“He will so totally ruin it! Why did they have to pick a loser like him anyway?”

“Suzie, give him a chance. He will not ruin it.”

“But Principal Needler, he's a total loser. All he wants to do is play with his silly models. He doesn't know how to lead; he's got no vision. One time, he was made the leader of a group project in my English class. We gave this totally lame presentation, without music, or videos, or nothing. Because of him our group got the lowest grade in the class! He's a totally unfit loser!” Suzie pouted.

“You're being a bit harsh Suzie,” Needler admonished. “I'm sure he's not as feckless as you make him out to be.”

“Whatever,” she huffed.

“I cannot make you like the decision, but neither can I make any changes. Your own Student Council appointed him, and I for one think he'll do a great job of organizing our annual Kite Festival.”

“It'll be just awful. No one will have a good time, and he'll ruin our school's name.”

Needler sighed. “You will just have to accept this Suzie. Scott Chu will organize the festival and that's that.”

Suzie glared at Needler while she continued to pout.

“I suggest you talk to the Student Council and see why they picked Scott, okay?”

“Whatever,” Suzie proclaimed. “I'm still not going to help, in fact I doubt I will even go.”

“Suit yourself. I cannot force you to help, but I'm sure Scott wouldn't mind if you pitched in.”

“Yeah, I'm sure he wouldn't, but he's not that lucky.” Suzie stormed out of Principal Needler's office warding off any of her peers with an aura of perturbation rivaled in its efficacy only by the gym lockers after fifth period P.E. Only one person was not phased by her obvious ill temper; when Scott saw her walking down the halls he ran up to her and enthusiastically sputtered all over her.

“Hey Suzie did you hear? The Student Council put me in charge of this year's Kite Festival! Isn't that great?”

Suzie glared at him, doing her best to inflict some terrible curse upon him with her own rendition of the Evil Eye.

“This year is going to be great! It's going to be the biggest Festival our school has ever seen! I've already got tons of ideas. Oh hey, get this, I got permission to have our very first kite fight! This is going to be awesome!”

Suzie pretended to ignore him, walked to her locker, and proceeded to retrieve her coat and books.

“I was wondering if you'd like to help out this year. I know how you really like sea creatures, and I thought it would be really cool if we had a competition for the best kite that resembles animals. I thought we could have land, sea, and air categories, and I thought it would be really great if you would judge the sea kites. What do you think?”

Suzie slammed her locker door shut in obvious anger. “I don't care what you do with the festival you dork. You're going to ruin it just like you ruined our English project. I don't want any part of it this time. You can just have your stupid festival all to yourself, because no one is going to come you know. With you in charge it'll just be a joke.” Suzie stormed off, leaving a hurt and confused Scott in her wake.

“B-b-b-but I was going to ask if you'd be Queen of the Kites this year. . . .” Scott mumbled to himself, stifling a sob.

When his parents found out about his happy fortune they gathered all the family together and had a feast in his honor. Scott's parents overflowed with pride; his grandparents offered public thanks to their ancestors for granting another Chu the privilege of assembling an honored Kite Festival; his cousins, uncles, and aunts all congratulated him and promised their best kite making materials and any other help he might need.

“Will you be flying the family Kite, son?”

“Of course! And I have plans to make a box kite no one here in the West has ever seen before with their own two eyes.”

The passing months were some of the most exciting for Scott despite Suzie's continual disdain. Her marked absence in his life affected him, but as the days continued to pass his steadily consuming focus on the festival drove any thoughts of her out of his waking mind. All his spare time at school was spent planning and drawing sketches and every evening he would test the limits of his endurance in the family workshop. Finally the day of the festival arrived.

Contrary to Suzie's dire warning the festival saw a record attendance. Scott's enthusiasm had spread through the school like an infectious disease. He arranged to have some of his acclaimed relatives come from China to give some exhibitions; at this the local papers carried his story. Walking through the throngs of people Scott wondered if a full half of the county had turned out. He had arranged to unveil his masterpiece at the hight of the activities, and as that time drew nigh, he wished fewer people were present.

Scott weaved his way through the crowds and ducked behind a cloth screen. Carefully and methodically he prepared his kite for its grand appearance. The moment the wind caught the kite and it began to rise the screen was pulled down with a flourish that attracted attention. There were muffled cries and gasps, and even moments of awed silence as a large and colorful series of box kites began its ascent. When it reached its pinnacle all who were gathered burst into fervent applause and cheers. Staring down at them from empyrean heights was a likeness of a smiling Suzie.

Just entered the festival a shocked Suzie saw the kite, stopped, and with silent tears ran back home.