The lunch time bell rang out at Jungle School. The animals leapt to their feet.
Miss Snake, the teacher, shouted, "No shoving or pushing!"
The animals shoved and pushed.
Zach Zebra reached the classroom door first but he was knocked out of the way by Liam Lion.
"Me first!" Liam laughed.
The other animals raced past Zach.
"Why am I always last?" Zach asked himself.
Zach left the classroom. He saw bouncing bottoms and twitching tails as the animals thundered towards the dining room. Zach trotted after them.
The dining room was noisy. Squeaks and squawks, bellows and barks.
Zach joined the end of the long queue. His tummy rumbled with hunger. Zach sniffed the air.
Mushy mashed potato and pepper pizza! Zach thought. If I was first in the queue I would get a mountain of mash and a plate piled high with pizza!
When Zach finally reached the front of the queue he was shocked.
"Where's the mushy mash? Where's the pepper pizza?" he asked.
"All gone," said Mrs Rhino, the dinner lady.
Zach's empty tummy growled and groaned.
"I've got some boiled broccoli left," Mrs Rhino smiled.
"Thank you," Zach said. He took the plate of boiled broccoli. He was too polite to say that he didn't like it.
Zach looked for somewhere to sit. There was only one place left. Next to Walter the whiffy warthog.
"Can I sit here?" Zach asked.
Walter was surprised. "Yes! No one ever sits next to me. They say I smell."
Zach sniffed Walter.
"You smell of mud and being outside," Zach smiled. "It's a nice smell."
Zach sniffed his lunch.
"Pooh! You smell much better than my boiled broccoli."
"Boiled broccoli! That's my favourite food," Walter beamed.
Zach decided to give his lunch to Walter.
Walter gave some of his fruit salad to Zach.
"I bring a packed lunch and my mum always packs too much," Walter explained.
Zach said thank you and tucked into the fruit salad. Walter took a big bite of the boiled broccoli.
Crunch! Munch!
"Delicious!" said Zach and Walter at the same time.
The next day at lunch time Zach was determined to get to the dining room first.
The bell rang. Zach jumped out of his seat, dashed out of the door and sprinted down the hall.
"Mushy mashed potato and pepper pizza here I come!" Zach grinned.
Suddenly, an ear piercing shout shot out.
"ZACHARY ZEBULON ZEBRA! STOP RIGHT THERE!"
Zach skidded to a stop. He looked behind him. A furious Miss Snake was glaring at him.
"Come back here and tidy your desk," she ordered.
Zach sighed and headed back to the classroom.
"Yes, Miss Snake. Sorry, Miss Snake," Zach muttered.
Zach tidied his desk and because he wasn't in a rush anymore he tidied the classroom.
By the time Zach got to the dining room the only food left was boiled broccoli again.
Zach took his lunch and sat next to Walter.
Zach pointed to the broccoli and asked, "Swap?"
"Swap," Walter agreed and he handed his fruit salad over.
At lunch time the next day Zach was ready. He'd finished his work. He'd tidied his desk. He'd put on his super speedy sprinting shoes.
"I'm definitely having mushy mash and pepper pizza today," he told Liam Lion.
"We'll see," Liam smirked.
The bell rang. Zach zoomed out of his seat like a rocket. He raced out of the door and ran down the hall. Liam chased after him.
"I'll get there before you!" Liam roared.
Zach ignored Liam and kept on running.
"Wait for me! I want to race too!" little Maisie Monkey called.
Maisie scampered after Zach and Liam. She got in Liam's way.
"Move!" Liam shoved Maisie.
Maisie tumbled and fell.
"Ouch!" she began to cry.
Zach was nearly at the dining room doors when he heard Maisie's cry. He stopped, turned around and ran back to Maisie.
Zach wiped Maisie's tears away and then he took her to see Miss Snake. He stayed with Maisie until she smiled again.
"Thank you," Maisie said. "I'm sorry I've made you late for lunch."
"It doesn't matter," Zach smiled.
By the time Zach got to the dining room lunch was almost over.
"I've saved you some boiled broccoli," said Mrs Rhino.
"I've saved you some fruit salad," said Walter.
"Thank you," Zach grinned.
The next day at lunch time Zach decided that he wouldn't race to the dining room. It's too much trouble, he thought. Anyway, I like sitting with Walter and swapping lunches.
The bell rang. The animals leapt to their feet.
"Stop right there," Miss Snake ordered. "I'm going to let Zach go first today. He has been very kind this week. He tidied our classroom and he helped Maisie when she fell over."
Zach felt embarrassed. His stripy cheeks went red.
"Off you go, Zach," Miss Snake said.
"It's not fair," Liam sulked.
Miss Snake looked at Liam and said, "You can go last."
Zach stood up and strolled out of the door. He sauntered down the hallway towards the dining room.
Mrs Rhino was surprised to see Zach.
"Are you first?" she asked.
"I am," Zach smiled.
Zach looked at the food in front of him. The mashed potatoes looked extra mushy and mashy. Zach could just imagine the mash melting in his mouth. The pepper pizza had extra peppers today AND extra cheese. Zach licked his lips as he thought about biting into the warm pizza.
Zach didn't know what to choose. He looked at the food for a bit longer.
Then he made his decision and told Mrs Rhino what he wanted.
Zach took his plate over to where he usually sat with Walter. When Walter came into the dining room Zach waved him over.
"I've saved you a place," Zach said. "I got into lunch first today."
"Good for you," Walter smiled. "What did you choose for lunch then?"
Zach showed Walter his plate.
"Boiled broccoli! But you don't like boiled broccoli," Walter was confused.
"No, but you do. I like fruit salad and I like swapping with you," Zach explained.
Walter laughed, "You're a crazy zebra!"
"I'm a hungry zebra. Shall we swap?" Zach asked.
"Yes," Walter replied.
Zach tucked into the fruit salad and Walter bit into the boiled broccoli.
Munch! Crunch!
Zach and Walter rubbed their tummies and said, "Delicious!"