Secrets
I put down my pencil and thought about Halloween some more. Then I did a little shiver.
On account of last year, a boy named Paulie Allen Puffer told me five scary secrets about that day. And he said I am not allowed to tell anyone. Or else a witch will turn my head into a wart.
I made a sick face. And I tried not to think about that situation.
Only how can you not think about a situation if you're trying not to think about a situation?
I tapped my fingers very frustrated.
Then, all of a sudden, I saw my journal on my desk. And a good idea came in my head. 'Cause sometimes if you write your problems in a journal, it makes you feel better about things.
I heard that on the Home Shopping Network. They were selling journals, I believe.
I quick opened the pages. And I started to write.
I put down my pencil again. And I read over the secrets.
That candy corn one is shocking, I tell you.
Writing my problems did not make me feel better.
I put my head on my desk. And I covered up with my arms.
Just then, I heard my teacher's voice.
His name is Mr. Scary.
That is a good Halloween name, I think. Only he actually uses it for the whole entire year.
He said to please take out our arithmetic books.
I kept on staying covered up.
'Cause how can I do arithmetic when there's scary secrets in my brain?
All around me, Room One got out their books.
I took my sweatshirt from the back of my chair. And I tucked it next to my ears.
Sweatshirts help block out classroom noise.
Pretty soon, I heard my teacher again.
“Junie B.? Are you all right back there?” he asked.
Only before I could even answer, a tattletale girl named May started blabbing her head off!
“No, Mr. Scary! Junie Jones is not all right,” she said. “Junie Jones is not paying attention again … as usual.”
She thought for a second.
“And Junie Jones has been doing other bad stuff lately, too,” she said. “Like yesterday she ate half a sandwich from her lunch box during silent reading. Only I couldn't even tattle on her. Because you said if I keep on tattling, I'll get a note sent home. And so thank goodness that you were finally on the ball today.”
After that, Room One got very silent. And Mr. Scary didn't say any words.
He was thinking of a punishment for me, probably.
Finally, I raised my head. And I peeked one eye at him.
He was sitting at his desk writing a note.
I did a groan.
It was to my mother, I think.
I started to hide my eye again.
Only just then, Mr. Scary stood up very calm.
And he came to the back of the room.
And gave the note to May!
I could not believe my eyeball!
“Please take this home to your parents,” he told her.
May's whole mouth came open at that shocking news.
“No, Mr. Scary! No, no, no! Please don't make me take a note! Please! Please! Please! I wasn't tattling! I promise I wasn't! I was just saying that I'm glad you're on the ball today! That's all I was saying. I was saying that I am glad for you.”
Mr. Scary smiled. “Thank you, May. You're very kind,” he said.
Then he bent down next to her. And he stuck the note in her backpack.
I reached over and tapped on him.
“That note was long overdue,” I said.
Mr. Scary sucked in his cheeks at me.
“Please sit up, Junie B.,” he said.
His voice did not sound happy.
“Now,” he said.
I quick sat up.
“Okey-doke. I'm sitting. See me sitting, Mr. Scary?” I said. “Plus also, I am going to get out my arithmetic book, I think.”
I found it in my backpack.
“Yessiree! Here it is. I've got my book.
And so I am all set to do arithmetic now,” I said.
Mr. Scary kept on standing there.
I looked up at him.
“All rightie. You can be heading on back to your desk,” I said.
He still did not move.
I waved my fingers.
“Keep in touch,” I said.
Mr. Scary bent down next to me. And he talked real serious in my ear.
“You need to pay attention in class, Junie B.,” he said. “I shouldn't have to tell you that.”
I did a sigh.
Then I leaned over. And I whispered to him real private.
“Yeah, only I've got something in my head that's bothering me today,” I explained. “On account of scary Halloween is coming tomorrow. And I don't actually like it that much.”
Just then, May's ears perked up.
That girl has X-ray hearing, I tell you.
“Hey, everybody! Junie Jones is scared of Halloween!” she shouted. “I just heard her say it! Junie Jones is a scaredy-cat baby about Halloween!”
All of Room One turned around and looked at me.
“Really?” said my bestest friend named Herbert. “You're scared of Halloween, Junie B.? I didn't know that.”
“I didn't know that, either,” said my other friend named Shirley. “How come you're scared of Halloween?”
Just then, a boy named Sheldon jumped up at his desk. And he talked real loud.
“Well, I'm not scared of Halloween. That's for sure!” he said.
He stood there a second.
Then he did a little frown.
“Except for last year, Daniel Delmonte dressed up like Mr. Potato Head. And he jumped out at me from a bush. And so I had to drop my bag and run.”
Room One laughed and laughed.
Sheldon frowned bigger.
“It wasn't funny,” he said. “I had to start my candy from scratch.”
May rolled her eyes.
“Who cares, Sheldon?” she said. “The thing is that Junie Jones is scared of Halloween this year! And that makes her a scaredy-cat baby.”
She leaned across the aisle at me.
“B-A-B-Y spells baby,” she said.
I crossed my arms at that girl.
“Oh, yeah? Well, T-A-T-L-T-A-I-L spells tattletale”, I said back.
Mr. Scary looked down at me.
He shook his head no.
I thought for a second.
Then I tried again.
“T-A-T-A-L-T-A-L-E spells tattletale,” I said.
Mr. Scary did a wince.
I tapped my fingers on my desk.
Then I took one more crack at it.
“T-A-T-A-L-T-A-I-L spells tattletale?”
Mr. Scary closed his eyes.
I put my head back down on my desk.
He covered me up with my sweatshirt.
I appreciated that.
