Wren stood by the cubbies while other kids ran past her toward the swings. She twisted the hem of her polka-dot dress and watched them go. Her feet stayed planted while everyone else moved.
A red shoe stepped right over her shadow. The girl wearing it kept walking without looking down. Wren watched the red sneaker disappear around the corner.
At lunch, Wren sat alone. She opened her book about clouds and traced the fluffy shapes with her finger. A cumulus cloud looked just like a sheep.
A boy bumped her shoulder hard. 'Boring!' he said, his friends snickering behind him. Wren folded her book closed and pushed it away, staring at the table.
That afternoon, Wren tried on a bright yellow hat. It sat crooked on her head, made of crinkly paper with a curly brim. She decided she would wear it.
She put on a sparkly backpack covered in silver sequins. It weighed almost nothing but looked heavy with sparkle. Wren adjusted the straps and took a deep breath.
Wren marched into the playground and shouted, 'Look at me!' Her voice rang out clear and loud. The other kids stopped playing and stared at her.
The sparkly backpack caught on the swing set chain. It ripped open with a loud tear. A hundred paper butterflies flew everywhere, catching the golden afternoon light.
'Wait for me!' Wren called, and they ran together across the playground. The butterflies fluttered ahead like a trail of stars, leading the way through the afternoon.
When they stopped, Wren took off the yellow hat and smoothed her hair. The kids gathered around her anyway, their faces full of curiosity and delight. She hadn't needed to shout.
'Tell us about the butterflies!' said the boy who bumped her. Wren smiled, a real smile this time. She opened her cloud book to the butterfly page.
They all sat close together on the grass. Wren pointed to the pictures and explained how some clouds look just like butterflies. The boy nodded, listening carefully.