4 I nod and turn my paper over When the introductions start up again I draw another music staff treble clef this time Then I fill in six simple notes I glance up occasionally Kids parade to the front of the room in new sneakers and stiff first day clothes The room smells like clean laundry Most girls are wearing boots and sweaters even though the real fall weather won't start for a while It's like watching a back-to-school episode of the Fashion Network show Who What When WEAR Why that Mom pretends not to be obsessed with We're coming to you live from Kensington Middle School in Lakeville Connecticut Or should I say Perfectville Bob Hahaha Look at these wonderful students in the exact right clothes And listen to their impeccable speech Not one of them has any problem saying their own name Well almost none of them Cut to close up of my mouth Back to you in the studio Bob At least my turn is over and I have lunch with Jett and Tyson to look forward to After today maybe I won't be so freaked out about meeting new people At least that's what I tell myself The problem is I don't really believe it I'm supposed to go with my gut right Well mine is seriously considering asking to be homeschooled When the bell rings I tear off part of my paper and hand it to Melanie What's this Pointing to each quarter note I hum hap-py birth-day to you Thank you she says covering her smile with her hand You have extremely advanced doodling skills
That's me I bow and wave for her to go first out the door I smile all the way to my next class happy there's something I can do right 5
2 Alphabetical Order Things I used to be able to count on Brent wanting to do the same stuff as me Brent doing the talking whenever we were in new situations and Brent being next to me in alphabetical order We called ourselves the Michigan Twins because of the MI's Mitchell and Milliken Mom used to say we sounded like a law firm But that was then Now as I worm my way through the wall of kids in the hallway I wish my last name started with anything besides M. Brent is standing at the locker next to mine twisting the dial of his combination and chewing on his lip Shoulders hunched he yanks down on the latch and slaps his palm against the locker when it doesn't budge which makes me flinch Stupid thing must be broken he mumbles I've already got mine open Brent looks from me to his lock and back again The warning bell rings Brent gives his locker three swift kicks as if breaking it might be the only way in
You have to pass the numbuh when you go left I say just as Cornstalk comes up behind us and claps his hand down on Brent's shoulder with a loud smack Yo Milliken You coming to wrestling tryouts today he asks You know it Hope you can take down your locker by then Or maybe you need your little fwend to help He laughs in a loud blurt-snort combo When I glance over my eyes are at the level of his sweaty pink forehead Nah says Brent His locker finally clicks open and he grabs a folder C'mon let's go The tiny bit of okay I was feeling vaporizes That's the kid from the bike path right Cornstalk asks glancing back at me as the two of them walk away Yeah total loser I hear Brent say So that's where I've seen him before The fact that Cornstalk was there that day feels like a knife in my belly but it's Brent's words that make the blade twist I force my language arts binder into my locker and slam the door What's up with you asks Tyson passing me on his way to second period Idiots I say nodding toward where Brent and Cornstalk have stopped to talk to another guy Dude Brent Milliken is so last year Forget about him Tyson knows that Brent and I stopped hanging out but he doesn't know why He's good about not being pushy like that He starts humming and tapping to the beat of a song he made up this summer and I can't help smiling 7
