything.
"The school will pay for new hearing aids," Mr. Tushman told me. "And we want to find those boys, too. Maybe one of them has your hearing aids."
The bus took us back to school. Mom met me, and she talked to Mr. Tushman. Then, we walked home together. Mom didn't ask me many questions.
It was sad without Daisy at home. Mom hugged me quickly and said, "I missed you, August."
"I missed you, too, Mom. I'm sorry about the hearing aids," I said.
"Don't worry," she said. "Mr. Tushman told me everything. But are you OK?"
"I'm fine. Jack really helped me. And Amos and Henry and Miles! It's strange, because Henry and Miles didn't talk to me all year at school."
"People change," said Mom.
Then, the door opened, and Dad and Via came home. Dad was carrying a box. In the box was a cute little black puppy - the cutest puppy I ever saw!
I stayed home the next day with Via, and we played with the puppy all day. It was great to be with Via, talking and laughing. And our puppy was so cute.
The next day, I went back to school, and suddenly everything was different. Everyone knew the story of Jack, Amos, Miles, and Henry and the big seventh grade kids.
Now, everyone liked Amos, Miles, and Henry. And they liked Jack and me, too. And Julian? Nobody was friends with him any more.
In June, the day before the last day of school, Mr. Tushrnan called me into his office.
"Sit down, August," he said. "Has it been a good year?"
"Yes, it's been good," I said.
"You've studied very hard, and you're one of our best students."
"Thank you."
"I know things were difficult with Julian," he said. How did Mr. Tushman know that?
"Yes, a little," I replied.
"And there were some horrible notes."
"Yes," I said.
"I know," he said. Did Mr. Tushman know everything?
"Julian is leaving the school this summer," he added.
I didn't say anything.
He stood up. "Thank you for a good year, August," he said, and we shook hands. "See you at graduation tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow, Mr. Tushman."
Graduation was in the theater at Beecher Prep Upper School. We all wore our best clothes. Our families and friends were sitting at the back. I sat with Jack and Summer.
Mr. Tushman spoke for a long time, and then some other people spoke. I didn't listen to everything. But then we got to the medals, and Mr. Tushman was speaking again.
"The medal for best student goes to Ximena Chin," he said. Ximena went up and got her medal. Charlotte got the medal for music, and Amos got the medal for sports. I was really happy for Amos, because he was now one of my best friends. Then, Summer got the medal for English. Everyone clapped, and they all went up to get their medals.
"There is one more medal," said Mr. Tushman. "The Henry Ward Beecher medal. This medal is for doing something really important for the school. This student has helped a lot of children in the school. He helped them to understand important things about friends. We have
all learned from this student. So, August Pullman, please come up and get your medal."
I couldn't believe it. Everyone stood up, clapping and shouting for me. I walked toward Mr. Tushman in a dream. I'm just an ordinary kid, I thought. (But I did finish fifth grade, and that's not easy for anyone.)
Mr. Tushman put the medal over my head. "Well done, August," he whispered.
After graduation, we walked back to our house for cake and ice cream. Jack and his parents, Summer and her mom, Justin, Via, and Miranda, Mom and Dad. I walked behind everybody with Mom.
"Thank you for sending me to school," I said.
"Thank you, August," she said.
"For what?" I said.
"For everything you've given us," she replied. "You really are a wonder, August. A wonder."
