Akeelah and the Bee - James W. Ellison [46]
“I’d love that!” she said, delighted to hear from his own lips that their relationship would not end once the National Bee was over. “I always wanted to learn.”
“Well, then, that’s next on the agenda.”
They returned to the hotel just as a press conference was beginning. Akeelah sat with a dozen other spellers in a small room off the lobby where reporters bombarded them with questions and photographers snapped pictures. When Dylan was asked about his chances to win the National, he gave the camera a serious look and said, “Well, I’ve been second twice in a row. Don’t they say that practice makes perfect?” His eye still on the camera, he broke into a boyish grin.
“Yuck,” Javier said. “Double yuck.”
“Shh,” Akeelah said, nudging him in the side.
When Javier was asked the same question, he said, “I play to win but I’m prepared to lose.”
“A reasonable position,” Dylan whispered loudly enough for Javier to hear. The two boys locked glances.
That night, in Akeelah and Georgia’s room, Javier popped open an Orange Crush and the soda fizzed across the carpet. The girls ducked for cover, Georgia laughing hysterically. They were all in their pajamas.
“Dummy,” Akeelah said. “I told you not to shake it. Didn’t anybody ever teach you that?”
Javier burst into hysterical laughter as he wiped soda from his face with his pajama sleeve. “I’m not teachable, don’t you know that? I just do what comes naturally, and it isn’t always so natural.”
“I’ve noticed.”
Hearing the noise from the adjoining room, Tanya opened the door to the girls’ room and strode in.
“Akeelah, I thought you were studying. What’s going on?”
“We are!” She giggled. “But we’re also trying to relax.”
“Sounds like a war party to me. You got a big day tomorrow, so say goodnight.”
“Half an hour more. Please, Mama.”
“Yes, Mama,” Javier said, grinning. “Please.”
Tanya could not restrain a chuckle. “Well, okay. Fifteen minutes.” Shaking her head, she disappeared into the next room.
“What do you think Dylan’s doing now?” Akeelah asked, turning to Javier.
“Trying to learn ancient Greek. Praying in tongues. Giving Mr. Watanabe a back rub.”
“Maybe we should invite him over.”
“That jerk? Forget it. Besides, we’ve got curfew in fifteen minutes.”
Akeelah grabbed a soda and headed for the door.
“Hey, where you goin’?” said Javier, struggling out of the deep couch to his feet.
“You’ll see.”
Akeelah padded down the hall in her pajamas. She came to Room 217, hesitated, took a deep breath, and knocked. After a moment, Mr. Watanabe opened the door, stared at Akeelah briefly, and then looked away.
“Uh…hi….Is Dylan, ah, available?”
She saw him sitting at a table overflowing with word lists and dictionaries. He looked up and then quickly buried his nose in a book.
“He’s busy,” Mr. Watanabe said.
“Well, me and some of the other kids are hanging out in my room drinking soda pop and watching movies. We thought maybe he’d wanna come over. You know, break the tension a little.”
Unable to stifle his irritation, Mr. Watanabe said sharply, “That’s not possible. Tomorrow’s the spelling bee.”
“Yeah, that’s what I mean. Sometimes it’s good to take a little rest, veg out a little right before the big event, ya know?”
Mr. Watanabe shook his head and frowned. “Perhaps that’s your strategy. It certainly is not ours.”
He started to close the door when Akeelah held out the Orange Crush. “Hey, this is for Dylan. Keep him company while he works.”
Mr. Watanabe hesitated before snatching the soda from her. Akeelah caught a glimpse of Dylan staring at her just before the door slammed shut. She couldn’t be sure she wasn’t reading too much into it, but she thought she saw puzzlement and sadness clouding his face.
Thirteen
Akeelah woke up feeling wired, ready to leap out of her skin. Yet deep inside, her mind was calm. She felt ready. She made her way through the crowd of people and cameras like a prizefighter making her way to the ring. She nodded to Dylan but he looked away. As Akeelah ascended the stage