6. Speechless

6/Speechless The next day, that Grace saw me on the bus. Her mouth came all the way open. I smiled very gorgeous. "I know why you're looking at me like that, Grace," I said. "Mother said when people saw me, they would be speechless." I fluffed my hair. "Speechless is when your mouth can't speech," I explained. That Grace pointed at my neck. "What is that? Is that a dog collar you're wearing?" she said. I laughed and laughed at her. "You sillyhead, Grace!" I said. "Don't you know anything? This is a lovely collar of

jewels! It is the kind of jewels that princesses wear! Only I didn't even know we had this gorgeous thing! I found it where Mother keeps the dog food. Only I don't actually know why it got put there." I holded out my arms. "And did you notice these, Grace? Did you notice my long white princess gloves? They are the kind of gloves that Cinderella wears. And Cinderella is a real, actual princess. Plus also she does floors." I pointed at my head. "And what about this golden crown I am wearing? It is from a real actual Dairy Queen! Plus, also I have red velvet bows on my sneakers! And Mother even drew lightning on their sides. Just like yours!" I twirled all around. "Just wait till Handsome Warren gets a

load of me now! Right, Grace? Now that guy will have to love me! 'Cause who wouldn't?" Grace slumped down in her seat. She didn't talk the whole rest of the way to school. And guess what else? When the bus got to school, she didn't even wait for me again. She ran right straight to Handsome Warren without me. I tried to race her. But my collar of jewels scratched my neck. Plus also my golden crown fell off my head. Handsome Warren was sitting on the ground. His face was hiding in his knees. I pushed my way in front of Lucille and that Grace. Then I tapped him on the head. "Hello. How are you today? I am wearing

princess clothes." I told him. Handsome Warren didn't look up. I tapped on his head again. "Yeah, only I actually think you should get a load of me. 'Cause Grandma Miller says I am quite a sight," I said. Lucille rolled her eyes. "It won't do you any good to talk to him, Junie B.," she said. "He's not talking to anyone." "Not even to me," said that Grace. I squatted down next to that guy. And stared real hard. "How come you're not talking? Huh, Warren? Does the cat have your tongue?"

I waited very patient.

Then I leaned closer to his ear. "I SAID, DOES THE CAT HAVE YOUR TONGUE, WARREN?" All of a sudden, Handsome Warren raised up his head. "GO AWAY!" he shouted. "ALL OF YOU! GO AWAY AND LEAVE ME ALONE!" I stayed squatted a real long time. Then I stood up very quiet. And I looked at that Grace and Lucille. "Good news," I said. "He talked." After that, all of us kept on standing there and standing there. 'Cause we didn't actually know how to handle this situation, that's why. Finally, Lucille did a huffy breath at him. "You're not being nice, Warren. You used to be nice. But now you're not. And so I