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
and on again to get our attention Class 4A she said Please settle down You’re not behaving your best for Ainsley We need to make her feel welcome It’s not easy starting a new school so late in the year Then Mrs Ramji said Pearl Pearl sat up straighter and I did too Because maybe she was in trouble But Mrs Ramji told Pearl I would like you to move your desk closer to Eleanor’s please Closer to Eleanor’s Pearl asked
Yes Mrs Ramji said Actually everyone in that row move a little to make space for Ainsley’s desk on the other side of Pearl
