Chapter 4:
Sure enough, the next few days were spent getting June and Shing Hwa comfortable and enrolling them in school with me. June insisted on helping set things up with the school, since she's the only one of us that can easily communicate with Shing Hwa. The scene in the principal's office was really funny. It went something like this:
"What do you mean she can't come to school here?!" June said angrily at the principal.
"She wouldn't understand what we teach, and we have no ESL teacher," the principal answered, way too calmly.
"I could explain it to her."
"But then you'd miss out."
"If I'm explaining the lesson, how am I missing out?"
"Miss Sen, you'd miss important information."
"No I wouldn't."
"Yes you would."
"No, I wouldn't." It went on like this for a long time, her arguing with the principal about Shing Hwa. Eventually, though, the principal won.
June was fuming as we walked back home. I heard her quietly muttering to herself the whole way back. But the worst part was yet to come.
June and I walked to school together the next day. It didn't take long, but somehow she just didn't look right without her friend next to her.
We got to school and June was introduced. At first no one was impressed. She was holding her books like usual. She seemed to fit right in. Then we got to elective classes. June had signed up for gym when we went to see the principal. She, unfortunately, was the only girl there. The gym teacher, Mr. Greggs, looked at her as if she were insane when we got there.
"Are you sure you want to take gym?" he asked.
"Yes," June answered simply.
"You don't want to take art or something easier?" he tried again.
"Why would I want to take something easy?" she replied, obviously bored.
"Well, gym can get kind of dangerous. We do a lot of running and throwing and other real activities."
"That's exactly why I want to do it." With that, June turned and walked into the locker room. The girls' one, not the guys'.
After warm-up, we all sat on the bleachers. June sat alone, since the boys were all sniggering at her. Mr. Greggs started explaining basketball to us for the hundredth time. All the guys started yelling at him that we know how to play.
"Yes," Mr. Greggs responded, "but June might not."
"What makes you think I don't know how to play basketball?" June answered.
"Well…" Mr. Greggs started uneasily.
"'Cause you're a girl!" called Max, one of the kids in my class. "And everyone knows girls can't play basketball!"
"Oh, really?" June said. "So just because I'm a girl you think I'm completely inept, is that it?"
"Pretty much," Max said.
"I'd like to see you try to beat me," she said. Max jumped down and grabbed the ball from Mr. Greggs. The teacher didn't even try to stop him. In fact, he sat down!
"I don't have to try," he said. "I know I can!"
June stood up and walked onto the court. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was smirking. Max's friend Ralph went over to throw the ball for the ball toss, and they started. Max got the ball first and ran for the basket. He was just about to shoot when out of nowhere June burst in front of him and stole the ball. She got all the way to the other side of the court and shot the ball. It didn't even hit the backboard; it went straight in. June caught the ball and stood holding it under her arm and looking reproachfully at Max. All of us on the side lines started cheering, which was pretty weird considering we were in gym class.
The rest of that day was pretty uneventful, except that every now and then people would snicker in her direction. I decided then and there that with June here, this whole school's gonna be turned upside-down.