behind him She’s taller than him which is nothing new The Katos are a short family but Terence’s dad assures him that he’ll have a growth spurt any day now and catch up at least to the girls Although Terence doubts he’ll ever catch up to this particular girl Let me see that she says snatching his schedule Hey Terence says but the girl turns around and blocks him from getting the paper back while she reads it Terence Kato she reads aloud and then says over her shoulder Aren’t you a little short to be an eighth grader Give it back OK OK the girl says finally handing him the paper Anyway you missed advisory but your first hour is in the same room I can show you if you want help Terence glares at her a moment and then glances at the man behind the desk who still hasn’t looked up Fine Terence mutters and then even more quietly Thanks No problem Terry she says I’m Meredith Carson
by the way But you can call me Merry Terence interrupts as he follows her out of the office Eddie actually she says Anyone calls me Merry I knife em Terence flinches Eddie laughs I’m kidding newbie she says and then adds Or am I Terence isn’t sure really Eddie laughs again I take it from that Cadillac strapped to your back you’ll be joining our esteemed band It’s my bass guitar Terence explains his voice going higher and louder with excitement Are you in the band What do you play Easy eager beaver Eddie says You know band class isn’t until after school right It’s extracurricular I know Terence says But my bass didn’t fit in my locker and I didn’t know where else to put it She sizes him up Bet you would though she says Fit in your locker I mean
Terence feels his face go hot as she leads him around a corner They head up to the school’s second floor and she stops in front of the first door 212 This is your room band boy she says Have fun With that she leaves him standing in front of the closed door to his first public-school class since fifth grade He sneaks a look in the window The tables are set up in clusters of four Walking among the tables with her hands behind her back is Terence takes a quick look at his schedule Ms Hardison his new math teacher OK you can do this he whispers to himself as he leans on the wall next to the door Of course if everyone in there is as nice and helpful as Meredith was this might be the worst hour of my life Suddenly the door flies open and Ms Hardison pokes out her head Will you be joining us this morning Mr Kato she says or do you have a soliloquy to rehearse out here Oh um Terence mumbles not because he doesn’t know what a soliloquy is Hart Arts had a
renowned drama department In fact Polly Winger the singer from his band at Hart had been one of the department’s top stars even though she was only in eighth grade Terence missed his old school and his old life But most of all he missed the Kato Quintet They were his best friends and the best band at Hart Arts Sure they were only miles away but they might as well have been on another planet Sorry Terence finally says I had trouble finding the room Ms Hardison steps to one side and holds the door open for him smirking Welcome to Franklin Middle she says as he passes dodging the top of his gig bag What is that The class laughs as Terence finds an empty desk in one of the clusters It’s my bass guitar he says It didn’t fit in my locker Just lean it in the corner Ms Hardison says not bothering to hide her contempt for Terence’s extra baggage
