Valentine's Day was just one disaster after another. The first disaster was the day before when Mrs. Martin asked me to bring cookies to class. My big sister, Maggie, was baking cookies to take her school and wouldn't let me bake my cookies. Then, on Valentine's Day morning, my luck had changed. On the kitchen counter there was a plastic container of unfrosted cookies. I hoped they were extras.      "Maggie, are you going to take these to school?" I asked.      She crinkled her nose and shook her head. "No way!"      A smile spread across my face. "Can I have them?"      Maggie shrugged. "I guess."     Yes! This was going to be the most perfect Valentine's Day, ever! I thought as I frosted the cookies.      I got to the corner just in time to catch the bus. I always miss the bus and have to walk to school. Then I get hamster duty. I won't be cleaning hamster cages this Valentine's Day! I thought. That's when it hit me. I had forgotten my valentines. My extra-special, handmade valentines! I wasn't about to show up to school without them. I went back home so I missed the bus. I was fifteen minutes late for class--Mrs. Martin pointed me toward the hamster cages. We skipped our math lesson so we could have a Valentine's Day party.      "You may take two cookies each," said Mrs. Martin.      I was taking my two cookies when somebody asked, "Is this cookie burned?"      I took a bite of my cookie. Yuck! No wonder Maggie didn't take them to her school. They belonged in the garbage.      "This one sure is burned!" Sam hooted with laughter. "I guess Amy doesn't know how to make good cookies."      I frowned. How could my good luck turn so bad? At that moment I actually wished we were studying math.      "Samuel, that's enough," Mrs. Martin told him, then she looked at me. "Amy, did you bake these?"      "No, Ma'am. My sister did. She had to take cookies to her school. I thought she made too many and these were extras."      "Did you know they were burned?"      "No, Ma'am." I shook my head and looked at the floor. "I thought they were chocolate."      "All right." Mrs. Martin smiled at me, then looked at the rest of the class. "You may all collect your valentines from your cubbyholes."      That perked my spirits up. It was time for my extra-special valentines. I knew everybody would love them. They would all forget about the burned cookies. I was sure of it! After I collected my valentines, I heard Mike say, "Danielle, this was in my cubbyhole, but it's for you."      I watched as Mike handed Danielle the butterfly card I made for her. This wasn't happening. I didn't deliver the cards to the wrong cubbyholes, did I?      "Mike, I have a valentine with your name on it. It's from Amy, the cookie burner!" Sam laughed loudly. He sounded like a dog howling at the moon. "She can't deliver her valentines right either!"      "Samuel, that is enough. One more outburst and you can read your cards in the principal's office," Mrs. Martin told him.      "Yes, Mrs. Martin," Sam answered quietly.      I sank lower in my chair, it wasn't the most perfect Valentine's Day after all. Then things got worse. Much worse. Worse than hamster cages, burnt cookies, or forgotten valentines. My absolute best friend in the whole world, Caroline, tapped me on the shoulder.      "Amy," she whispered. "Can I have my Valentine back?"      My mouth fell open. I couldn't believe it. Why would my best friend take her card back? Then Mike took his card back. I wanted to cry when Danielle took her card back, too. If everybody took their valentine back, I wouldn't have any. But maybe I didn't deserve any.      I guess it didn't matter that I noticed Danielle always wore a butterfly clip in her hair. She didn't like my butterfly card. I guess my cards weren't extra-special after all.      Finally, the bell rang. I went to my cubbyhole to collect my stuff and there were three valentines inside. I smiled as I read each one.      P.S. Thanks for the daisy shaped Valentine. I love it! Your best friend, Caroline.      P.S. I had no idea my name rhymed with so many other words. Thanks for writing such a cool poem. From a kid, who likes to bike, your friend, Mike.      P.S. I love the Valentine. Thanks for making it so special. How did you know I liked butterflies? Your friend, Danielle.      When I got outside, Caroline, Mike, and Danielle were waiting for me. We decided not to take the bus, but to walk home together. It was the perfect ending to a not-so-perfect Valentine's Day!   ©Copyright-Elizabeth Wrobel