Nobody's Perfect Read Free Page B

nodded. They all agreed. Alexis Powell was really something.
    Megan took another bite of cookie and turned back toward the field. She didn’t want to miss what happened when Alexis reached the goalie.
    â€œShe’s practically perfect,” Megan said thoughtfully. She repeated the new girl’s name, practicing the way Ms. Endee had written it on the whiteboard. “Alexis Powell.”
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    The moment Alexis stepped off the soccer field, Megan and the other girls had her surrounded.
    â€œSo, Alexis—,” one girl began.
    â€œThanks for the cookies,” interjected another.
    â€œWay to kick the ball!” said Cindy.
    â€œThanks,” said Alexis with a shy smile.
    Megan burst through their ranks. “And I really like your shoelaces!” she said with a burst of enthusiasm. She pointed at Alexis’s purple shoelaces and tugged at her own purple sweatshirt so that Alexis could see that they were both wearing the same color.
    All the girls laughed—except for Alexis.
    â€œUm, thanks,” said Alexis, somewhat distracted. “Are we back in class yet?”
    â€œFive more minutes!” said Megan, smiling about the whole shoelace thing.
    â€œGreat,” said Alexis, somewhat cool. She glanced past Megan to the other girls. “So do you bring lunch to this school or is the cafeteria okay?”
    â€œOn some days the cafeteria is okay,” said Cindy, “but on other days the food is scary.”
    â€œOn Thursdays they serve sloppy joes,” said a girl named Bethany, “and they’re always good.”
    â€œAnd Tuesdays is pizza,” said a girl named Casey.
    â€œSo I should bring my lunch except on Tuesday and Thursday?” Alexis asked.
    Megan dove into the conversation. “You could do that except some days the cafeteria serves something really good, so we’re in the habit of swapping lunches in case there’s something we like,” she said. “Like beanie weanie or macaroni and cheese but not the shepherd’s pie.” Megan made a gagging sound to suggest how disgusted they were by the school version of shepherd’s pie.
    â€œOh, right,” Alexis said, but she hadn’t been listening to Megan at all. Her nose was slightly scrunched and her brow was furrowed as though she were irritated or annoyed. Megan couldn’t be sure, but she sensed that Alexis wasn’t the least bit interested in her opinion. Alexis didn’t even look at Megan when she spoke; she looked the other way. Megan had the impression that Alexis was avoiding her.
    Megan glanced toward Cindy long enough to see Cindy purse her lips into a disapproving prune. “What’s up with the new girl?” Cindy signed with a big dose of attitude. Megan quickly turned in the other direction. She didn’t want Alexis to think they would sign about her, since she probably didn’t know sign language.
    â€œYou’re probably thirsty,” said Megan. “Do you want me to show you the good water fountain?”
    â€œActually,” said Alexis, tossing her blond hair over her shoulder, “I think I know where the water fountain is.” With that said, she headed across the school yard toward the good fountain.
    Megan, Cindy, and the other girls hustled to keep up with her.
    â€œWhere are you from?” asked Cindy.
    â€œTexas,” said Alexis.
    â€œAlexis from Texas,” said Megan, trying to make a little joke.
    â€œAlexis from Texas!” Cindy repeated, wanting to make sure that Alexis appreciated how funny Megan could be—and that Alexis heard all the words.
    Megan nudged Cindy with an elbow. “Hey, that was my joke,” she said for only Cindy to hear. “I said it first.”
    â€œYeah, I hear that joke all the time,” Alexis replied, not particularly amused but not particularly peeved, either. She had already outdistanced the fourth-grade girls the same