throwing hundreds of hostile teenagers together Not so much Thanks to Monica Murray my best friend since third grade I know a few kids from Rock Creek Monica Chloe Granger and Rory Weber all ride at the same stable Still I have never cheered for Rock Creek to win a football game and I don’t have any friends from there It’s still too weird to imagine us all getting along Coral points to a printed floor plan that’s taped to the table Straight down the front hall take the first right and go up the stairs to the second floor Then just follow the signs she tells me
I want to find out if Monica is in my homeroom But before I can Coral shouts Next The boy behind me moves up and I leave to find room 248 The building smells like fresh paint and everything looks new The floors aren’t scuffed and the metal lockers are shiny not scratched with graffiti The small windows in the classroom doors are clean and the black lettering on the hall signs is easy to read I pause outside the classroom door to take a deep breath I want everyone to notice how much more mature I seem but I don’t want to be too obvious or fake
I take another deep breath and walk through the door But my grand entrance comes to an abrupt halt Before I have a chance to scan the room for friends I hear a dreaded laugh Anna Dunlap the bossy supreme ruler of Pine Tree Middle who made life miserable for everyone who wasn’t in her circle of friends is sitting right in the front row Anna has never liked me She’s always wanted Brad Turino to be her boyfriend and she hates the fact that he and I are on the verge of being a couple Apparently that breaks the rule that football players are
only supposed to hang out with cheerleaders and other football players Gina Tanner walks right in front of me She’s a sophomore and two years ago when she still went to Pine Tree Middle she was the head cheerleader She’s handing out class schedules Hi Gina Anna says She’s all lit up expecting Gina to be thrilled to see her They used to cheer together but Gina is a year older than we are I’m not sure her middle-school cheer camaraderie will translate to high school Is it horrible that I hope it won’t as a matter of fact Where did you get that awful bag
