Every morning, Nora waited at the bus stop with the same group of kids. Most days, they talked about shows she had never seen. Nora usually stood a little off to the side and looked down at her shoes.

On Tuesday, a girl named Hailey noticed the book Nora was holding. “Is that the one about the dragon who is afraid of fire?” Hailey asked. “I’m on chapter nine!”

Nora looked up. “I just finished chapter ten,” she said. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell you what happens.”

Hailey laughed. When the bus came, she slid over and patted the seat next to her. Nora sat down, and the two of them talked about dragons all the way to school.