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Behind me, I heard Mrs. Gutzman groan.

I turned around to see her.

Her face looked very sickish.

I turned back to Room One.

Their faces looked sickish, too.

One by one, all of them put their lunch trays back.

“I don't really feel that hungry anymore,” said Herb kind of quiet.

“Me neither,” said José. “I had a really big breakfast.”

Then, very slow, all of the children started backing out of the kitchen.

I watched them from the door.

They backed all the way to our lunch table.

Mr. Scary was waiting for them there.

He talked to them a minute. Then he came into the kitchen and talked to Mrs. Gutzman.

They whispered to each other for a real long time.

Also, they kept looking at me. And they wouldn't even stop.

My head got drops of sweaty on it.

I wiped it off with my sponge.

After that, Mrs. Gutzman closed her eyes again.

Then she walked to me very nice.

And she took away my sponge.

And she said my job was done.

I peeked my eyes at the clock.

It was almost two-fifteen.

Just one more hour before I could go home.

I tried to make the clock go faster with my eyes. It did not actually work that good.

Just then, there was a knock on our door.

Mr. Scary answered it.

“Why, hello!” he said.

“Why, hello yourself,” said a friendly voice.

And guess what?

It was Mrs. Gutzman!

She walked in the room with two boxes in her arms.

My heart pounded and pounded to see that woman. ’Cause what if she came to scold me?

I slumped way down in my seat so she couldn't see me.

Mrs. Gutzman set the boxes on Mr. Scary's desk.

Then she looked all around the room.

I slumped in my seat even farther.

Only too bad for me. Because Blabbermouth May pointed at me.

“MRS. GUTZMAN! MRS. GUTZMAN!” she hollered. “JUNIE JONES IS TRYING TO HIDE FROM YOU! SHE IS SLIDING DOWN IN HER CHAIR SO YOU CAN'T SEE HER! BUT I AM KEEPING TRACK OF HER MOVEMENTS!”

After that, I slid all the way to the floor under my desk.

I curled into a ball and hid my head.

Pretty soon, I heard feet walking to my desk.

I am getting used to that sound.

The feet stopped next to my chair.

I opened one eye and peeked out.

I saw the bottom of Mrs. Gutzman's white apron.

“Junie B.?” said her voice. “Why are you sitting on the floor?”

I didn't move any muscles.

’Cause maybe she would still go away, possibly.

“Junie B.?” said Mrs. Gutzman again. “I brought something for your class. Don't you want to see what it is?”

I shook my head real fast. “No, thank you,” I said. “I don't want to see it. And so you can be on your way now, please.”

I opened my other eye and looked at her feet. They kept on standing there.

Then, all of a sudden, I heard a loud groan. And what do you know? That woman squatted right down next to me!

I was shocked to see her.

“Mrs. Gutzman!” I said. “What are you doing down here?”

Mrs. Gutzman did not look comfortable.

“Please, Junie B. I need your help,” she said. “I brought cookies for your class today. But there's no one up there to help me pass them out.”

I rolled my eyes way back in my head. ’Cause that was not even the truth, of course.

“Yes, there is, Mrs. Gutzman,” I said. “There's lots of people up there to help you.”

Mrs. Gutzman shook her head. “No, no. You don't understand,” she said.

After that, she reached into her pocket. And she pulled out a pair of plastic mitts.

“I need a real helper, Junie B.,” she said. “I need someone with experience.”

Mrs. Gutzman smiled kind of painful.

“Please,” she said. “If we don't stand soon, I'm going to fall right on my keister, and you'll never get me up.”

I did a teensy smile. ’Cause that was a little joke, I believe.

Finally, I crawled out from my desk. And I helped Mrs. Gutzman stand up.

“I guess I can help you pass out cookies,” I said kind of quiet. “But some of these children are still very mad at me, you know.”

Mrs. Gutzman held my hand. “Yes, well, I think maybe I can fix that,” she said.

After that, me and her walked to the front of the room together. And Mrs. Gutzman showed everyone the cookies.