Junie B., First Grader (at Last!) (5 page)

Herb's face smiled when he saw me.

“Junie B. Jones! Where
were
you?” he said. “I saved your seat on the bus. But you never came.”

“We were afraid you might be sick,” said José.

“Yeah,” said Lennie. “You're
not
, are you?”

“I certainly
hope
she's not sick,” said May. “You shouldn't come to school sick, Junie Jones. Coming to school sick is how germs get started.”

I sucked in my cheeks at that girl.

“I'm not
sick
, May. I'm just
late
, and that's all.”

May made a grouchy face.

“Well, being
late
isn't good, either,” she
said. “Being late gets you a black mark on your permanent record.”

I covered up my ears at her.

“Blah, blah, blah, May,” I said.

Herb and Lennie and José laughed out loud.

Those guys are starting to enjoy me, I think.

Pretty soon, I took out my workbook. And I tried to do my math.

Only too bad for me. ’Cause I kept on worrying about my new glasses.

What if I look dumb and silly in those things
? I thought.
What if Room One laughs their head off at me? What if I look like a goonie bird and no one wants to be my friend
?

The worrying would not go out of my head.

Maybe I needed to talk to someone about this, possibly.

Finally, I reached out and I tapped on Herb.

“Psst. Herbert,” I whispered real soft. “I have something I need to tell you. Only I am really afraid to say it. ’Cause what if you laugh at me? Only you probably won't. But I still don't think I should take the chance. And so please do not ask me more about this. And I mean it.”

After that, I waited and waited.

But Herb did not ask me.

I tapped on him again.

“Okay. Fine. I'll give you a hint,” I said. “But first you're going to have to turn around and sneak a peek at me.”

Herb turned around and sneaked a peek.

I quick made round circles with my
fingers. And I held them in front of my eyes.

“Okay, what am I doing here, Herb?” I whispered again. “Huh? What does this look like to you? I'm making round circles in front of my eyes, see? What do you think they are?”

May leaned over to my desk.

“Shush!” she said. “Stop bothering Herb, Junie Jones! If you don't shush right now, I'm going to tell the teacher.”

Suddenly, I jumped right up from my chair.

’Cause I
had
it with that girl, that's why!

“NO!
YOU
SHUSH, YOU SHUSHY-HEAD MAY!” I said. “I AM NOT EVEN BOTHERING HERBERT! I AM GIVING HIM A HINT ABOUT MY NEW
GLASSES! AND THAT IS NONE OF YOUR BEESWAX, SISTER!”

May's face looked shocked at me.

Her mouth came all the way open.

“You're getting
glasses
?” she said real loud.

“You're getting
glasses
?” said Herb.

“You're getting
glasses
?” said all of Room One.

The children stared and stared.

My head felt hottish and sweatish.

I sat back down in my chair.

Then I looked at Herb kind of sickish.

And I whispered the words
good guess
.

Mr. Scary clapped his hands.

“Okay, boys and girls. Please put your journals away now. I'll give you more time later if you need it. But right now, we have to get started with Show-and-Tell. Who would like to go first this morning?”

May sprang out of her chair.

“I would! I would!” she called out.

Then she quick grabbed a brown envelope out of her backpack. And she ran to the front of the room.

“It's my report card from kindergarten, everyone!” she said real thrilled. “I brought my report card to share with you!”

May waved it all around in the air.

“Look! Look! Can everyone see this? I got all E pluses! E is for
Excellent
! See? There's an E plus next to every single subject!”

She held the report card in front of her. “Okay. Now I will read you each subject one by one,” she said.

After that, she took a deep breath. And she started to read.

“Number one: I followed directions.

“Number two: I used my time wisely.

“Number three: I observed school rules.

“Number four: I cleaned up my work area.

“Number five: I–”

Mr. Scary stood up.

“Thank you, May,” he said. “That is very interesting. But I'm afraid that we're going to have to move along now and–”

May raised her voice.

“NUMBER FIVE: I WAS COURTEOUS AND RESPECTFUL.

“NUMBER SIX: I USED MATERIALS WISELY!

“NUMBER SEVEN: I–”

Just then, Mr. Scary took May's arm. And he led her back to her seat.

Lennie raised his hand to go next.

He passed around his new styling gel. Plus also, he let us touch his hair.

After that, Sheldon showed us how long he could stand on one foot.

And José sang a song about frogs.

And Shirley showed us her turkey
sandwich. She showed us the bread and the mayonnaise and the tomato.

Finally, Mr. Scary stood up again.

“All rightie, Shirley. Excellent sandwich,” he said. “But I really think it should go back in its bag now.”

Shirley sat down.

Mr. Scary looked around the room.

“Okay. Who wants to go next?” he said.

My stomach flipped and flopped.

’Cause a nervous idea popped into my head, that's why.

I looked down at my glasses in my sweater pocket.

Then I swallowed very hard. And I quick raised my hand in the air.

“Me!” I blurted out. “I do!”

Mr. Scary smiled. “Great, Junie B.,” he said. “Did you bring something to share?”

I quick pulled my hand down again.

“No,” I said. “I just changed my mind.”

My heart was thumping and pumping.

I peeked at my glasses one more time.

Then all of a sudden, my legs stood up. And they rushed me to the front of the room!

My knees were wobbly and shaking.

I bent over and did deep breaths.

Mr. Scary came over to me.

“Are you okay, Junie B.?” he asked. “Would you like to sit down and wait to do this another day?”

“No,” I said. “I want to get this over with.”

Then, fast as anything, I reached into my pocket. And I pulled out my new glasses.

May started to laugh.

It was loudish and meanish.

“LOOK! IT'S HER
GLASSES
!” she yelled. “SHE BROUGHT HER GLASSES FOR SHOW-AND-TELL! AND HA! THEY'RE
PURPLE
!”

Tears came into my eyes.

I quick covered my face with my hands. I wanted to sit down real bad. But my legs would not even move.

I stood there very frozen.

And then–all of a sudden–I heard a noise!

It was the sound of running feet, I think!

I looked up.

My new friend Herb was hurrying to the front of the room!

And guess what?

He took the glasses right out of my hand. And he put them on his own face!

“Cool!” he said. “Purple glasses!”

He looked all around.

“Wow,” he said. “My eyes could
never
see out of these, Junie B. Your eyes must be really special.”

He looked admiring of me.

“How do your eyes even do that, huh? Do you have X-ray vision or something?” he asked.

I shrugged my shoulders kind of shy.

“I don't actually know, Herbert,” I said. “
Possibly
.”

Herb gave the glasses back to me.

“Here,” he said. “Put them on and read something.”

I rocked back and forth on my feet.

“Well, okay, Herb. If you insist,” I said.

After that, I put on my glasses. And I walked all the way to the back of the room.

I read the announcement off the board.

“Friday, September 23,” I read. “Today, get ready for Show-and-Tell.”

I smiled real proud.

“The end,” I said.

After that, I went back to my desk.

Herb hurried over to me.

He gave me a high five.

And guess what else?

Lennie and José gave me high fives, too!