`It was the first day of Elephant School, and Ella's first day in the town of Peanutville. Ella had a purple birthmark on her face, and was always scared her classmates would make fun of her, especially when she moved towns.

Happy First Day

of School!

The bell had rang, and Ella had found a seat next to an elephant named Penelope, the prettiest elephant in the whole school! Ella tapped her feet under her seat, worried someone would point out her birthmark.

The teacher, Miss Morgan, after organizing the class and learning names, told the elephants it was time for recess. Ella jumped out of her seat, as she couldn't wait to show her classmates how good she was at the monkey bars. The class followed each other outside, and Ella could quickly see there was a group swarming Penelope.

Ella ran over to the monkey bars with some other girls, near where Penelope was.

"Hi Ella! How is your first day in Peanutville?" one elephant named Amelia said.

"Everyone is so nice here, I'm having a great time!" Ella lied. She was so nervous, and had only been in Peanutville for only 24 hours.

"That's great! Can you do the monkey bars? It's our favorite thing to do!" one elephant named Charlotte said.

"Oh it's my favorite too! Let me show you!" Ella smiled.

Ella jumped up onto the bars and started to climb, when all of a sudden Ella heard a loud shriek that made her fall off the ledge.

"AAAAAAHHHH! What is on her face?" Penelope yelled.

Ella touched her face only to realize that Penelope was screaming about her birthmark. Everyone had their mouths open wide in horror, but no words would come out of Ella's mouth. She didn't know why everyone cared about one small mark on her face.

Finally Ella couldn't take the silence. She ran faster than she had ever ran before back into the classroom. Miss Morgan was sitting at her desk, filing papers away when she asked Ella,

"What's wrong Ella? You should be outside."

"Well, it's pretty cold out, I think I'm going to be sick." Ella lied. She didn't want to bring Miss Morgan into her silly little problems.

"Ok, well make sure you have a coat tomorrow then." Miss Morgan replied.

The rest of the school day no one talked to Ella. They couldn't even look at her. Penelope threatened all of the class that if they looked or talked to Ella, she would never talk to them again.

Ella went home that day to her parents asking her how her first day was, but Ella lied once more telling them how fantastic school was. Ella was embarassed to tell her parents about her big problem .She decided she would try to make friends with Charlotte and Amelia, and show them the birthmark was nothing to be scared of.

The next day during recess, Ella walked up to Charlotte and Amelia.

"Hi guys! Do you want to play on the monkey bars?" Ella asked.

Amelia and Charlotte shrugged their shoulders and took a few steps away from Ella, as if she was a diseased animal.

"Come on! It will be fun!" Ella motioned her hand to come with her.