The Shortest Boss in the Room

By Zanaiah Williams

Who needs fairy dust when the REAL magic sparks from within!

 

There was no denying it. Zaria Carter was born to be a boss! After a spa day treat from dad, Zaria later rejoins her

• Language: English
• Publisher: Black Odyssey Media
• Release date: Aug 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9781735443133

Book preview

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Black Odyssey Media LLC

Publishing Division

3501 Gus Thomasson Rd. #87-2002

Mesquite, TX 75187

THE SHORTEST BOSS IN THE ROOM.

Copyright © 2021 by Black Odyssey Media LLC

Copyright © 2021 by Zanaiah Williams

Illustrated by Navi’ Robins

Content Editors: Niko Michelle, Shawanda Williams

Copy Editor: Alanna Boutin

All rights reserved. Published by Black Odyssey Media LLC

Printed in the United States of America

Interior Formatting: Qamber Designs

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021907069

Zanaiah Williams, author.

Title: The Shortest Boss in the Room

Series: Boss Magic

Description: First Edition. | Dallas, TX: Black Odyssey Media LLC, 2021

ISBN: 978-1735443126 (trade paperback) | ISBN: 978-1735443133 (ebook)

Subjects: Juvenile Fiction | Business | Engineering | Children’s Literature | Friendships | Chapter Books | Middle Grade | Children’s Values Books

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by United States of America copyright law.

Dedicated to all of the young bosses in the universe.

~ Zanaiah Williams ~

Chapter 1

"Piper, I need you to get to creating, young lady." Mrs. Scott, our art teacher, pushed her sliding glasses back up and eyed one of the most popular students at A. J. Stanly Elementary.

"I’m not in the mood. Besides, this activity is boring."

I gasped, and my eyeballs nearly jumped out of my head. I stopped drawing, along with a few others, just in time to witness Piper serve Mrs. Scott the look. Piper could take down some of the most vicious bullies with her red-haired ponytail, cinnamon freckles, and Grinch-like green eyes, including Wes Bevins—the biggest bully on earth! Piper once made Wes cry crocodile tears in the hallway in front of everyone. She never even said a word. So if her look could cure bullying, someone whose classroom always smelled like fresh-baked banana nut muffins or sweet potato pie didn’t stand a chance.

Mrs. Scott’s forehead wrinkled as she walked over to Piper. I’m sure once she invaded Piper’s personal space, she could smell the sweet and sour combination of apple and watermelon Jolly Rancher candies swirling in the air. I sure did.

"Piper, you know the rule. Once we are in our creative circle, everyone must participate."

I remained frozen as if Mrs. Scott were speaking to me. Piper didn’t flinch or even blink, for that matter. She continued to stare in Mrs. Scott’s direction, obviously not worried one bit at how her behavior could land her in trouble. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something was definitely off with my bestie. What did she mean she wasn’t in the mood for art? She lived for it!

Piper loved Mrs. Scott’s class, and Mrs. Scott loved Piper and her unique talents. It was Piper’s creative brilliance that landed our classroom in the best dressed Hall of Door Fame contest last month. Thanks to her, we earned a pajama-jam pizza party. Not to mention the bragging rights of the entire fourth-grade pod, making us officially the walking billboards for #PopArt!

I scanned the room and waited along with the rest of the class to see what would happen next. I didn’t want to see Piper in time-out. I had to save my best friend—fast!

Before the words could crawl out of my throat, ARCKK-AAAHHH-CHOOOSSS! I unleashed a flame-spitting dragon sneeze. The kind that sounds like a cough and a sneeze rolled into one. My hands flew to my face in record time.

Bless you, Zaria! Hailey called out from the other side of the room.

Thank you, I replied. I was so sure that it was going to be a snot-flying mess. My breathing returned to normal once I saw that my hands were still nice and dry. Even my allergies were irritated by Piper.

Piper! Please draw something like Mrs. Scott asked. Why are you being so difficult today?

That I-am-beyond-annoyed voice belonged to my other best friend, Cassidy Simpson, the third member of our Three Wayz squad. I could see that Cassidy was really into whatever she was creating. She never looked up from her paper. Her new braided hairstyle had a few ropes of turquoise and rose pink, which were neatly wrapped in an updo bun. Out of the sprinkle of brown-skinned girls in our entire school, it was my fashion geek BFF who always made it a point to flex in her complexion any chance given, from her versatile hairstyles to her multicolored nails.

And although Cassidy was a tad shorter than Piper and me, she carried a lot of spirit for a girl who stood four foot five in those Chuck Taylors that she wore faithfully. She practically owned every color in the Converse collection to coordinate with her glam and glitzy outfits. Today, she wore the rose gold pair, which matched the shirt underneath her denim overalls.

"Yeah, Piper. Why are you acting brand new? Follow the rules. Period."

That remark came from McKenzie Patel, who always claimed a spot at the front of the class to accommodate the space needed for her wheelchair. She was the coolest kid on wheels and had my vote of confidence any day of the week, especially after watching her beat Jamal Evans in a basketball free-throw competition. Talk about R-E-S-P-E-C-T, as my mother would say. Jamal was so embarrassed that he tried to pay me twenty dollars in weekly installments to keep quiet about it. Needless to say, McKenzie sometimes refers to herself as McJordan, especially at recess.

Emotions were rising, and it seemed everybody had something to say. While Piper was very much present, there was this distant look in her eyes. Her blue mechanical pencil remained untouched on her desk.

Settle down, class. We’re okay. In fact, let’s break for a moment. I have a couple of announcements to make, and I need every eye and ear in my direction. Mrs. Scott half-smiled at Piper before waddling into the center of the circle. She took a breather and then placed her right