By Lucy Terhar, TIWP student

“My dog ate my homework,” I lied to my teacher.

“You can do better than that,” she replied.

I looked at my teacher and said “Fine, here’s what really happened:”

It was all finished so I left it on my bed and went out to play outside. When I realized I hadn’t finished one part I went back to go get it and it was gone. I searched the whole house and still couldn’t find it. I went back to double check my bed to see if it was under one of the blankets. When I lifted up the blue and white one I saw a small red piece paper.

On the paper it said: “Follow these clues to find your homework.”

The first clue said: “To find the next clue look up at the sky, find the highest point, and go to it.”

So I went outside and looked up to the sky. The highest point was the redwood in the forest near the pond. I ran to the tree as fast as I could. When I got there I searched around the roots but I couldn’t find it anywhere. Then I looked up and saw a small paper in the tallest branch. I climbed up the tree to get it. When I got to the top I grabbed a tiny orange note card.

The card read: “Where you spent most of your summer before middle school.”

The summer before middle school was one of the best but also the worst. The best because I spent the whole summer doing things with my best friend, Mia. But it was also my last summer with her, because she moved back to Australia. We spent most of our time together at an abandoned barn. We turned the whole barn into a perfect place that fit what we both imagined. We even repainted it a baby blue color. I haven’t been to the barn in three years.

I raced to the barn. My favorite place in the barn was the bedroom. That’s where we put two old mattresses, sleeping bags and our huge collection of 100 stuffed animals. We used to have our sleepovers in there. I forgot to mention we put a loft in the bedroom. I searched, but no clue. I went to my second favorite room, the dining room. We put in a working fridge for sodas and ice cream and a short table with bean bag chairs. This is where we had our midnight snacks! I checked the whole room, nope.

Everyone says third time’s a charm, but my lucky number is 9 – I hope it doesn’t take that long! I went into the room where Mia and I were together the most, the art room. This room is where we made most of our memories. Mia’s the artist. All of her amazing art is hung all around the barn. On one of the walls Mia painted this beautiful willow tree that looks so real that you can almost feel the wind moving the branches. I used to sit by the tree and write, no not stories, I wrote songs. And from what Mia told me, my voice is super good, but I have major stage fright. When I was writing, Mia would draw me. She never finished the drawing, but it’s beautiful anyway. On one wall we have string attached to clothespins where we hung some of Mia’s work. I checked to see if the clue was on one of the clothes pins, nope. I look at the unfinished drawing and there is this tiny yellow thing poking out from behind it. I pull it out, another clue! I guess third time’s a charm!

This clue read: “If it was 100° where would you go?”

This one is easy – the pond! When I got to the pond I looked around, nope. I thought it was going to be in the water anyway. Mia and I, if we forgot our bathing-suits, would just go swimming in our shorts and sports bras. But today I don’t have time, so I just jump in. The pond is shallow and surprisingly super clear. One time Mia and I filled up a bunch of water balloons and floated them on the water, all the colors of the rainbow. Another time at night we put candle-lit lanterns in and floated those. When I got to the bottom clear sphere attached to a rock. I untied it and sped to the top.

I opened up the sphere and a green note card read: “Where you had your first kiss.”

My first kiss was with my boyfriend last year. FYI we are still together. My First Kiss was on our 9th date at my favorite restaurant. It was a surprise birthday present for my 14th birthday. My birthday is September 9th 1999, I know a lot of 9’s. I’m 15 just so you know. It’s my favorite restaurant because they have this amazing s’mores pie. First there’s a cinnamon graham cracker crust. Second there are marshmallows cooked until golden brown. Next they use molding chocolate and fill in the spaces. Finally they pour this caramel sauce over the whole thing. The restaurant itself is amazing. The owner loves me and that’s where most of my stuff is from. The place is called Tiffany’s Restaurant for Teens. Tiffany, the owner, is super cool. She built the whole restaurant for us teens and if we like food that’s not on the menu we can explain it to her and she can make it. And instead of normal chairs they have all types of bean bag chairs – fluffy, smooth, rainbow, sparkly, big, small. They are much more comfy than normal chairs. My favorite chair is light pink with baby blue polka dots in a blanket material. Mia’s favorite was a hairy, fluffy, white one with gray stripes and spots. I asked Tiffany for a s’mores pie and took a seat. When Tiffany brought my pie she sat down with me.

“Anything wrong?”

“No. I just miss Mia.”

“Okay, if you ever want to talk you know where to find me.”

“Thanks you’re the best” As she got up to leave I remember what I’m here for.

“Tiffany wait! Did someone come in here with a note card?”

“Yes, why?”

“Where is it? Those cards are clues to find my homework.”

“It’s over on my counter.” I ran to the counter, and like she said, there it was.

A blue card revealed: “Go to the most peaceful place you know.”

This was a hard one. I flipped over the card and there was writing on the back! it said: “There you will find the second to last clue.”

“Yes, I’m so close,” I said to myself. “But where is the most peaceful place right now?”

“The Meadow? The Willow? The Butterfly Garden?” I went to the willow, the same willow Mia painted. If this person knew about the barn and the art room, then they knew about the willow. When I got to the willow I saw a large stick poking out of the ground. I pulled out the stick it widened and is twice as long as I thought. I looked down to see a purple note card!

The second-to-last card said: “To find the last clue figure out what all these clues have in common and go to the end of it.”

“All of the cards are places that are memorable but that isn’t right,” I thought. “Go to the end of it?”

I put the cards in order I looked at them for a while. They all had colors. They looked like a rainbow. People say it’s impossible to go to the end of the rainbow. Well this person doesn’t believe that theory. I looked around and I saw a rainbow, but it wasn’t raining. It was as bright as a midsummer day. Well that doesn’t matter. I rushed to the end of the rainbow and saw a white note card.

It said: “Good job. You are a great listener. To find your homework go back to where this begin.”

“Home, I have to go home!” I ran home and sprinted into my room as my mom yells at me, “No running in the house and where have you been!”

I didn’t listen as I searched for my homework. I couldn’t find it anywhere. I heard my mom saying “Amelia Amelia wake up wake up!”

I suddenly woke up. I was at my desk, it was 4:47 a.m., my homework under my face. I saw that one question was not done.

“What’s your worst nightmare?” I didn’t answer it because I didn’t know, but now I do.

1. Losing my homework
2. Losing Mia
3. Not being able to find what I’ve lost

I went to school and everything was normal. At lunch I ate with Mia and my boyfriend, Alex. I told them the whole nightmare. When I finished telling them they have surprised, shocked looks on their faces.

“I would miss you so much if I went back to Australia,” Mia said. “You’re one big dreamer Amelia.”

“I was completely confused when I saw the rainbow,” I said.

“But detective Amelia solved the case!” Alex teased.

“Mia you’re my best friend,” I said. “And Alex you’re the best boyfriend.”

“Group hug!” Mia yelled. We all laughed and walked to English class. I took out my binder open up the homework section. My homework was not there.

“ Alex have you seen my homework?”

“No”

“Mia?” She pulled it off from behind your back!

“Mia I thought I’d actually lost it!”

“Gotcha!” we all started laughing again. ”I have the best friends,” I said to myself. “ I just wish I had a dog.”

After school we all go to the barn.

“I really miss this place.”

“Mia, Amelia this place is amazing.” Alex said in awe.

I sang, Mia drew, and Alex told riddles and jokes.

It’s 2017 me and Alex are still together, Mia and I are still besties. Tiffany’s pies are still delicious. It’s been three more years and I still remember that day. The best day of my life.