His teachers said he needed to mingle with the other kids more, but that he was a good kid. There was just one place in the world where Simon lost his diffidence – his school bus.

Dad was late again last night. He tried to be quiet when he checked on me, but he woke me anyway.

Mrs Cowell was not happy with my math assignment today. “Why don’t you focus, Simon?” she sighed. Billy looked across at me and grinned. Then he nudged Sarah and she turned around and laughed. I didn’t open the note that Wally threw at me. I am sure it was just like always: ‘Simon is an idiot ha ha ha’.

I knew all the answers in Mr Gupta’s class. But I didn’t raise my hand even once. Last time I did, Billy snatched my pencil case. I didn’t tell Dad I don’t have a pencil case now.

I looked out the window at Mr Peters cleaning Bussie. She’s my school bus. In just some time, I would meet my friend again and we would have the best of times! I love her. But I love my seat on it more.

When I got to my favourite seat, I first checked for the torn corner on the right, the one where the foam sticks out. Mr Peters tried to stitch the tear back but I love how the foam feels. I put two of my fingers in the tear and sat back. Yesterday, I had been flying over Paris when my stop arrived and Mr Peters called my name. Today I will fly around the Eiffel Tower twice. Then I will put pizza in my backpack and go to see the Mona Lisa. She will smile at me and I will offer her a slice. Then I will fly over a garden and swim in the ocean. Maybe Dad can come with me. He never goes anywhere.

Tonight I will write about my Paris trip in my blue notebook. I will write about how my seat on the school bus teleports me everywhere. I can go anywhere I want when I am on the bus. I can fly like Iron Man. I can become an insect and hide inside the Taj Mahal. I can eat as many tacos as I want in Cabo. Mr Ingram told us about the pyramids in Egypt. Tomorrow I will be on the bus and close my eyes. When I open my eyes, I will be in front of the pyramids and then I can go inside to take a look at their treasures.

Yesterday I was in my seat and Tim tried to push me out to sit there himself. I kicked him hard on the ankle and he started crying. I did not tell Dad about this. He gets upset when I fight. Today Tim did not shove me. He sat in the front behind Mr Peters. When he looked at me, his eyes became round and he turned his face.

I love my bus so much. She is my best friend in the whole world. Dad says a school bus cannot be my friend. He did not explain why not. Mrs Cowell said a friend is someone you like and trust. I like and trust the bus. So she is my friend. I wish she could hug me sometimes.

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