Chapter 2
After a morning filled with hard but fun work it was recess time. Miss Jobe walked the class down the hallway and out onto the playground. It was a cool and delightful October day and the kids were excited to have some time to run and play. "Hey Allee, wanna play on the swings with me!?" Zuri shouted. "Ok!" smiled Allee. Zuri grabbed Allee's hand and the girls darted over and jumped onto two swings dangling side by side.
Zuri and Allee furiously pumped their legs and shrieked with laughter as they swung higher and higher. The girls instantly connected with one another as they felt the thrill of the wind hitting their faces. It's like they were flying! Higher and higher, farther and farther, faster and faster. "Okay now…let's jump off!" shouted Zuri. "On the count of three! One…two…three!" The girls lept from their swings and soared through the air. They crashed into one another as they landed with a thud onto the ground. The girls collapsed into a fit of giggles as they stood up rubbing their arms and legs where they landed. "Okay…let's go sit on that bench over there and take a break," suggested Zuri. "Great idea, let's go," agreed Allee.
"That was so much fun," grinned Allee. "I know!" laughed Zuri, "Those swings are a whole circus of fun!"
Zuri smiled at her new friend. Making new friends was her favorite. Zuri was so happy! "Allee, where did you go to school before you came here?" questioned Zuri. "Well I lived in the Bronx and I went to a public school. It was a little crazy there." Zuri nodded her head, "So is that why you moved to Walden Academy?" Allee shook her head. "Well actually, I had to move in with Mr. Mark and Mrs. Sandy because my mom and dad couldn't take care of me anymore. They got into some trouble and they said that they were sorry and that Mrs. Sandy and Mr. Mark would take better care of me than they could." Zuri hugged Allee. "Allee, I think we are a lot alike. I was born in Uganda in Africa, but my mom and dad couldn't take care of me either. I came to live with the Ross family when I was a baby. I don't remember my parents from Africa because I was so little. My mom and dad, Morgan and Christina Ross, adopted me."
Just then Miss Jobe blew her whistle signaling the end of recess time. Zuri and Allee stood up as Zuri grabbed Allee's hand. The girls ran together toward their class's line. Before jumping into line Zuri turned to Allee and said, "Let's be best friends!" "Okay!" said Allee as she smiled a smile that stretched across her entire face.