3. Not a Nutball

3/Not a Nutball Mrs. blew her whistle. That means come in from recess. Lucille and that Grace ran to get me. 'Cause I was still in the grass, that's why. Lucille was happy and sparkly. "Didn't you love him, Junie B.? Wasn't he so handsome? He was even handsomer up close, don't you think? He was nice, too. Wasn't he nice?" That Grace was happy and sparkly, too. "He said he liked my high tops," she told me. "He said he liked my dress," said Lucille. "He said I was a nutball," I said.

Lucille twirled all around. "Not me," she said. "He didn't say I was a nutball. That's because he loves me!" That Grace jumped high in the air. "Me too! He loves me, too!" she said real squealy. Just then, Lucille stopped twirling. She crossed her arms. "No, Grace," she said. "He does not love you, too. He only loves me. 'Cause I saw him first. And you're not allowed to steal him away, remember?" That Grace crossed her arms, too. "I'm not stealing him away, Lucille. He just automatically loves me on his own. And there's nothing I can do about it," she said. I tugged on Lucille's dress. "How come he said I was a nutball, do you think? Why did he have to say that dumb

thing?" Lucille didn't pay attention to me. She kept on being mad at that Grace. "I knew it!" she grouched. "I knew this was going to happen, Grace! You're trying to steal my boyfriend! Junie B. said you wouldn't! But you are!" She looked down at me. "Tell her, Junie B.! Tell Grace she can't steal my boyfriend!" I looked curious at her. "I am not a nutball. Am I? Am I a nutball?" I said. "I am not a nutball." Just then, that Grace leaned close to Lucille's nose. "I CAN LOVE ANYBODY I WANT TO, LUCILLE!" she hollered in her face. "NO, YOU CANNOT, GRACE!" "YES, I CAN, TOO, LUCILLE!"

I tapped on both their ankles. "How many think I'm a nutball? Raise your hand," I said.

Just then, Mrs. blew her whistle again. And so I stood up from the grass. And I walked to Room Nine all by myself. 'Cause I couldn't stop thinking about being a nutball, that's why. I thought about it the whole rest of the day. I didn't even talk. Not at Show-and-Tell. Not at snacktime. Not even when I got on the bus to ride home. That Grace sat down next to me. She was happy and sparkly again. "I know he loves me better than Lucille," she said. "I'm positive he does. And he hasn't even seen how fast I can run yet." She poked me with her finger.

"Who do you think he likes better? Me or Lucille? And tell the truth," she said. I still didn't talk. That Grace jiggled me. "How come you're not talking, Junie B.?" she asked. "How come you're not answering me? Are you sick? Do you have a sore throat?" Just then, her eyes opened real wide. And her whole mouth came open. "Ohhhhh…I know why you're not talking. It's because you're upset, right? You're upset that you're a nutball." I spinned around at her very quick. "I am not a nutball, Grace! I am just a regular normal girl. And I don't even know why that boy had to call me that!" "I do," said that Grace. "I know why he called you that. It's because you couldn't