From Anna by Jean Little

Author:Jean Little [Little, Jean]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781443119740
Publisher: Scholastic Canada
Published: 2012-03-03T16:00:00+00:00

11

The Second Day

ANNA WATCHED HER FEET walking along.

One … two … one … two …

Soon she would be at the school. Maybe she could even see it now if she looked up. She did not look up.

It was a long walk but there was no way to get lost. You just kept going straight ahead after you got to the first big street and turned left. Mama had watched until Anna had made that first turn safely. So she was not lost.

She felt lost though.

One … two … one … two …

Yesterday at school they had been nice but she was new yesterday. Today she would probably be Awkward Anna again. Miss Williams would not smile.

Today she’ll want me to read from a book, Anna told herself, getting ready for the worst.

“Hi, Anna,” a boy’s voice called.

Anna looked up without stopping to think. The next instant, she felt silly. Nobody knew her. There must be another Anna. She glanced around quickly. There were no other girls in sight. Only a tall boy coming along the sidewalk from the opposite direction.

Anna dropped her gaze hastily and quickened her steps. She was almost sure he had been looking right at her and smiling but her new glasses must be playing tricks. She did not know that boy.

They met where the walk led into the school building.

“What’s the matter? You deaf?” the boy asked.

He was laughing a little.

Anna darted another glance up at him and then stared at her shoes again.

It’s Bernard, she thought, feeling sick.

She was not positive, but she had better answer. Bernard was Rudi’s size exactly.

“I am not deaf,” she told him.

Her voice was thin and small.

“Good,” the boy said. “Hey, why don’t you look at me.”

Obediently, Anna lifted her head. He was still laughing. Sometimes when Rudi teased, he laughed too.

“That’s better,” the boy said. “Now I’m going to do you a favour.”

Anna had no idea what he was talking about. She was certain now, though, that he was Bernard. She longed to run but something firm in the way he spoke to her made her stay facing him, waiting.

“This will be your first lesson in being a good Canadian,” he went on.

“Lesson?” Anna repeated like a parrot.

Her voice was a little stronger now.

“Yeah, lesson. When you hear somebody say ‘Hi, Anna,’ the way I did, you say ‘Hi’ back again.”

He paused. Anna stared up at him.

“You say ‘Hi, Bernard!’” he prompted.

Anna just stood, still not understanding, still not quite brave enough to run.

“Come on or we’re both going to be late,” he urged. “Just say ‘Hi, Bernard.’ That’s not so hard to say, is it?”

“Hi,” Anna heard herself whisper.

She could not manage to add his name. What did “Hi” mean anyway?

Bernard grinned.

“That’s a start,” he said. “See you in class, kid.”

He loped up the walk, leaving her behind. Anna followed slowly.

Somehow she had done the right thing. Bernard had not been mean. But what had it all been about?

She was so puzzled that she was inside the school before she remembered how afraid she was.

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