Sincerely

One
Everything changed last fall when I started sixth grade. For one thing, it was the first time that the teacher wasn’t the tallest person in the class. Jillian Harris came back from summer vacation and looked like she had grown a foot taller. She was at least two inches taller than our teacher, Ms. Brisbin. Then there was Jessie, my best friend. She started acting differently, too. All of sudden all she seemed to care about was boys.
And me, well, I think I started to become a grown-up. Well, maybe not a grown-up exactly. It’s not like I had to get a job and pay my own bills, but I definitely didn’t feel like a little kid anymore. It all began on the first really cold day of the season. That Friday I woke up to my sister Haley’s voice.
She always woke me up before I was actually ready.
“I’ll just wear pants under my skirt!” Haley said to her- self excitedly. Even when Haley talks to herself, she’s loud. I hadn’t opened my eyes yet and wondered if I was still dream- ing. I rolled over toward the wall and squeezed my eyes shut tighter. “Hey, Sophie,” Haley called. “Time to wake up! Should I wear leggings or jeans?”
I groaned and rolled over. I hated sharing a room with Haley. I never got any privacy or peace and quiet. “What are you talking about?” I asked. Haley bounded toward my bed with two pairs of pants.
“Mom said I have to wear pants today because it’s going to be really cold, so which ones?” she said.
“The jeans, I guess,” I said. Usually Haley and I wear uniforms to school-gray skirts with white blouses. But on Fridays we’re allowed to wear whatever we want. I like to wear jeans every chance I get, but Haley hates wearing pants. She’s four years younger than I am, and she likes to wear a skirt or a dress every day, even on Fridays.
Haley climbed onto my bed. “I think I’m going to wear my purple skirt over them,” she told me.
“Haley, get off my bed,” I said. I stretched out my arms and legs so there wouldn’t be any room for her. “That skirt is going to look really stupid over your jeans.”
“No, it won’t,” Haley insisted. “The jeans will be just like tights.” She jumped off the bed and went to the closet. “Oh,purple skirt, where are you?” she called. She moved some hangers aside noisily. I was sure she was making a mess, and I was already preparing to complain to Mom so that I wouldn’t get blamed and have to clean it up myself. “Oh, there you are!” Haley exclaimed suddenly. She yanked on the skirt and the hanger crashed to the ground. Even though Haley’s only in second grade and pretty small for her age, she makes a lot of noise and takes up a lot of space. You always know when she’s in the room. Haley’s good at being the center of attention, but I like things to be quieter.