Just how popular was Mini?
Just
how
popular
was
Mini
?
Very.
Very
.
Every year her classmates voted her the favorite student.
Every
year
her
classmates
voted
her
the
favorite
student
.
The friends she had were much more than those of anyone else.
The
friends
she
had
were
much
more
than
those
of
anyone
else
.
One day Mini was caught yakkety-yakking and ordered to stay back as punishment.
One
day
Mini
was
caught
yakkety-yakking
and
ordered
to
stay
back
as
punishment
.
Staying back meant doing something "useful", like helping in the library after school.
Staying
back
meant
doing
something
``
useful
''
,
like
helping
in
the
library
after
school
.
Now Mini's school had a rule.
Now
Mini
's
school
had
a
rule
.
Once a month, if you had something else to do the day you were punished, you could ask a friend to stand in for you.
Once
a
month
,
if
you
had
something
else
to
do
the
day
you
were
punished
,
you
could
ask
a
friend
to
stand
in
for
you
.
Unluckily, her aunt was visiting Mini that day.
Unluckily
,
her
aunt
was
visiting
Mini
that
day
.
That afternoon was the only chance Mini had of seeing her for another five years.
That
afternoon
was
the
only
chance
Mini
had
of
seeing
her
for
another
five
years
.
Mini needed someone to stand in for her.
Mini
needed
someone
to
stand
in
for
her
.
She asked Betty, her "best" friend.
She
asked
Betty
,
her
``
best
''
friend
.
"Oh, no, Mini, I can't," Betty said.
``
Oh
,
no
,
Mini
,
I
ca
n't
,
''
Betty
said
.
"I must help my brother do his homework."
``
I
must
help
my
brother
do
his
homework
.
''
"Tony, will you stay back for me?"
``
Tony
,
will
you
stay
back
for
me
?
''
Mini asked another friend.
Mini
asked
another
friend
.
"I wish you'd told me earlier.
``
I
wish
you
'd
told
me
earlier
.
I have to go to a relative's house with my father," he said.
I
have
to
go
to
a
relative
's
house
with
my
father
,
''
he
said
.
Now, Mini was beginning to doubt if even one of her friends would agree to stay.
Now
,
Mini
was
beginning
to
doubt
if
even
one
of
her
friends
would
agree
to
stay
.
But she tried again.
But
she
tried
again
.
She asked three more friends and each one refused.
She
asked
three
more
friends
and
each
one
refused
.
So, after school Mini stayed to help the librarian.
So
,
after
school
Mini
stayed
to
help
the
librarian
.
And, when she found Mini crying after everyone had left, it was she who surprised Mini by allowing her to leave to meet her aunt.
And
,
when
she
found
Mini
crying
after
everyone
had
left
,
it
was
she
who
surprised
Mini
by
allowing
her
to
leave
to
meet
her
aunt
.
"I may have many friends," Mini said to herself, "but in reality I have none."
``
I
may
have
many
friends
,
''
Mini
said
to
herself
,
``
but
in
reality
I
have
none
.
''
Just how popular was Mini? Very. Every year her classmates voted her the favorite student. The friends she had were much more than those of anyone else.  One day Mini was caught yakkety-yakking and ordered to stay back as punishment. Staying back meant doing something "useful", like helping in the library after school.  Now Mini's school had a rule. Once a month, if you had something else to do the day you were punished, you could ask a friend to stand in for you.  Unluckily, her aunt was visiting Mini that day. That afternoon was the only chance Mini had of seeing her for another five years.  Mini needed someone to stand in for her. She asked Betty, her "best" friend. "Oh, no, Mini, I can't," Betty said. "I must help my brother do his homework."  "Tony, will you stay back for me?" Mini asked another friend. "I wish you'd told me earlier. I have to go to a relative's house with my father," he said.  Now, Mini was beginning to doubt if even one of her friends would agree to stay. But she tried again. She asked three more friends and each one refused.  So, after school Mini stayed to help the librarian. And, when she found Mini crying after everyone had left, it was she who surprised Mini by allowing her to leave to meet her aunt. "I may have many friends," Mini said to herself, "but in reality I have none."