A Very Ordinary Tuesday (Almost)

Maple Leafs Elementary smelled like crayons and lemon cleaning spray — the good kind of Tuesday smell.

Melanie sat cross-legged on the reading rug, her nose deep inside *Horrid Henry and the Terrible Teacher*. Her glasses slid halfway down her face. She pushed them up without even looking.

Sabrina leaned over. "Melanie. *Melanie.*"

"Shh." Melanie turned a page.

"You're reading upside down," Sabrina said.

Melanie looked down. She was absolutely not reading upside down. She flipped the book anyway, just in case.

Across the room, Miss Genevieve clapped her hands twice — the signal that meant something big was coming.

The Big Clap

Miss Genevieve clapped twice more. The whole class went quiet.

"Today," she said, smiling wide, "is Haircut Day!"

The room exploded. Sabrina squealed. Melanie's glasses flew straight off her face.

"HAIRCUT DAY!" Susie spun in a circle. Ryan pumped his fist. Michael knocked his chair over.

But across the room — nothing.

Tyler, Ethan, and Sammy stood completely still. Then Ethan, whose hair covered his eyes like a big fluffy curtain, turned to run and walked directly into the wall.

*Bonk.*

"The clippers," Tyler whispered, his face going pale. "They're coming."

Sammy grabbed his own hair with both hands.