Lupe Wong Won't Dance: Chapters 18–27

The ping in my stomach is back full force, and now it’s a resounding gong.

Part of Niles’s Doctor Who nebula poster is now covered by a Star Trek poster with three very serious faces emerging from a rainbow.

Although I’ve never been able to throw one, and it’s like my holy grail, I don’t think I’ll ever understand how the knuckleball actually works.

Gordon puts his hand on Niles’s shoulder. “I believe we are at an impasse, my friend.”

“Sure,” Gordon says. “How about we chat about how the Millennium Falcon would kick the Enterprise's butt in an intergalactic skirmish?”

The corner of Niles’s mouth turns up ever so slightly. “It’d never happen,” he says. “Your ship sacrifices control for hyperdrive propulsion.”

Gordon’s eyebrow arches. “You’ve just made my point, comrade. The Falcon can evade attacks using its speed.”

Now I’m really blubbering. Everyone hates me comes out as “E...ev...y...hay...me.”

It’s been too long since my mom was in middle school. I’m pretty sure they didn’t have cliques back when she was my age.

“What do you want, cretin?” he says.

Gordon is so close that the unevenness in his voice is even more loud and unsettling.

Coach blows her whistle. “Listen up. I’m sure you are all on pins and needles to see who’s going to represent your gym class in the Salmon Days assembly. So, without further ado, here are the winners!”

I try to put my hands in pockets that aren’t there. “You know...so you can fully assess our progress.”

A few sporadic claps come from people who aren’t sure how we’re supposed to react to the winners. But mostly it’s awkward silence.

“Not Becky. It’s Lupe,” I whisper. “We need help. Coach is hurt. I think she’s delusional from the pain. Don’t tell her I called you. But hurry up.”

My heart plummets to my ankles. “Why would you do that?”

But then, not only do I see more subject lines like, “Eradicate Square Dancing! Then kale!” but pledges.

“She broke her arm. Six weeks in a cast, but she’ll heal. Apparently there was an anonymous tip implicating someone.”

I can’t fathom the idea of sitting at dinner when the entire universe is crashing down around me.

If I wait for Niles to walk to school, there’ll be too many kids and too much commotion by the time we get there. I need Principal Singh to have her focus on me.

I wipe the sweat from my forehead before I knock on her door. Déjà vu.

But I think Principal Singh’s efforts to make things more inclusive of everyone is a step in the right direction.

Mom waves her hand at him like he’s some incompetent assistant.

You’d think my mom would be more miffed by me dancing alone than me refusing to wear the dumb hat.

“Just like the rest, he walked up to her, but he stopped and bowed. She was already mortified, but she still reached out to take his hand like the teacher told us we had to.”

He has the Star Trek pin on his shirt that matches her skirt. Next to each other, they look like lemon and blueberry Jolly Ranchers melded into a swirly human glob.

Blake and Samantha stand next to each other. They’re wearing what looks like a custom-order Dancing with the Stars ensemble.

Coach knew just the wart-footed victim who could add their own touch to “Turkey in the Straw.” She even gave Carl “creative freedom” to write what he wants, as long as there are no cusswords or derogatory lyrics.

There’s a collective gasp.

Principal Singh’s purple sari with gold embroidery wraps around a bright orange undershirt.

I can't help the involuntary peek down at my shoes.

I imagine the grease and shrimp concoction centrifuging around in Gordon's guts. But his color still looks good.

She’s met most of my relatives, but I realize there are things about both sides of my family I’ve thought she wouldn’t understand. Like, I’ve never taken Andy to dim sum, because I thought she’d be weirded out by stuff I’m used to, like the chicken feet or tripe.

I’ve avoided taking her to Bela’s because I knew we’d get stuck watching telenovelas for hours. Or how I steered her away from the ofrenda for Dad on Dia de los Muertos because I was afraid she wouldn’t understand and think it was morbid.

I know this was her resolution to make dancing more inclusive. Still, I stare out at the crowd and wish every school activity could include everyone.