The Bridge of Paper Straws

Mr. Garrick gave the class a project. Each pair had to build a bridge. The bridge had to hold a heavy bag.

Evander looked at the list on the board. His partner was Halima. He frowned a little.

Halima was the best student in science. She won every contest. Evander won the art prize each year.

"I have a plan," Halima said. She opened her notebook. "We use flat beams and short sticks."

"That looks plain," Evander said. "I want a tall arch. It looks strong and pretty."

"Pretty bridges fall down," she said.

"Plain bridges are boring," he said.

They sat in silence. Then Halima smiled a little. "Let us build two bridges. We test both."

"Good idea," Evander said. "My bridge will win."

"No, mine will win," she said. She wrote the date in her notebook, like a bet.

They worked for three days after school. The room was quiet and warm. Evander cut paper straws with small scissors. Halima made beams from thick card.

Sometimes Evander looked at her notes. Her drawings were neat. Her numbers were small and clear.

Sometimes Halima looked at his arch. His line was smooth. It was like a long, perfect road in the air.

"How do you draw so well?" she asked.

"I draw every night," he said. "How do you count so fast?"

"I count my steps to school," she said. They both laughed.

On the second day, Evander forgot his lunch. Halima gave him half of her sandwich. She did not say a word about it. He did not say thank you until the next day.

On the third day, Halima lost her pencil. Evander found it on the floor. He kept it for a minute. Then he gave it back. On the end was a tiny drawing of a bridge.

On Thursday, the test began. Mr. Garrick put the heavy bag on Halima's bridge. It held for a minute. Then it bent in the middle and fell.

"Oh no," Halima said. She looked at the floor.

Then Mr. Garrick put the bag on Evander's arch. The arch held longer. But the two sides moved apart. The bridge fell too.

"Mine lost too," Evander said. "I did not make the ends strong."

"And my middle was weak," Halima said.

They looked at the two broken bridges. Evander picked up a flat beam. Halima picked up a curved straw.

"Your arch and my beams," he said slowly.

"Together," she said.

They stayed late that evening. Evander made the arch. Halima put a beam under each end. She cut the card. He held the pieces still. The glue made their fingers sticky.

"Hold it here," she said. She put her hand on his hand.

"Okay," he said. He did not move for a long time.

When the sun went down, the room was empty. They looked at the new bridge. It was tall and it was strong. It was also very pretty.

"I think we both lost," Halima said.

"I think we both won," Evander said.

On Friday, the class watched. Mr. Garrick put the bag on the new bridge. Nobody spoke. The bridge did not bend. It did not fall.

Mr. Garrick added a book. Then he added two more. The bridge stood strong.

"This is the best bridge in the class," Mr. Garrick said.

Halima looked at Evander. He looked at her. They were both smiling.

"We have a problem," Evander said. "Whose bridge is it?"

Halima took a pen. She wrote two names on the card by the arch. Then she gave him the pen.

"Your turn," she said.