called
to the office to meet her, but the call hadn't come.
Several of the new students had arrived already. She had
seen Whitney Larkin escorting a new girl between classes, but she hadn't had a
chance to speak to Whitney about how it was going.
Sitting in her first period history class on Thursday, Jana
made a mental note to call Whitney that night. Then she started daydreaming
about the girl who would be assigned to her. Jana wondered what her name would
be, whether she would be nice, and whether they would have things in common.
But most of all, Jana was excited about the idea of helping this new girl. She
knew that it wouldn't be easy at times, but she expected good things to happen.
After all, she reasoned, she really wanted to help.
Jana sat at her desk and doodled on her notebook. Then she
started making a list of things she could do for the girl on her first day. She'd
already decided that she wouldn't overwhelm the girl by introducing her to The
Fabulous Five right away. Jana knew that she and the new girl would want to
have a little time alone first to get to know each other.
Jana began her list.
1. Show her to locker.
2. Introduce her to teachers.
3. Eat lunch alone with her.
Jana paused and tapped her pencil against her cheek. That
all seemed so obvious. What else could she do? She couldn't think of anything.
The classroom door opening caught her eye, and a student
messenger from the office strode across the front of the room and handed Mr.
Naset a note.
Jana's stomach fluttered and she sat up straight. Was the
office sending for her?
"Jana," said Mr. Naset, looking up from the note. "Your
presence is requested in the office."
Jana gasped, leaped to her feet, and headed for the door.
Oh, she thought, maybe I should bring my books and stuff in case I don't have
time to come back—
She whirled around and headed back for her desk, then
stopped. She'll be in most of my classes anyway, she thought. I'll be coming
back to history.
She turned for the door and stopped again. But if I'm gone
for the rest of the period, I'll need my books to go on to second period, she reasoned.
She sighed and whirled around for the third time, causing
the kids around her to laugh. Rushing back to her desk, she grabbed her book
bag and pencils.
"You look like a duck in a shooting gallery! Calm down,"
Beth whispered loudly behind her hand. "You'll be fine."
Jana's cheeks turned red, but she managed to flash a weak
smile at Beth and then ran out the door.
CHAPTER 3
What should I say to her? Jana wondered. She wished she had
written a list of things she could talk about in her first meeting with the new
girl.
Oh, well, I guess I'll play it by ear, she decided. Just let
it happen.
She rushed into the girls' bathroom and ran a brush through
her hair. She wanted to make a good first impression.
Outside the office door, Jana stopped and took a deep,
calming breath. Then another. Okay, she thought, I'm as ready as I'll ever be.
She opened the door.
Miss Simone looked up from her desk. "Ah, Jana,"
she said, smiling, "Mr. Bell and Mrs. Brenner are waiting for you in Mr.
Bell's office."
"Thanks," said Jana. She steadied herself and
walked in.
"Hi, Jana," Mr. Bell said cordially. "Come in
and sit down." He gestured to an empty seat next to his desk. Jana sat
down.
Sitting around the principal's office were three adults: Mr.
Bell, Mrs. Brenner, the counselor, and a pale, thin woman with dark hair.
Sitting next to the woman was a girl about Jana's age. She
was rather pretty, Jana thought, with large, dark eyes and shoulder-length
brown hair, although her hair looked as if it needed shampooing. She wore a faded
pair of jeans and a worn red jacket that was unzipped, revealing a plaid shirt
underneath. On her feet were ancient, worn-out sneakers. She was flexing her
feet nervously, and Jana noticed that one of the shoes was coming apart at the
front toe seam. The one detail that didn't go with the rest of her was the pair
of
to the office to meet her, but the call hadn't come.
Several of the new students had arrived already. She had
seen Whitney Larkin escorting a new girl between classes, but she hadn't had a
chance to speak to Whitney about how it was going.
Sitting in her first period history class on Thursday, Jana
made a mental note to call Whitney that night. Then she started daydreaming
about the girl who would be assigned to her. Jana wondered what her name would
be, whether she would be nice, and whether they would have things in common.
But most of all, Jana was excited about the idea of helping this new girl. She
knew that it wouldn't be easy at times, but she expected good things to happen.
After all, she reasoned, she really wanted to help.
Jana sat at her desk and doodled on her notebook. Then she
started making a list of things she could do for the girl on her first day. She'd
already decided that she wouldn't overwhelm the girl by introducing her to The
Fabulous Five right away. Jana knew that she and the new girl would want to
have a little time alone first to get to know each other.
Jana began her list.
1. Show her to locker.
2. Introduce her to teachers.
3. Eat lunch alone with her.
Jana paused and tapped her pencil against her cheek. That
all seemed so obvious. What else could she do? She couldn't think of anything.
The classroom door opening caught her eye, and a student
messenger from the office strode across the front of the room and handed Mr.
Naset a note.
Jana's stomach fluttered and she sat up straight. Was the
office sending for her?
"Jana," said Mr. Naset, looking up from the note. "Your
presence is requested in the office."
Jana gasped, leaped to her feet, and headed for the door.
Oh, she thought, maybe I should bring my books and stuff in case I don't have
time to come back—
She whirled around and headed back for her desk, then
stopped. She'll be in most of my classes anyway, she thought. I'll be coming
back to history.
She turned for the door and stopped again. But if I'm gone
for the rest of the period, I'll need my books to go on to second period, she reasoned.
She sighed and whirled around for the third time, causing
the kids around her to laugh. Rushing back to her desk, she grabbed her book
bag and pencils.
"You look like a duck in a shooting gallery! Calm down,"
Beth whispered loudly behind her hand. "You'll be fine."
Jana's cheeks turned red, but she managed to flash a weak
smile at Beth and then ran out the door.
CHAPTER 3
What should I say to her? Jana wondered. She wished she had
written a list of things she could talk about in her first meeting with the new
girl.
Oh, well, I guess I'll play it by ear, she decided. Just let
it happen.
She rushed into the girls' bathroom and ran a brush through
her hair. She wanted to make a good first impression.
Outside the office door, Jana stopped and took a deep,
calming breath. Then another. Okay, she thought, I'm as ready as I'll ever be.
She opened the door.
Miss Simone looked up from her desk. "Ah, Jana,"
she said, smiling, "Mr. Bell and Mrs. Brenner are waiting for you in Mr.
Bell's office."
"Thanks," said Jana. She steadied herself and
walked in.
"Hi, Jana," Mr. Bell said cordially. "Come in
and sit down." He gestured to an empty seat next to his desk. Jana sat
down.
Sitting around the principal's office were three adults: Mr.
Bell, Mrs. Brenner, the counselor, and a pale, thin woman with dark hair.
Sitting next to the woman was a girl about Jana's age. She
was rather pretty, Jana thought, with large, dark eyes and shoulder-length
brown hair, although her hair looked as if it needed shampooing. She wore a faded
pair of jeans and a worn red jacket that was unzipped, revealing a plaid shirt
underneath. On her feet were ancient, worn-out sneakers. She was flexing her
feet nervously, and Jana noticed that one of the shoes was coming apart at the
front toe seam. The one detail that didn't go with the rest of her was the pair
of
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