She sighed very dreamy.
"Cupid is the symbol of Valentine"s Day, you know," she said.
"Of course I know," I said back. "Plus also skunks and shoes are symbols of Valentime"s Day, too. "Cause that"s what are on my cards."
After that, me and Lucille did our work till recess.
Then both of us went outside to play with our other bestest friend, Grace.
Only too bad for us. "Cause Lucille kept on bragging about Valentime"s Day. And that"s how come she and that Grace got into a disagreedment.
"I am going to get more valentines than anyone," bragged Lucille. "That"s because the boys love me better than any other girl. And they will bring me lots and lots of cards."
Grace looked curious at her.
"But Mrs. said to only bring one card for every boy and girl, remember? Not lots and lots."
Lucille flounced her flouncy dress.
"Silly Grace. Look at me, for goodness" sake! I am precious! And when you"re precious, boys automatically bring you lots of valentines. They just can"t help theirselves."
She twirled all around.
"I am the cutest girl in Room Nine, Grace," she said. "I am way cuter than anyone else."
She giggled and pointed. "Even you."
After that, Grace did a little frown. "Cause that hurt her feelings, I think.
I tapped on Lucille.
"Yeah, only Grace is the nicest, Lucille," I said. "And so maybe the boys will bring her lots of valentimes, too."
Lucille did a huffy breath at me.
"But I"m richer richer than Grace, Junie B. So that is another reason to bring me more," she said. than Grace, Junie B. So that is another reason to bring me more," she said.
I thought for a minute.
"Yes, but Grace can run faster," I said.
"So?" said Lucille. "My hair is longer. And boys like long hair."
I looked at Grace"s head.
"But Grace"s hair is springier and curlier," I said. "And that is cute as a b.u.t.ton."
Lucille made squinty eyes at me.
"But I have a big-screen TV. And a pool!" she said real loud.
That"s how come me and that Grace leaned our heads together. And we got in a huggle.
Finally, I looked up at Lucille.
"Okay. Here"s what we came up with," I said. "Grace can whistle through her teeth. Plus she can wiggle her ears. And also, she can dribble a basketball through her legs while she"s running."
Lucille jumped up and down.
"BUT I HAVE A PONY!" she hollered.
I patted her very sympathetic.
"Sorry," I said real soft. "Grace has a snake. snake."
After that, Lucille"s shoulders got very sagging. And she sat down in the gra.s.s.
"Cause boys love snakes better than anything.
Pretty soon, that Grace sat down next to Lucille. And she put her arm around Lucille"s shoulders. And she patted her.
"Cause guess what else?
Grace is a good sport.
5/Valentime"s Time
Valentime"s Day came on Friday!
And guess what? My grandma Helen Miller bought me a special Valentime"s outfit! And it matched my heart antennas very perfect!
That day at school, I skipped all around Room Nine. "Cause I was a treat for the eyes, I tell you!
Finally, I sat in my seat. And Mrs. took attendance.
And guess what? n.o.body was absent! "Cause who wants to miss a party, that"s why!
After attendance, Mrs. put on a special Valentime"s ap.r.o.n. It had a big heart pocket in the front.
Then Mrs. filled the heart pocket with Valentime"s cards from the box. And she delivered them to all of the children.
And wait till you hear this!
The very first valentime was delivered to me! To Junie B. Jones! And it said my name right on the envelope!
"YAHOO!" I shouted real thrilled. "I AM FIRST AGAIN, AGAIN, MRS.! YAHOO! YAHOO!" MRS.! YAHOO! YAHOO!"
After that, Mrs. kept on delivering cards until the whole valentimes box was empty.
Then all of us got to open up our cards. And it was as fun as a birthday party, I tell you!
After Lucille finished opening her valentimes, she called Grace to our table.
"Come here, Grace! Come here and bring your valentines! Then you and I can count our cards. And we"ll see who got the most from the boys," she said.
Grace came over.
She smiled kind of nervous.
"Well...okay. Here goes," she said.
Then Grace put all of her valentimes in front of me and Lucille. And she counted them one by one.
Pretty soon, Grace wasn"t smiling anymore.
"Rats. I knew I shouldn"t have come over here," she said.
Lucille grinned a teeny bit.
"Why, Grace?" she asked. "How many did you get? You have to tell me, Grace. How many?"
Grace did a big sigh.
"I only got seventeen," she said. "I only got one card from every person. And that"s all. No extras."
Lucille"s face lighted up very bright. She flipped her hair all around in the air.
"Gee, I am sorry to hear that, Grace," she said. "Well, I suppose I should count mine now."
After that, Lucille counted her cards in front of me and Grace. She counted them right out loud.
"Thirteen...fourteen...fifteen...sixteen..."
All of a sudden, Lucille stopped counting. "Cause there was only one more valentime left in her pile, that"s why.
She quick stood up at her seat. And looked all around herself.
First, she looked under the table. Then she looked on top of her chair. And all over the floor.
Also she looked in her pockets. And her backpack. And her purse.
Finally, she sat back down real upset.
"I don"t understand," she said. "How could this be happening? Every day my nanna tells me how special I am. But seventeen valentines isn"t special at all. Seventeen valentines is just the same as everybody else."
I did a sigh.
"Nannas," I said. "You can"t believe a word they say."
Grace looked cheerier.
"Count yours, Junie B. Count your valentines and see if you got seventeen like Lucille and me."
"Of course I got seventeen, silly Grace," I told her. "Everybody in this whole room got seventeen. It was the rule, remember?"
After that, I put all my cards in a pile. And I counted them out loud, just like Lucille.
I did a frown.
Then I counted them again.
And even again.
"Cause guess what?
Somebody broke the rule, that"s what!
I springed up on my chair.
"ALL RIGHT, PEOPLE! WHO DIDN"T SEND ME A VALENTIME? AND DO NOT TRY TO DENY IT! BECAUSE I"VE ONLY GOT SIXTEEN CARDS IN MY PILE!"
I pointed my finger at Meanie Jim.
"WAS IT YOU, YOU, MISTER? HUH? ARE YOU THE MEANIE HEAD WHO DIDN"T SEND ME ONE?" MISTER? HUH? ARE YOU THE MEANIE HEAD WHO DIDN"T SEND ME ONE?"
I looked all around.
"OR MAYBE IT WAS YOU, YOU, MR. PAULIE ALLEN PUFFER... MR. PAULIE ALLEN PUFFER...
"OR YOU, YOU, CHARLOTTE WHO-I-DON"T-ACTUALLY-KNOW-YOUR-LAST-NAME... CHARLOTTE WHO-I-DON"T-ACTUALLY-KNOW-YOUR-LAST-NAME...
"OR YOU, ROGER...
"OR-"
Just then, Mrs. swooped me off my chair.
"Do not not stand on your chair, Junie B.!" she said. "And please don"t fight about valentines. If someone didn"t send you a card, it was just a mistake. No one would do something like that on purpose. I"m sure of it." stand on your chair, Junie B.!" she said. "And please don"t fight about valentines. If someone didn"t send you a card, it was just a mistake. No one would do something like that on purpose. I"m sure of it."
After that, I sat back down in my seat. And I looked at that woman very curious.
Because Mrs. is a nice teacher.
But sometimes she doesn"t understand children at all.