me a tour yesterday, but I don't really know him."
"Sammy, oh he's a nice guy." She smiled, helping herself to my schedule on the corner of my desk. She scanned it from top to bottom. "Oh, I see we have four classes together."
I just nodded and sat through Geometry, half listening to Casey's ramblings, and half listening to Mr. Donaldson. When the bell rang, I followed Casey into the hall. She said, "I'll see you in third period. Your next class is Chemistry in room 153. If you want, I can meet you there after class and show you to U.S. History?"
"Really? That would be helpful." It was a relief to know someone was willing to help me.
I hurried to my next class so I could get a seat before the classroom filled. I was flipping through my textbook trying to look busy, when a commotion at the door captured my attention. A group of four students strutted their way into class laughing loudly. This had to be the 'in-crowd'.
A thin and tall brunette beauty, with artificial highlights and an over-baked tan, caught my attention. She had to be 'Miss Popular' because she tried too hard. Then there was the guy with his arm draped across her shoulders. His letterman's jacket said it all. He had to be one of the top jocks.
I pretended to read the chapter posted on the board while ignoring stares, whispers, and snickers from across the room. This was the very thing that made me nervous about coming to a new school. I focused my attention on the rain pellets hitting the window. The ticking of the clock seemed too slow. Five minutes to go. Second period hadn't gone as smooth as the first.
The bell rang. I took my time leaving the classroom, hoping the group of students would make their way down the hall. I reached the door and heard Casey's bubbly voice asking about me.
"Oh, there you are," she said, as I stepped out of the classroom.
"Here I am," I replied with a smile.
"How was Chemistry?"
"Oh, it was Chemistry."
"Well, on to the next class." She grabbed my arm and towed me down the hall. "We don't want to be late."
There happened to be a substitute teacher for our next class. The substitute found an extra textbook and told me to find a seat. She informed the class that the teacher had left two chapters on the board for us to read and then handed out worksheets.
I was pleased to know that it would be an easy class. Reading was easy. Trying to pay attention when you're counting the remaining minutes of the school day is harder. I quickly realized that I wouldn't get much reading done during class because Casey liked to chitchat.
"So, you're a sophomore?"
"Yeah, I took extra classes in eighth and ninth grade. I was in some honor classes." I paused. "Why? You sound surprised."
"It's nothing bad; it's just that you have a lot of classes with the juniors."
"Every school is different, but I'm in the same classes that I took back home."
"Wow, you must be pretty smart."
I smiled, slightly embarrassed from the compliment. "Thanks. So, you're a junior?"
"Yeah, I know I don't look like a junior. I'm five-one on a good day. My seventh grade sister is taller than me," Casey chuckled.
I tried to act as if my 5'8" frame didn't tower over her. "You're not that short."
She laughed. "You know, you're pretty funny."
"Thanks, I guess."
I wasn't sure if Casey was always this bubbly or if she was trying extra hard to make me feel welcome. Either way, I enjoyed her company. She reminded me of Kelly.
"Wow, we've talked so long, it's almost lunch time. I can't wait for you to meet my friends."
After class, we headed to the lunchroom.
"Usually, we'd eat outside, but it's raining." Casey's face lit when we entered the cafeteria. "Oh good, they're already here." She pulled on my arm. "Come on, Eliana, I have some people I want you to meet."
I was excited to meet Casey's friends. To my shock, we walked to the table with 'Miss Popular' and 'Mr. Jock'.
"Eliana, these are my friends, Sasha, Evan, Emily and Jack." Casey pointed out everybody in
"Sammy, oh he's a nice guy." She smiled, helping herself to my schedule on the corner of my desk. She scanned it from top to bottom. "Oh, I see we have four classes together."
I just nodded and sat through Geometry, half listening to Casey's ramblings, and half listening to Mr. Donaldson. When the bell rang, I followed Casey into the hall. She said, "I'll see you in third period. Your next class is Chemistry in room 153. If you want, I can meet you there after class and show you to U.S. History?"
"Really? That would be helpful." It was a relief to know someone was willing to help me.
I hurried to my next class so I could get a seat before the classroom filled. I was flipping through my textbook trying to look busy, when a commotion at the door captured my attention. A group of four students strutted their way into class laughing loudly. This had to be the 'in-crowd'.
A thin and tall brunette beauty, with artificial highlights and an over-baked tan, caught my attention. She had to be 'Miss Popular' because she tried too hard. Then there was the guy with his arm draped across her shoulders. His letterman's jacket said it all. He had to be one of the top jocks.
I pretended to read the chapter posted on the board while ignoring stares, whispers, and snickers from across the room. This was the very thing that made me nervous about coming to a new school. I focused my attention on the rain pellets hitting the window. The ticking of the clock seemed too slow. Five minutes to go. Second period hadn't gone as smooth as the first.
The bell rang. I took my time leaving the classroom, hoping the group of students would make their way down the hall. I reached the door and heard Casey's bubbly voice asking about me.
"Oh, there you are," she said, as I stepped out of the classroom.
"Here I am," I replied with a smile.
"How was Chemistry?"
"Oh, it was Chemistry."
"Well, on to the next class." She grabbed my arm and towed me down the hall. "We don't want to be late."
There happened to be a substitute teacher for our next class. The substitute found an extra textbook and told me to find a seat. She informed the class that the teacher had left two chapters on the board for us to read and then handed out worksheets.
I was pleased to know that it would be an easy class. Reading was easy. Trying to pay attention when you're counting the remaining minutes of the school day is harder. I quickly realized that I wouldn't get much reading done during class because Casey liked to chitchat.
"So, you're a sophomore?"
"Yeah, I took extra classes in eighth and ninth grade. I was in some honor classes." I paused. "Why? You sound surprised."
"It's nothing bad; it's just that you have a lot of classes with the juniors."
"Every school is different, but I'm in the same classes that I took back home."
"Wow, you must be pretty smart."
I smiled, slightly embarrassed from the compliment. "Thanks. So, you're a junior?"
"Yeah, I know I don't look like a junior. I'm five-one on a good day. My seventh grade sister is taller than me," Casey chuckled.
I tried to act as if my 5'8" frame didn't tower over her. "You're not that short."
She laughed. "You know, you're pretty funny."
"Thanks, I guess."
I wasn't sure if Casey was always this bubbly or if she was trying extra hard to make me feel welcome. Either way, I enjoyed her company. She reminded me of Kelly.
"Wow, we've talked so long, it's almost lunch time. I can't wait for you to meet my friends."
After class, we headed to the lunchroom.
"Usually, we'd eat outside, but it's raining." Casey's face lit when we entered the cafeteria. "Oh good, they're already here." She pulled on my arm. "Come on, Eliana, I have some people I want you to meet."
I was excited to meet Casey's friends. To my shock, we walked to the table with 'Miss Popular' and 'Mr. Jock'.
"Eliana, these are my friends, Sasha, Evan, Emily and Jack." Casey pointed out everybody in
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