Alone In the Middle(Ch.6)

by Solana in World of Books

CHAPTER SIX
I suppose every great hero had to stand up and face some ultimate thing at one point or another. Even great role models had to do it. Every day people for Pete's sake. But they had guts and I have... common sense. And when I arrived at school on Monday, my common sense was telling me to avoid crowds and to take as many shortcuts as possible. I had called Jamie and Melody the night before. I was going to meet them at Melody's house, where they would take my backpack and I would keep my books. They would put my backpack in my locker while I would seek the safety of my first period classroom. I would sit in the back and hide behind a book. It was really quite amazing how many people don't see you when you don't want to be seen.

As my class slowly filed in, like prisoners awaiting punishment, I lowered my book and observed my classmates. Many of them were dressed in the bright, loose clothing that was custom to California, even in winter. The class was perched on desks, eagerly discussing the gossip that had already started to promulgate around the school, although what it was that could have started besides the food fight, I had no idea. But I did notice that every now and then, a group of kids would throw a curious, sometimes even suspicious look at me, as if was going to pull out some of the cafeteria's disgusting food and start throwing it at them. But as simple-minded those looks may have been, even when there was no actual trace of hostility in their looks, each one would cause me to retreat further and further into my book, where I could escape. I did this until I was finally rescued from the walking in of my teacher.

After first period, the day pretty much played itself out the same way. Until lunch.

I think anyone would agree with me when I say lunch is a very defining place. If you don't have friends, you aren't likely to have an enjoyable lunch experience. Which is probably why loners often stick together. The same goes with all groups. Jocks often stick together, geeks, brainiacs, anyone. Even populars. No especially populars. Of course they split themselves up into smart, dumb, weird, barely and so forth. But, it basically comes down to the fact that if you don't have friends, the lunchroom is a dangerous place. Which is why I was extremely grateful that I had Jaimie and Melody. I'd brought my lunch, and so had they. They snagged a table in the back of the cafeteria and when I got there, they immediately waved me over. As soon as I sat down, they immediately started talking. They were dishing so much gossip, I only got half of what they said.

"Ann and Anna are telling stuff about how you-"
"Greg's going out with Grace and-"
"You would not believe what-"
"They're calling you-"

I eventually stopped them, because I had no idea what they were talking about.
I lean forward. "Okay, now slowly, tell me what is happening. Jamie, you first."
Jamie has little to report. "Well, I found out that Greg and Grace are going out, much to the fury of Ann. Greg apparently doesn't blame you . He thinks it was pretty smart of you and thinks Grace is a great actress. They apparently get along great."

I turned to Melody and said," And what does the Gossip Queen have for us?"
Melody did not laugh. Instead, she said, "You know, I am the Gossip Queen. I know what's true and what's not. And everything I've been hearing, is true. And that's bad."

"So what is it?"

"Ann and Anna are really mad at you. They seem to think that you want to take over their empire while there still here. Which obviously doesn't play well with them. They've been spreading this rumor that you still pee in the bed, which is a low blow, because you would think they would come up with something better than that."
"Melody!" I cried out. "I thought you said all of this was true!"
"It is. They are spreading rumors that aren't true, but it is true that they're spreading this stuff, trust me. Anyways, they say that you're adopted because your parents thought they couldn't have anymore kids. You love playing boy games, which is dumb, because everyone knows that, you cheat, you've never had a boyfriend, guys think you're gross, oh, and-"
"Stop! Stop!" I exclaimed. "I get it! But what are we going to do about it?"
Jamie and Melody looked at each other.
Then Jamie said, "We need to fight back. We know you think you're not pretty or that you don't deserve to be popular. But if you ruled, things would be sooo much better. 'Cause you are pretty and nice and smart. You just need to be in the spotlight."
Then she grinned. "And we're going to help you."
Maybe I should say THATS when the war began.