The Big Vote for Nibbles

When the bell rang, Nibbles the hamster peeked out and wiggled his whiskers like he had news.

Leila Ortiz sat up straight. She always sat up straight. Her pencil was lined with tiny stars she had drawn. On her desk sat a neat list that said: Math, Reading, Help Friends.

Ms. Park clapped softly. "Class, I have something to share." She pointed to Nibbles' cage. "Our room will be painted next month. That means Nibbles needs a new place for a while."

Chairs squeaked. Nibbles froze. His tiny nose stopped twitching. Leila covered her ears for a second. The scrape sound was sharp.

"We will make a plan," Ms. Park said. "You will work in teams. Share your idea. Then we will vote."

Leila liked plans. Her stomach still fluttered like paper. Where would Nibbles go? How could they choose?

Making the Plans

Teams formed fast. Tariq sketched near the window. "A sunny window garden," he said. "I'll build a tunnel maze from paper tubes." He made bright arrows and a big sun with crayons.

Jada walked to the door. "I'll ask Ms. Rivera in the library," she said. "Maybe a quiet nook will work." She held a small notepad and wrote questions.

Leila looked at the class reading corner. The rug was soft. Pillows were stacked like small clouds. "We could make a reading corner home," she said. "We'll take turns to feed and clean." She opened a fresh page and made tidy boxes:

• Morning feeder
• Afternoon feeder
• Cleaner
• Water checker

Her friends Ana and Marcus joined her. They drew a sign: Please read near Nibbles in calm voices.

The room buzzed. Markers squeaked on posters. Tape clicked. Someone shook the seeds bag, and it rattled like tiny rain. Nibbles turned in a slow circle and sniffed the air.

"Let's test sound," Jada said. She held up a paper with numbers. "This is our 'shh scale.' Ten is noisy. One is whisper quiet."

They tried the window. A truck rumbled outside. The blinds clacked. "That's a seven," Tariq said, making a face.

They tried the reading corner. Two kids read in soft voices. The rug felt thick under their socks. "That's a three," Ana said.

They walked to the library with Ms. Park. The air smelled like paper and lemon. Ms. Rivera smiled and waved. "Welcome, readers." Her voice was a blanket. A student turned a page. It made a hush sound. "That's a two," Jada whispered, grinning.

Back in class, Leila's team made a big care chart. She wrote names in small, neat letters. "Everyone gets a turn," she said. Her hand felt steady now. Tariq's team glued a picture of a twisty tunnel. It looked fun. Jada's team drew a cozy library nook with a cover and soft mat.

At the end of the day, each team practiced their talk. Leila's heart tapped fast. "We can do it," she told Ana and Marcus. She stood tall and took one slow breath.

The Big Vote

Presentation day came. The sun slid across the floor like a gold stripe. Nibbles peeked out when the bell rang, like always. His whiskers bounced.

Tariq went first. "Our window garden gives light and a maze," he said. "We'll add a shade so it's not too bright." He showed his tunnel drawing. Everyone leaned close.

Leila's turn. She held her chart. "Our reading corner is calm," she said. "We made a care schedule. Morning, afternoon, and cleaning." She pointed to the tidy boxes. Her hands only shook a tiny bit.

Jada spoke last. "The library is the quietest," she said. "Ms. Rivera said we can make a nook. We'll add a cover to block chair sounds." She held up the 'shh scale' paper. "Two is very calm."

Questions flew like paper planes, but kind ones.

"Will Nibbles be lonely?"

"We will visit and read to him," Jada said.

"What about the maze?"

"We can add tunnels to any place," Tariq said.

"Who feeds him?"

Leila lifted the chart. "We all will, on a fair schedule."

Chairs scraped as kids lined up to vote. Nibbles went still again. Ms. Park noticed and put a hand on the chair leg. "Let's lift, not drag," she said. The scrape stopped. Nibbles' whiskers moved again.

Everyone folded a small slip. They dropped them into a blue box. The room sounded like tiny thumps. Ms. Park counted in a soft voice.

"The library plan wins," she said. "By two votes."

Leila's shoulders drooped. Her chart felt heavy in her arms. She pressed her lips together.

Jada walked over. "Leila, your schedule is great," she said. "Will you add it to the library plan?"

Tariq waved his tunnel drawing. "And my maze can twist under the nook!" he said.

Leila looked at Nibbles. He was washing his face with quick little paws. She lifted her chin. "Yes," she said. "Let's put our plans together."

They carried the cage like a treasure. Ms. Park held the door. The hallway smelled like art paint and floor wax. In the library, Ms. Rivera showed a corner with a low shelf. They made a soft nest with a mat and a cloth cover. Tariq slid tubes into a cool tunnel path. It curved like a river. Leila taped a sticky-note calendar to the shelf. Names and dates lined up like a little parade.

Ana opened a book and began to read. Her voice was gentle. Pages turned with soft swishes. Nibbles sniffed the tunnels. He walked through one, then another. He found a tiny hideout and curled up.

Leila stood by the calendar. She added a star next to today. Her smile felt warm in her cheeks. She looked at her friends, and her list-loving heart felt light.

"Good work, team," Ms. Park whispered.

Leila glanced at the cage. The cloth cover made a quiet cave. The tunnel maze twisted just right. The chart gleamed with sticky notes. It all fit.

Nibbles' whiskers wiggled once more, like he had news again. This time, the news felt clear. They had made a home together.