Confessions of a New Girl

Confessions of a New Girl

Confessions of a New Girl

by ReadWorks



OnthethirdTuesdayinMarch,Addiewatchedhersistertransformfromalittlegirlinto
aspider.Thiswasnot,Addietoldme,alieoranexaggeration.Thiswastheabsolute,crossͲ
herͲfingers,honestͲtoͲgoodnesstruth.

“Iwassittingatbreakfast,”Addiebegan,“andincomesthereportcardqueen,wearing
mypinksweater.Iwassomad.Iwasjustfurious.AndIglaredather,andIsaid,‘Takethatoff
rightnow,youlittlebug!’Andpoof!Shebecameaspider!”

“Well,whereisshenow?”Iasked,becauseI’veseenmanythingsbefore,butI’venever
seenanyoneturnintoaspider.

“Well,she’shumanagain,silly,”Addiesaid,laughing.Sheloopedherarmthroughmine,
andweskippeddownthesidewalk.(Ihappentobeoneofthebestskippersinthewhole
U.S.A.,sothat’stheonlywayItravel.)

Now,I’mnewintown,soI’minnopositiontoturndownfriends,butAddieM.Walker
wouldnotbemyfirstchoice.She’snice,don’tgetmewrong,butIthinkshemightnotalways
tellthetruth.

TakethestoryshetoldmenotfiveminutesafterImether.“I’mpartfairy,”shesaid.
“Onlyfairiescanwiggletheirears,”andshepulledbackherhairtoshowme.Itriedtowiggle
mine,butIonlyendeduphurtingmyjaw.

© 2015 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.

Confessions of a New Girl

Asmyfatherwouldsay,though,“beggarscan’tbechoosers,”andnoneoftheotherkids
inthistownisstandinginlinetobemyfriend.

Today,we’regoingtothezoo.Ourteacher,Mr.Laraby,isveryexcited.Tooexcited,it
seemstome,becausewhenhesaidtheword“ostrich,”hespilledhisentirecupofcoffee
downhisshirtfromgigglinglikeachildwhojusthadhisfirsttasteoficecream.

Addiechosemeforherpartner.Orrather,nooneelsechosemeasapartner,anditwas
onlythetwoofusleft.

Whenwegottothezoo,Addiewalkedrightovertotheelephantsandsaid,“Ihadapet
elephantwhenIwaslittle.WecalledhimBarb.”

Well,thatwasjusttoomuchforme.I’dhadenough.
“AddieM.Walker,”Ishouted,“I’msickofyourlies.Findanewpartner!”AndIleft—
skipping,ofcourse—toseethegiraffes.
Justafewminuteslater,Ibegantofeelbad.(Icanbeverysensitive,yousee.)Itwasn’t
Addie’sfaultthatnoonehadtaughthertotellthetruth.Andshedidseemtolikeme.Infact,
shereallywastheonlykidinmyentirethirdgradeclasswhowasnicetome.
Ilookedaround.Iwasallaloneinthispartofthezoo.Mr.Larabywasprobablynearthe
ostriches,butIhadnoideahowtofindthem.IregrettedsayinganythingtoAddie.Wecould
beskippingnexttorhinosrightnowifIhadjustkeptmymouthshut.
Andthen,Isawher.
AndIswearthisistheabsolute,crossͲmyͲfingers,honestͲtoͲgoodnesstruth.Addiewas
dancingballetontopofagiraffe’sback.Irubbedmyeyes.Maybetheheathadgottentome.
But,no,thereshewas,performingpirouettesontopofthetallestgiraffe.Shegiggled
andwaved.“ItoldyouIwasafairy!”sheyelled.
Ismiled.Iwasbeginningtothinklifeinthistownwouldn’tbesobadafterall.

© 2015 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.