I loved everything about school except for one person: Mildred.
Every day, as we walked home after school, she 1 step on the backs of my shoes. Then, when I stopped to adjust my shoes, Mildred would slap (拍打) my back. She made me 2.
Soon, my mother realized something was wrong. I told her the whole story. My mom told me not to worry and said she had a 3.
The next morning, my mom walked up the4 with me. Just as we got to the top, we saw Mildred.
"Hello, Mildred, " my mom said 5. Mildred stopped, turning back, then standing as 6 as a statue (雕像). Her face was bright red. Her oversized coat hung open. There were only two buttons (纽扣) on it.
My mother didn't say anything at first. 7, she buttoned up Mildred's coat and turned the collar up around her neck.
"I'm Marion's mother. I need your 8, Mildred. " My mother's hands held Mildred's as she spoke. "Marion doesn't have any brothers or sisters. She needs a best 9 at school, someone to walk up the hill with her after classes are over. Would you be Marion's friend, Mildred?"
Mildred chewed (咀嚼) on her bottom lip and 10. "Oh, thank you!" my mother said. "I just know you are someone I can depend11. " Then she hugged us and left as if 12unusual had happened.
Mildred and I walked on to school. As I looked over at her, I saw that Mildred was 13! I'd never seen her smile before. We walked up the hill each day after school together and pretty soon we became best friends.
I didn't 14my mom's plan at the time. But in the end, I came to understand her message:15 never fails. It will make us into a friendly and beautiful person.
