Sally

• Alisa Pustovoyt, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2018

Sally walks through the hallway, all dark and gloomy.
She keeps her head down low and never speaks a word.
“Girls,” it was the voice of Emma, “it’s Sally!”
Never a day passed by when Louise, Emma and Chantelle didn't bully Sally. Sally isn't known for anything ‘special’ like everyone else. There is Tamara, who is known for her running, Matilda for her flexibility and Jan for her swimming.
Sally…nobody knew Sally. Everyone thought she was terrible at art because she sat at the back; but they were wrong, very wrong. Her artworks were prize-winning, although no one ever saw them.
At the end of one lesson, Mrs Wick, the art teacher, called Sally to her desk. Emma was curious so she stood behind the door and listened in.
“There is an art competition coming up Sally,” Mrs Wick said. “I get to pick one person from each grade to enter. I have seen your artwork Sally and I want my eighth-grader to be you.”
Sally was shocked. She was glowing just a little; Mrs Wick had noticed her talent.
“Oh, well, um,” Sally was saying. She was very nervous.
“I don’t know, but, um, I guess I’ll do it.”
It took her a while to realise what she’d just agreed to.
‘An art competition, where everyone would see my work? NO! But yes! I don’t know,’ she thought.
That night, Sally started working on what she would enter into the art competition. A person? A tree? She settled on her classic artwork- an eye. She was up all night, perfecting and changing. She was so tired the next day. As soon as she entered the school grounds, she felt herself starting to glow, even more than yesterday.
Emma was very curious about Sally’s glow. What had happened? She knew about Sally and the art competition, but that would never make her glow, would it?
Emma was awake all that night, thinking. ‘If it really was the art competition that made her glow, is her art really that amazing?’
She didn’t sleep. She couldn’t. Would she have competition for her popularity?
It was the morning of the art competition. Sally was so nervous. She was scared. Really scared. She worked on her eye all week. It was perfect.
The judging had begun. There were some amazing pictures. Spectacular paintings, and really, really detailed drawings. Sally was really glowing today. People noticed her. NOTICED HER. That was a huge change.
People were actually complimenting her drawing! The judges had made their decision.
“In third place is Tilly!” Then a pause, suspense was rising in the room.
“Second place is Mia!” No one could wait any longer. “First place is... SALLY!”
She had won. She had actually WON! From that day on, Sally was known in the school. She had friends now too. She was glowing brightly. Her art had made her popular.
Sally was happy now.