I did a mean thing A very mean thing To a new girl AND to my best friend I HATE that I did it But I did This is worse than carrot juice on a cupcake or a wasp on my pillow or a dress that’s too tight at the neck I hope you never do anything that mean I really do
It all started one Monday morning in April when our fourth-grade teacher Mrs Ramji made a special announcement She was standing near her desk beside a girl I’d never seen before That girl wore sparkly clothes and a headband with a big bow We have a new student Mrs Ramji said This is Ainsley Biggs She just moved here from Orlando Orlando my best friend Pearl whispered to me from the desk beside mine How magical I heard other kids whisper Disney
And then the boy who sits behind me Nicholas Rigby started humming the Disney song It’s a Small World He hummed and hummed just loud enough for me to hear Shh I told him I turned and glared at him too Because Nicholas Rigby is always getting us in trouble Plus I knew I’d never get that song out of my head Doesn’t Ainsley look like a present Pearl whispered to me A shiny present too pretty to unwrap Pearl talks like a poet sometimes She does look like a present I whispered back I started wondering whether I ever wanted to look like a present Before I could decide Mrs Ramji turned the lights off
