2. More Surprises … Plus Herb

2 More Surprises Plus Herb More and Daddy keep trying to cheer me up about first grade. Mother says sometimes life has disappointments in it. Daddy says sometimes you have to roll with the punches. I say first grade is a flop. Last year, I had two bestest friends. First, I had Lucille.

Plus also, I had that Grace. Me and that Grace rode the school bus together every single day. Only too bad for us. Because this year, Grace got put in a different room than me. And that was not even fair. But hurray, hurray! Me and Grace still decided to ride the bus together! Because that's what friendship is for, I think. And so last week, both of us sat next to each other just like we always did! Only, what do you know? On Monday morning, Grace got on the bus with a new girl from her class. And those two plopped down in the seat right in front of me! I quick jumped up. And I tapped on Grace's head. "Grace?" I said. "Excuse me. Grace? What

kind of shenanigans do you call this, madam? Didn't you see me sitting here?" Grace waved at me real friendly. "Yes. Hi, Junie B.," she said. "I'm sorry I can't sit with you today. But I promised Bobbi Jean Piper I would sit with her this morning. Okay?"

I stamped my foot. "No, Grace. Not okay. You can't sit with Bobbi Jean Piper," I said. "You and I have to sit together every single day. 'Cause we sat together every day last year. And this year shalt be no different." Just then, Mr. Woo, the bus driver, closed the bus door. He looked in his mirror at me. "Sit down, please, Junie B.," he said. Bobbi Jean Piper pointed and grinned. "You got yelled at," she said kind of mean. I made a scary face at that girl. "Grr!" I said. "Grr, Bobbi Jean Piper." Behind me, I heard a loud laugh. I quick spun around. And guess what? It was Herb who sits in front of me in

Room One! "Herb!" I said real surprised. "I didn't even know that you rode this bus!" Herb kept on laughing. "You said grr!" he laughed. "Grr! Ha! That's a good one!" I wrinkled my eyebrows at that boy. "Yeah, only here's the problem, Herbert," I said. "Grr is not actually a joking matter. Plus, I wasn't even talking to you." Herb quit laughing. "I know you weren't talking to me," he said. "No one on this bus ever talks to me. That's because last year I went to a different school. So I don't have any bus friends yet." Just then, the bus stopped at the next corner. Herb came around the seat and sat next to me.

"Maybe, just for today, I can sit here," he said. "Just until you get your bus friend back, I mean." I tapped on my chin very thinking. Then, all of a sudden, I raised my voice real loud. "Why, sure you can sit here, Herbert," I said. "You can sit here forever if you want to! Because I used to have a bus friend named Grace! But today I am dropping her like a hot tomato!" Bobbi Jean Piper peeked over the seat at me. "You mean potato," she teased. I sprang up again. "BOBBI JEAN PIPER WEARS A DIAPER!" I hollered. Mr. Woo frowned in the mirror. "Sit down, Junie B.!" he grouched.