Junie B., First Grader (at Last!) (2 page)

Then, all of a sudden, my whole mouth came open!

Because good news! I finally saw someone I knew!

I jumped up and down and all around.

“DADDY! DADDY! IT'S LUCILLE!” I hollered. “REMEMBER LUCILLE? LUCILLE WAS MY BESTEST FRIEND FROM KINDERGARTEN LAST YEAR!”

Lucille was standing at a desk next to the window.

I ran to her in a jiffy.

Then I hugged and hugged that girl! And I
couldn't even stop!

“LUCILLE! LUCILLE! IT'S ME! IT'S ME! IT'S YOUR BESTEST FRIEND FROM KINDERGARTEN … JUNIE B. JONES!”

I tried to pick her up.

“I AM SO GLAD TO SEE YOU, FRIEND!” I shouted real joyful.

Lucille pulled my arms off her.

“Stop it, Junie B.! Stop it!” she said.

“You're wrinkling my new back-to-school dress! This thing cost a fortune.”

I stopped hugging her.

Lucille smoothed and fluffed herself.

I smoothed and fluffed her, too.

“There,” I said. “Good as new.”

After that, I grabbed Lucille's hand. And I started to pull.

“Come on, Lucille. Let's go find two desks together,” I said. “I think we should sit near the door. Want to? Huh? If we sit near the door, we can stare at people who walk down the hall.”

Lucille yanked her hand away.

“
No
, Junie B. No. I'm going to sit at this desk right here,” she said. “I already picked it out with my two new friends, Camille and Chenille.”

She pointed at the door.

“See them over there?” she said. “I met them before you came. They are saying good-bye to their mother. Aren't they precious?”

I looked at Camille and Chenille.

And guess what?

My eyes popped right out of my head!

Because wowie wow wow!

Those girls were
twins
, that's why!

I sprang way high in the air.

“TWINS! TWINS! THEY'RE TWINS, LUCILLE! THIS IS OUR LUCKY DAY!”

I pulled on her again.

“Come on, Lucille! Let's go touch them!
Hurry! Hurry! Before a line forms!”

Lucille did not budge a muscle.

“Stop it, Junie B.! Quit pulling on me,” she said. “Camille and Chenille don't want to be touched. And besides,
I
am their new best friend. Not
you
.”

I looked surprised at that girl.

“Yes, but I can be their bestest friend along with you. Right, Lucille?” I asked. “All I have to do is meet them, right? And then all of us can be bestest friends together.”

Lucille shook her head.

“No, Junie B. I'm sorry. But you and I have already
been
best friends, remember?” she said. “We were best friends for a whole long year. And so now it's time for Camille and Chenille to get a turn.”

She did a shrug. “It's only fair of me,”
she said. “And besides, their names
rhyme
with my name. And yours doesn't.”

She wrinkled her nose very cute. “
Camille
and
Chenille
and
Lucille
. See? Isn't that darling?”

After that, Lucille gave me a pat.

“Don't be sad, okay?” she said. “You and I can still be friends, Junie B. Just not on a regular basis.”

After that, she waved her fingers.

And she said
ta-ta
.

And she skipped to Camille and Chenille.

Mother and Daddy keep trying to cheer me up about first grade.

Mother says sometimes life has disappointments in it.

Daddy says sometimes you have to roll with the punches.

I say first grade is a flop.

Last year, I had two bestest friends.

First, I had Lucille.

Plus also, I had that Grace.

Me and that Grace rode the school bus together every single day.

Only too bad for us. Because this year, Grace got put in a different room than me. And that was not even fair.

But hurray, hurray! Me and Grace still decided to ride the bus together! Because that's what friendship is for, I think.

And so last week, both of us sat next to each other … just like we always did!

Only, what do you know?

On Monday morning, Grace got on the bus with a
new
girl from her class. And those two plopped down in the seat right in front of me!

I quick jumped up. And I tapped on Grace's head.

“Grace?” I said. “
Excuse
me. Grace? What kind of shenanigans do you call this,
madam? Didn't you see me sitting here?”

Grace waved at me real friendly.

“Yes. Hi, Junie B.,” she said. “I'm sorry I can't sit with you today. But I promised Bobbi Jean Piper I would sit with her this morning. Okay?”

I stamped my foot.

“No, Grace.
Not
okay. You can't sit with Bobbi Jean Piper,” I said. “You and I have to sit together every single day. ’Cause we sat together every day last year. And this year shalt be no different.”

Just then, Mr. Woo, the bus driver, closed the bus door.

He looked in his mirror at me.

“Sit down, please, Junie B.,” he said.

Bobbi Jean Piper pointed and grinned.

“You got
yelled
at,” she said kind of mean.

I made a scary face at that girl.

“
Grr
!” I said. “
Grr
, Bobbi Jean Piper.”

Behind me, I heard a loud laugh.

I quick spun around.

And guess what?

It was Herb who sits in front of me in Room One!

“
Herb
!” I said real surprised. “I didn't even know that you rode this bus!”

Herb kept on laughing.

“You said
grr
!” he laughed. “
Grr
! Ha! That's a good one!”

I wrinkled my eyebrows at that boy.

“Yeah, only here's the problem, Herbert,” I said. “
Grr
is not actually a joking matter. Plus, I wasn't even talking to you.”

Herb quit laughing.

“I
know
you weren't talking to me,” he said. “No one on this bus ever talks to me. That's because last year I went to a different school. So I don't have any bus friends yet.”

Just then, the bus stopped at the next corner.

Herb came around the seat and sat next to me.

“Maybe, just for today, I can sit here,”
he said. “Just until you get your bus friend back, I mean.”

I tapped on my chin very thinking.

Then, all of a sudden, I raised my voice real loud.

“Why,
sure
you can sit here, Herbert,” I said. “You can sit here
forever
if you want to! Because I
used
to have a bus friend named Grace! But today I am dropping her like a hot tomato!”

Bobbi Jean Piper peeked over the seat at me.

“You mean
potato
,” she teased.

I sprang up again.

“BOBBI JEAN PIPER WEARS A DIAPER!” I hollered.

Mr. Woo frowned in the mirror.

“Sit
down
, Junie B.!” he grouched.

I sat down.

Then I did a big breath. And I looked at Herb.

“Today is not off to a good start,” I said kind of quiet.

Herb nodded. “I hear you,” he said.

I slumped way down in my seat.

“My bestest friends are dropping like flies,” I said.

Herb nodded. “Join the club,” he said.

“First grade is a flop,” I said.

Herb nodded. “Totally,” he said.

I looked out the window.

“
Grr
,” I said.

“
Grr
,” said Herb.

I smiled to just myself.

I think I might like this Herb.

Me and Herb walked to Room One from the bus.

He waved to Mr. Scary.

Then I waved, too.

“I am not even scared of that teacher, hardly,” I said to just myself.

We kept on walking to our seats.

May was already sitting at her desk. She was organizing her pencil box.

Lennie was at his desk, too.

Only wait till you hear this.

I didn't even recognize that guy, almost!

Because Lennie had a thrilling new haircut, that's why!

It was pointish and spikish and stiffish and straightish.

That hair can puncture you, I think.

“Whoa!” I said.

“Cool!” said Herb.

“
Gel,
” said Lennie.

“Shh!” said May.

Just then, José came hurrying down the row. He was rushing real fast. ’Cause the bell was almost ready to ring.

“
Hola
, everyone,” he said, out of breath. “
Hola, hola
.”

Me and Herb and Lennie looked curious at him.

José grinned.

“Whoops,” he said. “
Hola
means
hello
in Spanish. I know two different languages,
and sometimes I forget which one I'm speaking.”