Rosa was eating her pancakes and sausage too fast. “Don’t gobble,” her mother said. “You have plenty of time. The movie doesn’t begin until ten o’clock.”
It was Saturday morning and Beauty and the Beast was going to be shown at school.
“But I have to be first in line,” said Rosa. “If I’m first, then maybe I will get to sit next to Miss Green.”
Miss Green was Rosa’s favorite teacher. She had long brown hair, and she smiled a lot. Rosa finished her pancakes, put on her sweater, and ran to the door.
But her mother called after her, “Rosa, come back. You forgot to brush your teeth.” Rosa ran back, brushed her teeth, and ran to the door.
But her mother called after her, “Rosa, you forgot your dollar for the movie. Come back, and I will give it to you.” The principal, Mr. Williams, was going to collect all the money to buy toys for children in the hospital.
While her mother looked in her purse for the dollar, Rosa hopped up and down saying, “Please hurry!” She so wanted to be first in line.
Rosa hurried to school as fast as she could, but she arrived too late. Amira was already standing on the top step of the main entrance. Rosa took her place behind Amira. She was disappointed not to be first, but it wasn’t too bad to be second. After all, Miss Green had two sides. If Amira sat on one side, Rosa could have the other side.
But now Jen was coming up to join them. Jen was Amira’s best friend. Jen said, “Rosa, could I please stand in front of you, so I can be right after Amira?” Rosa shook her head. She could not let Jen stand in front of her. That would make her third, and Miss Green did not have three sides. Jen turned to Amira. “Amira, you will let me stand in front of you, won’t you?”
Amira said, “All right.” She could not say no to her best friend.
So now Rosa was third in line. More children kept coming. Jen let a boy with red hair stand in front of her, and he let a boy with a computer game stand in front of him. Everyone else who came was able to get into line ahead of a friend. The line grew longer and longer. Poor Rosa was not third anymore. Soon she was tenth, then twenty-first. No matter how many children came, Rosa was last in line.
By ten o’clock the line stretched all the way around the school to the side entrance. Rosa was standing just in front of the side entrance when the door suddenly opened. Mr. Williams was there. He was surprised to see the line of children facing the wrong way. “Now, why on earth…,” he wondered aloud. Then he said, “I guess no one told them to come in the side entrance.”
The principal cupped his hands around his mouth and called, “Turn around, boys and girls, and have your dollar ready!” Naturally, Rosa was first in line. At last! She gave her dollar to the principal and went into the auditorium. Miss Green was already sitting down. Rosa went over and sat down in the seat next to her.
“Well, Rosa!” Miss Green said, smiling. “You must have hurried to be first inside.”
“I did,” said Rosa happily, and she settled back to wait for the movie to begin.