The teacher asked Emily to count to ten.
Emily started.
- Two, three, four...
- No, said the teacher, you forgot a number. Start again.
- Two, three, four, five...
- Emily. Are you doing this on purpose ? The teacher was getting angry. Start again,
and I warn you, it's the last time. You forgot a number, and it's a pretty easy one,
it's the first one you've learned.
Emily listened calmly to her. Then she started counting again.
- Two, three, four...
That was too much for the teacher. Why was a cute little girl trying to drive her
crazy like that.
- Emily, ONE ! You missed the number ONE ! How can you forget the number ONE ? Why
don't you say it ? What's wrong with you ?
Emily stayed quiet for a minute and tried to think about the best way to answer
without getting her teacher mad.
- I don't say "One", because I don't like "one".
The teacher remained silent for a few seconds.
- What is that supposed to mean ? What's the matter with the number one.
- It's too sad.
The teacher was loosing her patience.
- What do you mean by "sad".
Emily looked down at her table. She wasn't sure the teacher would understand. But the
whole classroom was silent, waiting for her answer and she could feel the stare of
her friends on her back.
- It's a lonely number, she finally whispered. Nobody wants to be "one". Nobody wants
to be on his own. Nobody wants one candy, or one hug. It's too sad.
The teacher smiled.
- You're right Emily, she said. One is the loneliest number. But only if you think
about it that way. You are one little girl, so is Zoey, and Sarah. But if you put it
together, that makes three of you. And three isn't lonely at all. Is it ?
Emily frowned.
- You mean that, if we add something to "one", then it's not lonely anymore ?
- Exactly. And you can add a friend, a candy, a hug. Or a lover.
- Baaaaaah, that's disgusting !
The teacher smiled again.
- You're right, maybe not a lover...
Not yet, she thought.
- Now, would you try to count to ten again ?
Emily smiled back and nodded. She started again, slowly :
- ONE..., two..., three...
And manage to count all the way to ten, without making any mistake.