Chapter Four

Tuesday morning was the same as Monday morning. Mrs. Pierce tested Nova’s ability to match objects and pictures by handing her random items from a box labeled MATCH and saying “Match.”

Plastic fork. Bubbles bottle. Rubber ball.

Piece of gummy worm. Piece of gummy worm. Piece of gummy worm.

The candy was the right mix of sweet and sour, so Nova tried her best to ignore the squirrels, lights, heat, and other kids so she could concentrate and earn more pieces.

At lunch, Mallory and Alex sat on either side of Nova and talked. They talked a lot. Sometimes they talked at the same time, which made Nova slightly dizzy, so she tuned them both out, but they didn’t seem to notice.

At recess, Alex took Nova’s hand and dragged her toward the Morning Circle carpet in front of the bookshelves. Mallory was leading Bouncing Buddy over too, and Quiet Mary-Beth followed a minute later.

“Sit down, Buddy,” said Mallory, tugging his hand. She was already cross-legged on the floor. When he sat beside her, she hugged him and he grinned. Unlike Nova, he seemed to love hugs. “We are playing the Ball Game.”

“The Ball Game?” whispered Mary-Beth, who both had a lisp and talked so softly Mrs. Pierce was constantly asking her to repeat herself using “a loud and proud voice.”

“Yes,” said Mallory.

“I don’t want the Ball Game,” said Mary-Beth so softly Nova almost wasn’t sure she’d said anything at all.

“Oh, well.” Mallory shrugged. “I’m in charge and I say we’re playing the Ball Game.” She grabbed a large neon-green bouncy ball from the bottom shelf, the one that held board games and toys instead of books. Nova sat NASA Bear in her lap and crossed her legs like everyone else.

“Mallory can be real bothy,” Mary-Beth whispered in Nova’s ear.

Nova was pretty sure Mary-Beth meant “bossy,” which made her smile. Kids used to call Bridget bossy too, because Bridget always chose and led every game they played, no matter who they were playing with. Nova didn’t mind bossy.

“Love-a Ball Game!” said Alex, clapping. “I tell how-a play!”

Everyone except Nova already knew how, but Alex said he wouldn’t start explaining until they all put their listening ears on. Finally everyone was quiet, even Buddy.

“You bounce-a ball front-a you five times an’ say a color or number or letter or aminal—I mean, animal—then pass-a other kid, who do it too, then if-a other kid forget for five, start again!”

Nova didn’t get it. Mallory could tell.

“So I say ‘bird,’ then I roll it to Alex and he says ‘dog,’ then he rolls it to Mary-Beth and she says ‘pig,’ and we keep going until someone gets to five bounces before thinking of an animal. Then the next person picks a category and keeps it going. You know categories, right?”