" She went on playing, tossing a green beanbag into the chalk-numbered squares, ignoring him.

At last he thought of a funny thing to say. “Who’s winning?”

She said nothing. She tossed the beanbag to the farthest square and hopped on down and back. She tossed the bag out again, and just when it seemed she would never speak, she said, “Thanks for inviting me to your party.”

It made no sense, but Palmer was thrilled to hear her voice. “It was all boys,” he said.

“Good,” she said with a disdainful sniff. Sometimes it amazed him that this girl, just out of third grade, could make him feel so little. She went on hopping. "

― Jerry Spinelli , Wringer