【JusthowpopularwasMini?Very.Everyyear,herclassmatesvotedher1thefavouritestudent.Shewassoeasyto2alongwiththatthenumberoffriendsshehadbyfaroutnumbered(压倒)thoseofanyoneelseinhergroup.Onedaythe10-year-oldwas3】

　　JusthowpopularwasMini?Very.Everyyear,herclassmatesvotedher1thefavouritestudent.Shewassoeasyto2alongwiththatthenumberoffriendsshehadbyfaroutnumbered(压倒)thoseofanyoneelseinhergroup.

　　Onedaythe10-year-oldwas3talkingintheclassandorderedtostaybackas4.Stayingback5doingsomething“useful”,likehelpinginthegardenorlibraryafterschool.

　　NowtheschoolinwhichMini6hadaruleofsorts.Onceamonth,youcouldinterchangeyourpunishmentschedulewithsomeoneelse.Ifyou7somethingelsetodothedayyouwerepunished,youcould8afriendtostandinforyou.Ofcourse,youhadtoreturnthefavour,butinthatsamemonthitself.Otherwisethefavourcancelleditselfout.Sothestudentswhostayedbackforothersandwantedthefavourrepaid,foundwaystobepunishedthatverymonth.9ithappened,onthatdayaverydearauntwasvisitingMinionherwaybacktoAmerica.Thatafternoonwastheonly10Minihadofseeingherforanotherfiveyears.Minineededsomeonetostandinforher.Thatwasaproblemthoughitwasthelastdayofthemonth.Soanyonewhohelpedher,woulddosooutoffriendship'ssakealone.ShesoughtoutPreeti,her“best'”friend."OhnoMini,Ican't,"Preetisaid."Ihavetocoachmybrotherforhisnurseryentrancetest.Thekidjustcan'tseemtogetintoanydecent(体面的)school."Andshespentagood11oftimetellingMiniofherbrother'sproblems.

　　"Mohit,12youstaybackforme?"Miniaskedanotherfriendwhowasdribblingaball(运球)intheplayground.Sheknewheoftenjusthungaroundafterschool."Tohelpthelibrarian?I13you'dtoldmeearlier.Ihavetogotoarelative'shousewithmyfather.Someotherdayperhaps,"and14thatMohitfled.

　　Bynow,Miniwasbeginningto15ifevenoneofherfriendswould16tostay.Butshetriedagain.Three17friendsandeachonerefused.Ofcourse,noonesaid"no"outright.Miniwasagreatpal,afterall.Buteachhada“reason”whytheycouldn'ttakeherplacethatafternoon,andifonlyitweresomeotherday...

　　So,afterschoolMinistayedbacktohelpthe18,MsMathur.And,whentheremoteMsMathurfoundhercryingaftereveryonehadleft,itwasshe19surprisedMinibyallowinghertoleavetomeetheraunt."SomepopularityIhave,"Minimurmured(嘟囔)toherself,asshewenthome."Imayhavemanyfriends