EllRay Jakes Is Not a Chicken by Sally Warner

nearing the tree. I am hoping that maybe Jared has decided to call the whole thing off, and Stanley is supposed to tell me.
    And then— SPROING! Jared jumps down out of the tree like a big old stinkbug landing on an ant, if that’s what stinkbugs do.

    And we go rolling across the grass. POW, POW! Jared punches me in the side, right where my poor skinny ribs are sticking out.
    And I grab hold of his shirt and try to get in a punch or two of my own.
    THUNK! THUNK!
    My fist connects first with Jared’s nose by accident, and then it sinks into his stomach, and Jared grunts. He is madder than ever now, and a little bit surprised that I am fighting back, judging by what I can see of the look on his face.
    I would hit him again, only I never get the chance because we are rolling around on the ground some more, and all our arms are busy.
    And all of a sudden, my mouth is full of Eustace B. Pennypacker’s memorial grass—and some of his dirt, too, as Jared grinds my face into the lawn. “ Fuh ,” I say, trying to spit it out.
    â€œNo spitting,” Stanley cries, as if he is the referee, and this is supposed to be some really fair fight.
    Yeah, right!
    I would explain to them that I’m not spitting, only I never get the chance.
    â€œI’ll teach you not to spit on me,” Jared says— and he wrestles me onto my back and gets ready to spit in my face.
    IN MY FACE!
    As if spitting on a person will teach that person not to spit!
    I would point out how messed-up this is, only I do not get the chance.
    There is a roaring sound in my ears, and I shut my eyes and especially my mouth , and I get ready for the worst, only the worst never happens.
    Instead, the roaring sound grows louder and louder, and I suddenly realize that it is kids, kids, and more kids, and they are swarming around us: Kevin McKinley, and Corey Robinson, who is supposed to be at swim practice, and Fiona McNulty, and Emma McGraw, and Heather Patton, who accidentally started the whole thing and doesn’t even know it, and Annie Pat Masterson.
    There are other kids here too, from different classes, and I don’t even know their names.
    How did they find out?
    Stanley. I just know it. That’s why he was looking over his shoulder!
    Maybe he’s not so bad after all.

    â€œGet off him, Jared,” Kevin shouts, grabbing Jared by the neck of his sweaty red T-shirt. “You’re huge compared to EllRay. It’s just not right,” he yells.
    But Jared wriggles away.
    â€œBig meanie,” Emma says, aiming a kick or two toward Jared’s shins, which I wish she wouldn’t do, because how does that make me look?
    But Emma can’t help herself. She is what my dad would call “a hothead.” He says it like it’s a bad thing.
    â€œOh, poor Jared,” Heather cries out to the excited crowd of kids. “Look, his nose is bleeding!”
    And those are the magic words, I guess, especially coming from her , because Jared suddenly lets me go.
    I scramble to my feet before he changes his mind.
    â€œYou bully,” Heather says, whirling to face me. “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size, EllRay Jakes?”
    Which is when everyone starts to laugh.
    Including Jared Matthews, luckily!
    And poof, just like that our fight is over.

15
    SURPRISE
    â€œEveryone all set?” my dad asks us very early the next morning, after buckling Alfie into her car seat, because—we are on our way to Disneyland!
    This will be the best treat ever.
    And I earned it the hard way. I am so sore I can barely walk—but Disneyland will cure me.
    â€œ I’m all set,” Alfie announces. She is dressed up in her favorite outfit: ruffled shirt, pink skirt, lacy white socks, and pink sneakers. “I’m going to meet Minnie Mouse,” she tells us, looking excited, but also a little scared. “And she’s famous.”
    â€œ Maybe you’ll meet Minnie,” my mom tells