Winicker and the American Boy

Winicker and the American Boy — page 5 — didn’t say she has a punishment or a homework assignment for us Mirabel Plouffe frowns a little She loves homework assignments Maybe it’s a class pet I say Like a hamster Mirabel Plouffe is still frowning I hope it is not a hamster I do not like rodents I like cats Or birds I love des oiseaux I will take you to Marché aux Oiseaux one day the Sunday Bird Market It is remarkable to see Mirabel Plouffe likes things like watching the news and playing the clarinet and going to bird markets I don’t like any of those things but I do like Mirabel Plouffe Maybe the surprise is a pizza party I say We used to have those at my old school in Three Rivers Mrs Autumn-Robert would order us a pizza and pass around napkins Everybody got pizza grease on their jeans by the end of the party

Winicker and the American Boy — page 6 — Mirabel Plouffe looks down at her uniform skirt Maybe it will be something less messy she says Maybe We walk the rest of the way to school along a row of bright green trees It isn’t cold but the breeze makes my face and hands chilly I pull the sleeves of my uniform sweater down over my hands I smell the air Mirabel Plouffe is right It smells like hyacinths Or some kind of flower anyway I don’t know I’m not a flower expert When we get to room 3A my desk cluster looks different Our desks are in groups of four Usually there are three other people at my cluster My FBFANDN Mirabel Plouffe our friend Amal Aziz and our not friend Maizy Durand Maizy Durand makes fun of my silver hair which is silver because of an incident with Grandma Balthazar’s hair dye She also makes fun of my name She makes fun of Mirabel

Winicker and the American Boy — page 7 — Plouffe and Amal too That is why she is our not friend Today Amal is sitting at our desk cluster but Maizy Durand is not She is sitting in another desk cluster Maybe that’s the surprise I whisper That would be worth a homework assignment We sit down at our usual desks Why is Maizy Durand sitting over there Mirabel Plouffe asks Amal Amal shrugs She was there when I came in I do not want to ask her about it I do not want her to change her mind and move back We all laugh quietly But not quietly enough because Maizy Durand looks up at us and scowls It is not fair that everyone else gets to stay in their original assigned seats She opens her notebook But at least now I will not have to listen to you three whisper about annoying things all day long

Winicker and the American Boy — page 8 — Did Mademoiselle Bennett ask you to move asks Mirabel Plouffe She said she has a surprise and some kind of special assignment for you three She needed an empty desk in your group Maizy Durand picks up her pen Now please excuse me I am looking forward to you not distracting me in class for once She sticks out her tongue at me Amal and Mirabel Plouffe Then she begins writing in her notebook The surprise is a special assignment says Mirabel Plouffe Her face is pink with excitement Maybe it is going to be some kind of projet d’art Amal says She draws a tiny paintbrush and palette in a corner on the top of her notebook page Amal is an artist Mademoiselle Bennett appears at the front of the classroom There is a boy with messy blond hair next to her He is looking at his shoes

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