cover
Morning sunlight fills the colorful classroom as Ava stands near the doorway; Mrs. Claude smiles and points to a round desk pod where Lucy sits, waiting. Bright posters, tiny chairs, and a wall clock frame the welcoming scene.
I'm Ava and today is my first day at Acorn Grove Elementary. My stomach feels like butterflies are having a party inside. "I can't wait!" I squeal as Dad starts the car. The engine roars to life. "I can't wait to hear about your day!" Dad says as we pull up. Mom and Dad wave goodbye. Miss Gill walks me to my classroom. The door opens and everyone stops talking. "This is Ava, a new student. Please treat her with respect," Miss Gill says. Then she leaves. Mrs. Claude smiles at me. "You can sit in that pod with Lucy, Stacy, and Callum."
In the softly lit classroom, Ava crouches beside her desk to hand Callum his runaway pencil, their eyes meeting shyly. Lucy, at the adjacent table, smiles while math worksheets and a ticking open-faced clock rest on the desks.
I walk to my new seat. Everyone stares at me like I'm leftover vegetables at dinner. I sit down carefully. Lucy has long blonde hair and kind eyes. Callum has bright red hair that sticks up funny. "Hi," I whisper. Nobody answers. Mrs. Claude starts our math lesson. I try to focus but my hands are shaking. Callum drops his pencil and it rolls to my feet. I pick it up. "Thanks," he says quietly. That's when Lucy finally smiles at me. Maybe this won't be so bad after all.
Under the bright noon sun beside the playground’s huge oak tree, Ava steadies a long stick upward, nudging Callum’s red ball. Callum waits, hands ready, while Lucy watches, both grinning; scattered leaves, swing sets, and distant students fill the background.
At recess, I stand by the swings alone. Lucy runs over, out of breath. "Ava! Callum's ball is stuck in the tree!" she says. I run with her to the big oak tree. Callum looks upset, staring up at his red ball. "I have an idea," I say. I find a long stick and carefully poke at the ball. It wobbles. "Almost!" Callum cheers. One more poke and the ball falls down. Callum catches it. "You're really smart, Ava!" he says. Lucy high-fives me. "Want to play with us?"
Golden evening light spills through the car windows as Ava leans forward in the back seat, animatedly telling Dad about her day. A backpack and colorful kickball rest beside her, while suburban houses blur past outside.
We play kickball until the bell rings. Back in class, Mrs. Claude asks about our day. Callum raises his hand. "Ava saved my ball from the tree!" Lucy adds, "She's really nice and smart!" My cheeks feel warm but I'm smiling big. Mrs. Claude winks at me. "Sounds like you made some wonderful friends, Ava." After school, Dad asks how my day was. "It was quirky at first, but it ended up being the best day ever!" I tell him everything on the ride home. I can't wait for tomorrow.