D.J. smiled. “I guess you’re right,” he said. “A bird probably wouldn’t choke. In fact, maybe he could use it to make a nest. I hope so, don’t you?” He hopped to his feet. “Thanks for talking to me, Kathy. I feel a lot better now. You’re a good friend.”
He hurried up to Mrs. Jewls’s room, taking the stairs two and three at a time.
As D.J.’s smile turned up, Kathy’s smile turned down. She followed up after him, grumbling to herself. “He doesn’t like money. He doesn’t worry about time. He never watches television. Why is he always so happy?”
Everyone in Mrs. Jewls’s class cheered when they saw D.J. enter the room smiling.
Kathy walked in behind him frowning.
Mrs. Jewls was getting ready to show a movie. She gave D.J. a piece of black construction paper.
“Hey, look!” exclaimed Myron. “Oddly found a watch!”
Oddly, the bird, dropped the watch on the windowsill.
Kathy couldn’t believe it! “It’s D.J.’s,” she griped.
Myron gave the watch to D.J.
“Here, you can have it, Kathy,” said D.J. with a big smile. “It’s worth a lot of money, and this way you won’t miss any of your favorite television shows.”
Kathy took the watch from him and put it around her wrist. “It’ll probably make my skin turn green,” she groused.
Mrs. Jewls started the movie projector. Stephen turned off the lights. Dameon pulled down the shades. D.J. held the piece of black construction paper under his nose, because his smile was so bright.
g
Chapter 12
Pencils
Jason borrowed a pencil from Allison. When he gave it back to her, it was full of teeth marks.
Allison held the pencil by its point. “Yuck!” she said. “You chewed on it.”
Jason felt awful. It is very embarrassing to borrow somebody’s pencil and then chew on it. “Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“You can keep it,” said Allison. She dropped the pencil on Jason’s desk, then raised her hand. “Mrs. Jewls, can I go to the bathroom? I have to wash my hands. Jason slobbered all over my pencil.”
Everybody laughed.
Jason turned red. “I’m sorry, Allison,” he said. “I know it’s a disgusting habit. I just can’t help it.”
“Don’t let Jason touch any of my books,” said Allison as she headed out of the room. “He might eat them!”
Everybody laughed again.
“Here, you can eat my book, Jason,” said Todd. “I don’t like it anyway.”
Mrs. Jewls made Todd write his name on the blackboard under the word DISCIPLINE.
Jason was so mad at himself, he broke the chewed-up pencil to bits.
That wasn’t a smart thing to do.
“Everybody take out a pencil and a piece of paper,” said Mrs. Jewls. “It’s time for our spelling test.”
Jason slapped himself on the forehead. I’m so stupid! he thought. “Rondi, may I borrow a pencil, please?” he asked.