Counting to D (26 page)

Maybe the cliché speech was a good choice after all.

Ms. Sterling finished spouting generic niceties and began the long process of reading names and handing out diplomas. When she got to the name Mellissa Banks, Kaitlyn stood up and whooped and hollered. I clapped a bit louder and felt oddly touched knowing Kaitlyn was proud of her sister — until she sat back down and announced, “Yes, dreams really do come true. I’m finally an only child.”

“Kaitlyn, that’s awful.”

She shot me a sly smile. “I know. But bitterness adds to my charm.”

I opted not to respond and instead clapped dutifully for each name called. But when Ms. Sterling said the name Graham Claremont, I couldn’t help but clap a bit louder too.

“Why, Ms. Wilson,” Kaitlyn mocked surprise. “Would that be a cheer of good riddance I just heard?”

I blushed. “Graham was in four of my classes. Can’t I wish him well in his future endeavors?”

“You can. Just don’t deny you’re thrilled he got into Duke and will soon be living two thousand miles away.”

“Two thousand eight hundred and forty.”

“Not that you’re counting, because you have nothing but feelings of good cheer toward Mr. Claremont.”

“Okay, yes, I’m glad he’s leaving. But knowing Graham hasn’t been a total nightmare. I actually learned quite a bit from him this year.”

“Graham is a little prick with a big ego. What could you have possibly learned from him?”

“That I’m not him. We’re different people, and that’s okay. Different doesn’t have to mean worse. But it also doesn’t have to mean better. Different only means different. I’m not exactly like Graham, and I don’t want to be.”

“You may have learned that from Graham, but he definitely didn’t learn it from you.”

“Yeah, well, he is a little prick. Sometimes he can be a bit slow on the uptake.”

Ms. Sterling called the name of a student neither Kaitlyn nor I knew, but she clapped louder anyway, and I knew she was still cheering for Graham. “Goodbye and good riddance.”

“Graham leaving isn’t a big deal. The world is full of Graham Claremonts. I’ll meet many more. And hopefully they’ll have other things to teach me.”

“Get ready, Jessica’s going to be at Sophie’s shindig tonight.”

I examined my chipped, uneven fingernails. “If I’m not Graham, I’m definitely not Jessica. But I’m going to trust she can teach me something. At the very least, my nails could use some work.”

“Jessica can do wonders with a bottle of polish. You’ll be in good hands.”

I groaned at Kaitlyn’s pun and sat back to listen to the rest of Ms. Sterling’s litany of names.

I wasn’t graduating, but I was still about to embark on a new beginning of sorts. The words of Nate’s speech wound through my mind. With a little rhyming magic, they could have been printed in an inspirational children’s book too:

Like Sam, I was diagnosed with dyslexia in early elementary school, so bringing this story from a thought in my head to actual words on paper that other people can read took a lot of help. I’d first like to thank my parents, who never abandoned me and who filled me with encouragement every time I felt overwhelmed by life and/or literacy. I also want to thank my amazing husband, Warren. He hasn’t been in my life quite as long as my parents, but he’s been wonderfully supportive the entire time I’ve known him.

I need to give an extra special thanks to Marjorie, my childhood tutor. Marjorie introduced me to far more than just a tray full of rice; she also opened the doors to a brilliant world of words and ideas. I am grateful for her incredible gift every day, and know I never would have been able to write this book if it hadn’t been for her.

More contemporary thanks go out to my early readers, Feliza, Taryn, Adam, Tina, Claire, and Catherine. Your words of encouragement helped keep me going as I turned my crappy first draft into a readable story.

I also need to thank my fabulous editor, Ali, who undertook the massive job of correcting all my creative spelling. Marjorie may have been a miracle worker, but I am still dyslexic, so Ali had a big job. Vinnie deserves thanks for designing my gorgeous cover and formatting my words into something that actually resembles a book. And I need to thank Jessica, my wonderful publicist, for helping bring my words into the hands of my readers.

Last but definitely not least, I need to thank you, my readers. Thank you for choosing my book among all the other terrific stories out there. I hope you enjoyed it. And if you did, I especially want to thank you for recommending it to all your friends.

Counting to D
is a work of fiction, not a how-to book or a self-help book, but there are surely many people reading this story who are affected by dyslexia. If you don’t have dyslexia yourself, maybe you know someone who does, and maybe you’re even a little jealous of Sam and all her cool coping skills. So here are a couple resources that have helped me in the past:

The International Dyslexia Association (
www.interdys.org
)

Formerly the Orton Dyslexia Association, this is the best place to start. IDA can give you up-to-date dyslexia-related information and put you in touch with academic support services in your area.

Learning Ally (
www.learningally.org
)

If you want audio textbooks, start here. This isn’t a store; it’s a federally funded education tool for people with disabilities. It’s also amazing.

Kate Scott lives in the suburbs outside Portland, Oregon, with her husband, Warren. Kate was diagnosed with dyslexia as a young child but somehow managed to fall in love with stories anyway.
Counting to D
is her first novel. When Kate isn’t writing, she enjoys listening to audiobooks, camping, and spending time with her friends and family. Kate also spends a lot of time doing math and sciency things and is a licensed professional engineer.