Nicholas’s note gave me an idea.

Maybe a note could help

with Ainsley

and with Pearl.

So,

while Mrs. Ramji talked about multiplying by ten,

I thought hard about what I wanted to say

to each of them.

Then,

as quietly as I could,

I tore two pieces of paper

out of my notebook.

And I wrote to them both.

First, I wrote this note to Ainsley:

Dear Ainsley,

I am so sorry.

I hope you will forgive me someday.

I’m planning to wear this sweatshirt

every single day

until you do.

Except

I don’t think you will like that.

Will you PLEASE tell me

if you don’t want me to?

And if there’s something else I can do?

PLEASE tell me.

Your friend,

who shouldn’t have done what she did,

Eleanor

And then I wrote to Pearl.

I’d decided she might like a poem.

Since she talks like a poet sometimes.

So I wrote:

Dear Pearl,

I did a mean thing.

A very mean thing.

To a new girl AND

to my best friend.

I HATE that I did it.

But I did.

This is worse than

carrot juice on a cupcake

or a wasp on my pillow

or a dress that’s too tight at the neck.

I hope you never do anything that mean.

I really do.

I almost ended my note there,

with the end of that poem.

But then I worried

that it wasn’t enough.

So I kept going.

I added:

I am so sorry.

I will do ANYTHING to make it up to you.

I would eat PICKLES for you.

You are still my very best friend,

even if I am not yours.

I am so, so, so sorry.

Love,

Eleanor

As soon as I finished writing to Pearl and Ainsley,

I pretended I needed a tissue.

I walked over to the tissue box by the window.

As I passed Pearl,

I slipped her note on her desk.

And I did the same for Ainsley.

Then I pretended to blow my nose by the window.

I tried to watch Pearl and Ainsley while I did.

Ainsley didn’t even open my note.

She just put it in her backpack.

Pearl did read hers.

I think she even smiled a tiny bit.

And then she wrote me back!

I was so happy

when I saw her put that note on my desk,

I almost ran back there.

And I opened that note up fast.

But

it only said: