Another difference between Jessi and me is that she's black and I'm white. In fact, Jessi is the only black student in the entire sixth grade. It doesn't mean anything to me, but it did to a lot of people when the Ramseys first moved toStoneybrook,Connecticut . (That's where we live.) I'm ashamed to say that some of the people in Stoneybrook were pretty rotten to them at first. But things have gotten much better for the Ramseys.

I told Jessi my news about Young Authors Day and the writing contest as we headed home after school. Since it was Friday, we were feeling pretty great. When I told her that I had a chance at winning the Best Overall Fiction award for the entire sixth grade, Jessi gave me a hug. The two of us stood on the street corner, where we usually go our separate ways, squealing with excitement. We

didn't even care that Justin Forbes and Howie Johnson, two eighth-graders, heard us. I was too happy to be embarrassed. And Jessi, my best friend, was happy for me.

"Just think!" I said, pushing my glasses up on my nose. "I have the whole weekend to work on my prize-winning short story."

"Do you have any idea what you're going to write about?" Jessi asked.

I shook my head. "I'm planning to hole up in my room and use the next two days to come up with the perfect award-winning idea."

"You could write a horse story," Jessi suggested. "Everyone loves them, especially the ones by — "

"Marguerite Henry!" we both said at the same time. She's our favorite author.

"I'm going to have to check my journal," I said after we stopped giggling. (I'm not sure why we were giggling so much. Maybe just because it was Friday and we were happy.) "I've written a lot of ideas in there. I think I'll take a look at it and then decide."