Paris saw more than two or three black faces at one time, it was at church, and few of the kids at Star of Bethlehem went to Claremont. She was friendlywith a couple of the kids in the choir, but she only saw them once a week. So, Paris realized, if she was ever going to have any friends on her block, or in her school, likely as not they’d be white. But she sure wasn’t shopping around for one. Not after Ashley.
Paris swung her legs over the side of the bench, wondering how long it was going to take for Jordan to find his stupid tadpole.
“Find one yet?” she called to him. Jordan shook his head from side to side.
“What’s he looking for?” asked the freckled girl.
“Tadpoles,” said Paris. “For school, you know. Show-and-tell.”
The girl nodded. With her chin, she pointed to a little boy a few feet away. “Stick insects. Same thing. Show-and-tell. I’ll be glad when he’s big enough to come to the park on his own.”
Paris looked at Jordan and thought,
Me, too
, but she didn’t say it.
“I’m Sienna. Sienna Warren. And that’s P. J. We just moved here.”
Who asked you?
thought Paris. Still, she didn’t want to be rude.
“I’m Paris, and that’s Jordan,” she said, hoping that would be the end of it.
But Sienna launched into a series of questions: Where do you live? How old are you? What school do you go to? Paris answered each question, thinking it would be the last. When she could see it wasn’t, Paris stood up, called for Jordan, and told him it was time to go. Luckily for Paris, he’d finally caught his tadpole and was ready to leave.
Their exit was anything but speedy, though. Jordan held his tadpole jar with both hands, careful not to drop it, as he inched toward Paris.
Ugh!
thought Paris, who couldn’t get out of that park fast enough.
Little brothers. What a pain!
“See you later!” called Sienna. “Maybe at school!”
Paris shook her head and kept walking.
Some folks can’t take a hint.
Chapter 34
ME AND MY SHADOW
T he following Monday, Paris was sitting in the school lunchroom, eating her tuna salad sandwich, when Sienna slipped into the empty space beside her.
“Hi!” said Sienna, grinning. “I saw you here all by yourself and figured I’d keep you company. You mind?”
You again
, thought Paris, her mouth too full to speak. She finished chewing, swallowed, and was about to say she’d rather be alone, when Sienna launched right into a story before Paris could get a word in.
Paris sighed, shaking her head.
Go on, Miss Freckles
, she thought.
Jabber all you want to. I’m not listening.
So Sienna talked enough for the both of them, and Paris finished her lunch in silence, nodding every now and then to keep Sienna from bugging her with questions.
• • •
The week closed with a parent-teacher buffet. The principal called it the last meet-and-greet of the school year, a chance for parents, teachers, and students to celebrate the end of the year.
Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln were there with David, Jordan, and Paris. The minute they got there, David took off looking for his buddies, dragging Jordan behind him. Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln chatted with a couple of teachers, and Paris stood nearby, sipping lemonade by herself.
From the corner of her eye, Paris noticed Sienna hurrying in her direction. Rushing to keep up was a tall man with the same shock of red hair as Sienna, and an equally tall lady who was blonde.
Must be Mr. and Mrs. Freckles
, thought Paris.
What do they want?
“Hi, Paris!” said Sienna, bubbly as a cold root beer. “And Mr. Lincoln, Mrs. Lincoln, right? This is my mom and dad.”
“I’m Jake,” said Mr. Warren. “And this is my wife, Kendra.”
“James and Esther,” said Mr. Lincoln. The adults shook hands all around.
Then Mr. Warren bent down until he was his daughter’s height.
“Hi there! You must be Paris,” he said, holding out his hand. Paris looked at it, hesitating. She searched his face, his eyes, and found not
Paris swung her legs over the side of the bench, wondering how long it was going to take for Jordan to find his stupid tadpole.
“Find one yet?” she called to him. Jordan shook his head from side to side.
“What’s he looking for?” asked the freckled girl.
“Tadpoles,” said Paris. “For school, you know. Show-and-tell.”
The girl nodded. With her chin, she pointed to a little boy a few feet away. “Stick insects. Same thing. Show-and-tell. I’ll be glad when he’s big enough to come to the park on his own.”
Paris looked at Jordan and thought,
Me, too
, but she didn’t say it.
“I’m Sienna. Sienna Warren. And that’s P. J. We just moved here.”
Who asked you?
thought Paris. Still, she didn’t want to be rude.
“I’m Paris, and that’s Jordan,” she said, hoping that would be the end of it.
But Sienna launched into a series of questions: Where do you live? How old are you? What school do you go to? Paris answered each question, thinking it would be the last. When she could see it wasn’t, Paris stood up, called for Jordan, and told him it was time to go. Luckily for Paris, he’d finally caught his tadpole and was ready to leave.
Their exit was anything but speedy, though. Jordan held his tadpole jar with both hands, careful not to drop it, as he inched toward Paris.
Ugh!
thought Paris, who couldn’t get out of that park fast enough.
Little brothers. What a pain!
“See you later!” called Sienna. “Maybe at school!”
Paris shook her head and kept walking.
Some folks can’t take a hint.
Chapter 34
ME AND MY SHADOW
T he following Monday, Paris was sitting in the school lunchroom, eating her tuna salad sandwich, when Sienna slipped into the empty space beside her.
“Hi!” said Sienna, grinning. “I saw you here all by yourself and figured I’d keep you company. You mind?”
You again
, thought Paris, her mouth too full to speak. She finished chewing, swallowed, and was about to say she’d rather be alone, when Sienna launched right into a story before Paris could get a word in.
Paris sighed, shaking her head.
Go on, Miss Freckles
, she thought.
Jabber all you want to. I’m not listening.
So Sienna talked enough for the both of them, and Paris finished her lunch in silence, nodding every now and then to keep Sienna from bugging her with questions.
• • •
The week closed with a parent-teacher buffet. The principal called it the last meet-and-greet of the school year, a chance for parents, teachers, and students to celebrate the end of the year.
Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln were there with David, Jordan, and Paris. The minute they got there, David took off looking for his buddies, dragging Jordan behind him. Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln chatted with a couple of teachers, and Paris stood nearby, sipping lemonade by herself.
From the corner of her eye, Paris noticed Sienna hurrying in her direction. Rushing to keep up was a tall man with the same shock of red hair as Sienna, and an equally tall lady who was blonde.
Must be Mr. and Mrs. Freckles
, thought Paris.
What do they want?
“Hi, Paris!” said Sienna, bubbly as a cold root beer. “And Mr. Lincoln, Mrs. Lincoln, right? This is my mom and dad.”
“I’m Jake,” said Mr. Warren. “And this is my wife, Kendra.”
“James and Esther,” said Mr. Lincoln. The adults shook hands all around.
Then Mr. Warren bent down until he was his daughter’s height.
“Hi there! You must be Paris,” he said, holding out his hand. Paris looked at it, hesitating. She searched his face, his eyes, and found not
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