The new girl came the Monday I delivered our lunch count. 10 hot lunches, 5 brown baggers. Our fifth grade class was small—but so was our small town school. A new kid was a BIG deal.

Most of my class had been together since Kindergarten. As Gran said, “Leya, your classmates know each other better than worn-out shoes know the feet that wore ‘em out.”

“Hi,” I said, holding open the classroom door for her. I couldn’t believe it. She wore a sparkly blue butterfly pin. I collected butterfly pins! Did she, too?

"I'm Kari Kardel," she told our teacher. All eyes were glued on Kari. Especially Nona Pearson’s.

I knew that Nona, self-crowned queen of the fifth grade, would totally claim this new girl. But what if Kari wanted to be my BF—Best Friend—and not bossy Nona’s?

I stepped into the hallway, feeling hollow inside when I thought of Jenny, my BF who’d just moved to Tampa. Could Kari help fill up that hollow spot? Would she want to become my new BF? But to become Kari’s friend I’d need something special, and I was unbuttered-bread plain. How could I possibly impress Kari?

****

When I got home from school one afternoon, I raced straight to my bedroom. I pulled open my bottom desk drawer and retrieved my hidden treasure. I quickly counted the assorted coins and dumped them into a plastic zip bag from my lunch box. $5.25. All of my savings.

Gran peeked in. “Thought I heard some mysterious jingling in here.”

I held up the money bag. “I’m gonna buy my new friend a present.”

Gran's eyes weighed the coins. “New friend? I haven't heard about her.”

How could I explain Kari didn’t exactly know she was my BF yet? She’d only been in class for three days. So what if I hadn’t invited her home with me or she didn’t exactly hang out with me at recess.

I plunked the coin bag down on my desk. It felt like a brick.

Gran smiled. "I’d like to meet her.”

I poked at the coins. Kari would never want to come home with plain old me. Or would she?

****

The next day I tucked a note inside Kari's desk.

I like your butterfly pin. I collect them. Do you want to see my pins? -Leya

Kari opened it later and turned with a surprised look. From behind my math book, I half-waved. What a lousy plan. I felt my freckled cheeks burning.

Still moping at lunch time, I sat down at the end of the table—all alone.

"Okay if I sit here?"

I looked up. It was Kari. “Sure,” I said, shifting my stuff over.

"Thanks for the note."

My mouth was glued shut with a mouthful of PB&J sandwich.

"I can’t believe you collect butterfly pins, too!"

I nodded, grinning. “I have nine. Two with turquoise and one made from sea shells . . . ”

BAM! Bossy Nona plopped down beside Kari. "Why are you sitting here? You’re coming home with me again tonight, right? We can make brownies, and I’ll show you all my nail polish colors. Look! I’m wearing Cotton Candy Kisses."

I slumped. Nona thrust her bright pink nails in Kari’s face. The only polish I had was one dried-up bottle of Tangerine Tango.

“I’m not sure,” said Kari, turning away from me. She leaned toward Nona and said something I couldn’t hear.

In two bites, I finished my sandwich. I couldn’t take any more of Nona’s jabbering—or watch Kari listen to her. Plain old me didn’t stand a chance against Nona’s queenly-ness. I still needed something special for Kari to like me.

When school let out, I ran to Bits-N-Pieces Gift Store. I headed straight to the jewelry aisle and found a fancy new butterfly pin covered with bright crystals—yellow, orange, and blue. Kari would know I was her BF if I gave her this pin.

But it cost ten dollars! My change wasn’t nearly enough. And I could never save that much money before Nona had wrapped Kari up in her icky-sticky friendship web.

My fingers slipped around the shiny pin. It would be so easy to drop it into my pocket. I traced the butterfly shape. I curled my fingers beneath it.

Ouch! The pin jabbed into my pinky. I shook my head and quickly put the pin back.

I wasn’t a thief. And buying a friend wasn’t a good plan anyway. Gran always said friends can only be bought with love.

I heard someone step up behind me. Was it Mrs. Nolan the store owner? Had she seen me about to pocket the pin?

“I should have known you’d be looking at the butterfly pin.” Kari squeezed in beside me. “I saw it yesterday when I came to get a birthday card for my brother. It’s pretty cool, huh?”

“I thought you were going to Nona’s.”

She shook her head. “I changed my mind. I tried to catch you after school, but you ran out too fast. I saw you turn the corner though, and I guessed where you were going.” Kari pulled my note from her pocket. “Can I see your pin collection?”

I blinked—not sure I’d heard right. Suddenly I felt as sparkly as the butterfly pin on display. I reached for Kari’s hand and pulled her toward the door. “Come on!”

That was the beginning of Kari and me becoming butterfly pin co-collectors. Some things like butterflies are meant to be shared with your BF.

~The End~