Sophie the Awesome Read Free

Wittels liked kids to make
musical
noise, but she did not like them to talk much.
    “Mindy,” she said, casting a quick look at Sophie. “Thank you for
quietly
raising your hand. Please give us a rhythm to follow.”
    Mindy sat up straight and smiled. Sophie just rolled her eyes. Then Mindy held up a bright, shiny triangle and tapped out a gentle
ting, ting, ting-a-ling-a-ting-ting.
    “Very nice,” said Mrs. Wittels, nodding. She raised her arms like a conductor. This was her signal for the rest of the class to follow. She closed her eyes. “And-a-one, and-a-two, and-a—”
    CLANG, CLANG, CLANG-A-CLANG CLANG!!!!!
went Sophie on her tambourine, feeling especially awesome.
    Mrs. Wittels’ eyes flew open. “What was
that?
Archie? Toby?” She turned to the usual suspects in the class and frowned.
    “It wasn’t me,” said Toby, pointing to his drum.
    “That was Sophie M.,” piped up Mindy matter-of-factly. “And it wasn’t even right.”
    Grrr!
Sophie wanted to growl at her very much.
    “Sophie,” said Mrs. Wittels. She shook her head. “Please don’t play so hard. You could break the tambourine.”
    Hmm.
Sophie doubted that. She had seen Archie do much worse. Her hand was another story, though.
Ouch!
She shook it out and hoped it wasn’t broken.
    “Let’s switch instruments now, shall we?” Mrs. Wittels suggested. “And, Mindy, why don’t you choose who leads the rhythm next.”
    The kids set down their instruments, and a few raised their hands, hoping Mindy would pick them.But Sophie didn’t bother. Instead, she scanned the floor for a new instrument. Something awesome, but with a little less pain and more gain. Besides, she already knew who Mindy would pick.

    “Lily,” said Mindy.
    Of course.
    Lily Lemley looked nothing like Mindy VonBoffmann. But she tried as hard as she could.
    She wore a headband, just like Mindy. Every single day. Unless Mindy didn’t wear a headband. Then Lily took hers off.
    She wore mismatched socks, just like Mindy. Even though Sophie and Kate had totally thought of doing it first.
    She had the same shoes as Mindy. And the same backpack. And the same TV show lunch box. And the same “I love Disney World” sweatshirt. Even though Sophie knew for a fact that Lily had never gone there. Not once.
    Lily held up the triangle she’d picked and tapped it.
Ting, ting, ting-a-ling-a-ting-ting.
    It was Mindy’s rhythm all over again. Exactly.
    Mrs. Wittels shook her head. “Lily, remember when I told you last week to make up your own rhythm?”
    “Um, okay,” Lily said.
    Everybody waited. And waited a little more.
    “Just do
something!”
Mrs. Wittels said.
    Lily held up her triangle.
Ting, ting … ting, ting-a-ling-a-ting-ting,
she went at last.
    “Wonderful,” sighed Mrs. Wittels. “And-a-one, and-a-two, and-a—”
    CLACK, CLACK … CLACK, CLACK-A-CLACK-A-CLACK-CLACK!
went Sophie, banging her claves as awesomely as she could.
    She looked around proudly. She’d gotten
that
right, she was sure. But no one seemed impressed. Sophie sighed. How could she really prove her awesomeness by copying someone else’s rhythm, anyway?
    She’d just have to wait for her own turn to lead. And, of course, her turn came when it usuallydid. Not at the beginning. And not at the end. But somewhere in the middle.
    “Sophie M.,” Kate said as soon as her turn was over.
    Sophie grinned, and her heart beat faster. She was suddenly a little nervous. But there was no looking back now. Her time to be awesome had come! She dove for the new instrument she’d had her eyes on.
    “Are you sure about those?” asked Mrs. Wittels.
    Sophie waved her cymbals and nodded. Of course she was sure. Let the world’s most awesome rhythm begin!
    CRASH-CRASH-CRASH, CRASH-A-CRASH, CRASH-A-CRASH, CRASH-A-CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-CRASH, CRASH, CRASH, CRASH, CRASH-A-CRASH-A-CRASH, CRASH-A-CRASH, CRASH, CRASH, CRASH, CRASH, CRASH, CRASH-A-CRASH-A-CRASH-A-CRASH-A—
    “Sophie!” cried Mrs. Wittels.
    Sophie stopped,