Save the Flowers Read Free Page B

Mabel started explaining but was interrupted by Mrs Lim.

    â€œMabel, why don’t you take out your Mathematics textbook and turn to page 45?” Mrs Lim asked.
    Mabel swallowed the words that she was just about to say and turned to face the board. She took out her textbook and flipped to the correct page. She would have to wait till recess to tell Julie what had happened.

    As Mrs Lim started on her lesson, Mabel’s mind kept wandering off to Robozonic.

    Every now and then, she would put her hand in the pocket of her school uniform and give Robozonic a squeeze to make sure that it was still there. Everything felt so unreal and she still could not believe that she had actually talked to a pebble, or rather, a Robozonic (whatever that was). She squeezed Robozonic hard again.
    â€œCan you stop squeezing me?” Robozonic said, after the tenth squeeze.
    â€œOh, shut up!” said Mabel loudly.
    The class went silent and everyone stared at her. Mrs Lim’s hand stopped in mid-air, her chalk still in her fingers. She had been explaining the concept of volume to the class. She opened her eyes wide in confusion. She could not believe that a student, a Primary 2 student, a well-behaved female student (well, normally well behaved, except for today) had actually asked her to “shut up”.
    Tears started to well up in her eyes, for Mrs Lim was such a gentle soul. She never had a harsh word for anyone and no one had ever uttered a harsh word to her.

    â€œI’m sorry, Mrs Lim. It was the mosquito! It kept flying around me and making this ‘mmmming’ sound. I was asking it to shut up,” Mabel stood up and said hurriedly.
    â€œOh, I see,” said Mrs Lim. Her tears somehow stayed in her eyes and did not fall. “Well, let’s carry on with the lesson, shall we?”

    Phew! What a narrow escape! Mabel gave Robozonic a squeeze again to warn it not to talk to her.
    â€œSorry about that! But can you stop squeezing me, please, please, please?” Robozonic said.
    â€œSure!” said Mabel aloud. All eyes were directed at her again.
    â€œI mean, sure, let’s carry on with the lesson,” she grinned sheepishly. The pupils turned their attention back to Mrs Lim. She managed a smile and continued with her lesson.

    Soon it was Art lesson and the class was allowed some light chatter as they did their artwork. Julie quickly got Mabel’s attention.
    â€œWhat happened?” she whispered. Darren, the Mr Busybody who was sitting next to Mabel, immediately sat up and leaned over to listen.
    â€œIt’s a long story. I’ll tell you during recess,” Mabel whispered back.
    â€œOkay, talk to you later,” said Julie as she returned to her artwork.
    â€œWhat long story?” Darren asked.
    â€œNothing,” said Mabel.
    Darren was not willing to let it go. He had to find out what was going on. “What story are you talking about?”
    â€œDo you really want to know?” she asked.
    â€œYes, yes. I really want to know,” he answered eagerly. He always wanted to know about everything that had happened to everyone in class.
    â€œPromise me you won’t tell anyone?” she finally said.
    â€œI promise,” he said.
    â€œWell, I went to the beach yesterday and found a beautiful pebble.”
    â€œI don’t believe you. It was Monday yesterday and it was a school day. How could you have gone to the beach on a school day?” Darren asked.
    â€œWell, I went in the morning before I came to school.”
    â€œCan I see the pebble?”
    â€œNo, you can’t.”
    â€œPlease?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œIf you don’t let me see it, I’m going to tell Teacher.”
    â€œYou Mr Tell-Tale. I shouldn’t have told you anything,” Mabel said angrily. She took Robozonic out from her pocket. “Here, this is the pebble.”
    Darren glanced at it. “It’s such an ugly pebble.”

    â€œHow