I'm special because I like

When an unbearable 13 year-old girl would try anything to be in the spotlight, there is little a teacher can do. Then I thought of our politicians and I attempted bribery.

"If you can keep your mouth shut for the whole class, speak only English and only when asked to, I'll give you 50€" I meant Monopoly money, of course.
"But then we get 50€ as well for the same" Obsiously the other classmates protested. I hadn't thought of them but I took it in my stride:
"Naturally, I'll give you all 50€ if you behave, but whenever you speak Spanish or sing of insult somebody, 5€ less."

"That's unfair!" Shouted our Princess.
"Why?" I asked candidly.
"Because I'm special".

That was too much. FAAAAR TOOO MUCH. A riot started among the rest of the class. "We are all special! We are all different!"

I silenced everybody and I paused emphatically to walk up to her. She shrunk back in her chair, halfway under her table. That was already quite satisfying to me, but I wasn't through yet.
"And may I ask you, since you are sitting in a class just like other students, why you are so special?"
"Because... I like!"

"Because you like IT, uh?" I corrected.

"Porque me gusta. Porque me gusta ser diferente." She reverted back to Spanish at a loss for better words.
For a fraction of a second I forgot that I had been wishing to slap her face since I had met her. I simply pitied her. She must have felt insignificant after her younger brother had been born (byt the way, he's in the same class). She would go to any extend to stand out and be loved.
Then she started laughing hysterically at my face and talking to somebody next to her, while I was still leaning on her desk.
Then I remembered that I would have given anything to slap her face.

Incredibly she tried her best to stick to the 50€ deal during the class, at least until I accidentally erased everybody's score from the board 20 minutes before the end of the class.
How stupid of me!
The spell was over.
She was outraged: "¡Joder, siempre lo mismo, hostia puta!"
I had wiped clean all her effort, even though they were merely numbers on a board representing Monopoly money.
I had to send her out for a minute, her language had been too offensive, but I really felt sorry. It had been my mistake in the first place.

At the end of the class I asked her to wait for a second after the others had left. I congratulated her on her passing the test the previous day and on making an effort to improve her attitude. I had glimpsed something of a spark in her and I had to kindle it to make it grow into a lively fire. I had nothing to feed it upon, just a sweet, and I gave it to her.

It made all the difference. In her eyes, she had been given a prize nobody else had received! In the end she managed to prove herself special!