Destined to Succeed Read Free Page B

stuttered.
    “It’s okay. It didn’t hurt too bad.” I acted like I was gonna cry. “Want your pebble back?” I’d reached over and picked up the pebble and I was holdin’ it out to her.
    “Yes, please.” I handed it to her and when my hand touched hers, she pulled back real quick.
    “You okay?” She was lookin’ a little strange.
    “Yeah, I’m fine. Just kinda nervous. I’m starting school here today. My parents are in the office signing me up.”
    “What grade ya in?” I asked, really hopin’ she’d say third.
    “Third. What grade are you in?” She asked me as she pulled her pretty red hair back behind her ear. I could see her little pearl earring.
    “I’m in third grade too. We’ll be in the same class. What’s your name?”
    “Suzanna. Suzanna Mallory. What’s yours?” she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.
    “Cade Walker.” I did what my dad always did when he met someone new. I stood up and reached my hand out to her. “Nice to meet ya.” I shook her hand the best I knew how.
    “Nice to meet you too, Cade Walker.”
    Wow, she had a real pretty smile. I thought I was gonna like havin’ her in my class.
     
    Suzanna~
    “Why do we have to move again, Mommy?” I tried to say through my tears. “I just made some friends and I love my teacher. Why can’t we just stay here?”
    My mom, Melinda was not a sweet woman, and today, her meanness was shining. “Suzanna Marie Mallory, I’m sick of explaining this to you. Your father got a new job and we have to move. That’s just the way it is. Now stop acting like a titty-baby and get your little bottom out of the car.”
    I did what she asked. I leaned over and picked up a little pebble out of the parking lot of my new school. I was going to miss my friends from my old school. Why did Daddy have to get a new job? I wanted to stay in Joplin. I was so happy there. We were all happy there.
    My dad was waiting for us in the hallway. “We’re going to go in here and get you registered, Suz. You stay out here and we’ll be right back.” My dad pinched my cheek as he took my mom’s hand to lead her into the office.
    I dropped the pebble and started kicking it across the floor. I wasn’t really paying any attention to what I was doing. I was just bored, a little sad, and a lot nervous. I didn’t know anybody here. This was going to be so hard. School sucked enough when you had friends to help you get through the day, but when you didn’t know anybody, it was really rough. I’d never been accused of being shy, but it was still hard to make friends when you were the new girl. My daddy always called me “mouth”. I wasn’t sure sometimes if he meant that in a nice way or not. I guess I was a little outspoken. I always said what was on my mind, when it was on my mind. I didn’t really believe in holding anything in.
    I went to kick the pebble and missed, kicking something a lot bigger than the pebble. I almost fell right into the little blonde-haired boy sitting on the floor in the hallway. I thought he was about the same age as me. He was just sitting there, on the ground, in the hallway. He must’ve done something pretty bad to get that punishment.
    “I’m s-s-sorry.” When I get nervous I stutter. Not a whole lot, but just enough to make me sound like a real dork. My mom always joked, “It’s just your meanness coming out, Suz.” I couldn’t figure out why she didn’t stutter every time she spoke if it was caused from meanness.
    The boy told me he was okay and handed me my pebble. When his hand touched mine, I bout jumped outta my hide. That was weird. I guess I was just so darn nervous, that he kinda shocked me.
    He asked me my name and looked at me with the brightest green eyes. I’d never really seen eyes like that....they looked like green ice. The sunshine coming in from the window on the other side of the hall was shining through his blonde hair and making his eyes sparkle. Something about him made me a lot less