“She won't be my friend!”

Posey went to find Miss Lee. She was sitting at the picnic table.

“My stomach hurts,” said Posey.

“Sit with me.” Miss Lee patted the bench next to her. “It’s almost time to go in.”

Miss Lee held Posey’s hand when the class walked back to the room.

“Do you feel better now?” Miss Lee asked.

Posey nodded. She went to her cubby and put away her jacket.

Grace was putting her sweater in her cubby.

“That was so much fun,” Grace said. “Ava and Nikki are my friends.”

“They were my friends first,” said Posey. Her eyes felt prickly. She blinked fast.

“You want to know something amazing?” Grace said. “You have a cow lips.”

“I do not have cow lips,” said Posey.

“I do, too,” said Grace.

“I don’t have cow lips!” Posey shouted. “I’m telling!”

She ran to Miss Lee’s desk.

“Miss Lee! Miss Lee!” Posey cried. “Grace is calling me names!”

Grace was right behind her.

“Sorry!” Grace cried. “I said I was sorry!”

“What’s going on?” said Miss Lee. “Calm down, both of you.”

Posey stood still. She pressed her lips together.

“Grace,” Miss Lee said quietly. “Did you call Posey a name?”

“I didn’t mean to,” said Grace. She sounded like she was going to cry.

“She did too,” said Posey. “She hurt my feelings.”

“She won’t hold my hand.” Grace’s face crumpled. “She won’t be my friend!”

“You made croaking noises,” Posey said. “That’s not how you play the hopping game.”

Grace started to cry.

Posey did, too.

“Oh, dear,” said Miss Lee. She reached for her box of Kleenex.