Birds chirped happily as the sun shone on the small playground. The first graders ate their lunch and talked happily as the first day of school neared its end.
“Why don’t you ever raise your hand, Jes? I know you know the stuff we’re learning too,” Hattie said, nudging Jesper with her shoulder. He shrugged, smiling sheepishly.
“It makes me nervous. What if I say the wrong thing? Then everyone would laugh...” He sighed, eyes drifting down to his lunchbox.
“Uh oh, that girl that was mean to you this morning is coming over here, Hattie,” Juniper warned, looking worried. The gravel crunched beneath tennis shoes as two girls walked up to their lunch table, twin glares across their faces.
“Oh, look, Ferrin—it’s the know-it-all,” the blonde girl sneered, crossing her arms.
“It’s not hard to figure out the answers. You just have to pay attention and stop talking,” Hattie shot back, a confident smile showing her gapped teeth.
“Hattie don’t be mea—” Jesper began before being cut off.
“He speaks! I didn’t think you knew how to talk!” Ferrin gasped, a smirk playing at her lips. The blonde girl beside her giggled as they marched away to the jungle gym.
Jesper hid his head, embarrassment showing in his blushing cheeks. Hattie put her arm around his shoulder and gave him a reassuring hug.
“Don’t listen to them, Jes. Why would you talk to them anyway?” she said.
He sighed before responding, “I wish I was as brave as you, Hattie...”
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