5. The Note

5 The Note That night at dinner, I couldn't swallow my meatball. 'Cause how can you swallow a meatball when there's a note from your teacher in your pocket? Mother kept on looking at my plate. "What's the trouble with you tonight, honey?" she asked. "You love spaghetti and meatballs." I picked up my fork real slow. Then I put it right down again. "Is something wrong, Junie B.?" asked Daddy. "Are you sick?" I got down from my chair. And I stood by

the table. Then I hanged my head. And very slow, I took the note out of my pocket. "I did something bad at school today," I said real glum. "And so there's something I have to give you." I rocked back and forth on my feet for a minute. Then I quick threw the note on the table. And I ran to my room as fast as I could! I shut the door real hard. Then I ran around and around in circles. 'Cause I didn't actually have a plan, that's why. My stuffed animals looked shocked at me. What's wrong, Junie B.? said my Raggedy Ann named Ruth. Are you in trouble? Of course she's in trouble, said my Raggedy Andy named Larry. Can't you tell? I

bet Mother and Daddy are going to be running in here any second. My elephant named Philip Johnny Bob did fast thinking. Hide, Junie B.! he told me. Hide in the closet until they calm theirselves down. I nodded at that good idea. Elephants are the smartest stuffed animals there is. After that, I quick grabbed him by his foot. And we ran into my closet. We climbed over shoes and games. Then we scrunched way down in the corner. Pretty soon, we heard Mother and Daddy come in my room. Our hearts started to pound and pound. Then we tried to scrunch even smaller. Only too bad for us. Because Philip Johnny Bob accidentally knocked over a shoe box.

And it made a loud crashing sound. Mother and Daddy opened the closet door. I waved at them real pleasant.

"Hello. How are you today?" I said. Philip Johnny Bob held out his arms. I love you people, he said. Daddy rolled his eyes. Then he came into the closet. And he carried us out. He sat me and Philip Johnny Bob on my bed. Mother sat next to us. "You didn't have to hide from us, Junie B.," she said. "Daddy and I didn't come to yell at you. We just came in to talk about this." I flopped back on my bed. And I put my pillow on my head. "Yeah, only I already did talk about this, Mother," I said real muffly. "Me and Mr. Scary talked about this for a jillion million hours at recess." Mother took the pillow off my head.

"Yes, I'm sure you did," she said. "But Daddy and I need to talk to you, too, Junie B. Copying someone else's work is a very serious matter, honey." Daddy nodded. "Cheating is wrong," he said. "We want to make sure you understand that." I did a big breath at that man. "But I already do understand that, Daddy," I said. "I don't even like cheaters myself." I thought for a minute. Then, all of a sudden, I remembered about the Old Maid. I sat right up. "And anyway, if you think cheating is so wrong, then how come you do it yourself?" I said. "Huh, Daddy? Huh?" Daddy looked shocked at me. "What?" he said. "What are you talking about? I don't cheat." "Yes, you do too cheat," I said back. "On