Kristy groaned as her alarm clock buzzed loudly in her ear. The
first day of school had arrived. She pounded the clock until it ceased its
angry ringing, and then lay in bed for a moment longer. She dreaded the
thought of going back to school. Her friends usually agreed with her on
that point, but this year they were all excited. High school was a big deal
to them. They were excited about the new freedoms they'd have and finally
leaving Stoneybrook Middle School. Kristy was different. She hated the
change. She dreaded leaving behind her comfortable school, her favorite
teachers, and having to start acting "grown up". Mostly, she hated the
thought of no more BSC. The BSC had been her life. She pushed thoughts of
the club to the back of her mind. They were all too mature for that now.
Kristy dragged herself out of bed and plodded over to her large closet. As
she grabbed a t-shirt, Kristy looked out her large bedroom window. She
longed for the days when she lived in her tiny old house. She missed
looking out of her own bedroom, and straight into Mary-Anne's. Kristy threw
on the t-shirt, and hunted on the floor for her favorite jeans. She found
them stashed under her desk. She'd worn them for the past three days or so,
but they smelled decent. With a shrug, she slipped into them. Then she ran
a comb through her hair, flipped it into a messy ponytail and thundered
down the stairs of her huge house.
"Hi Mom," Kristy said. She put her hand lightly on her mother's growing belly. Kristy couldn't believe her mother was going to have a baby! The house, big as it was, was already full enough! Kristy also wasn't sure how she felt about being fourteen years older than her youngest sibling. However, a part of her was excited, and the baby was coming whether she was excited or not, so Kristy decided to make herself happy about it. It was just hard to imagine a woman of her mother's age having a baby. In fact, her mother hadn't thought it could happen either.
"Are you excited about being a freshman?" Mrs. Thomas-Brewer asked.
Kristy shrugged, and stuffed a huge spoonful of cereal into her mouth.
"I loved high school; those were the best years of my life!" Watson said thoughtfully.
"What about me? I'm starting third grade!" David Michael said around a mouthful of toast.
Mr. and Mrs. Brewer exchanged small smiles.
"That's very exciting, too!" Mrs. Thomas-Brewer reassured him.
"Even Emily Michelle is starting school. We're all grown up now," Kristy said with a heavy sigh.
"Well not quite grown up.....but definitely getting older!" Mrs. Thomas-Brewer said.
Kristy sighed. That was just the problem. She didn't really want to get older and grown up. She wanted to stay fourteen. She liked fourteen. She liked her life. Why did everything have to change?
Sam came bounding down the stairs. Kristy watched him thoughtfully as he gulped down his juice. Even Sam would be a senior this year. Pretty soon he'd be gone, just like Charlie.
"You ready, Kristy? I'm not getting detention the first day," Sam said.
"Yeah, I'm ready. Bye everybody. See ya later," Kristy replied dejectedly.
"Have fun, honey! Oh wait.....pictures....I need first day of school pictures," Mrs. Thomas-Brewer suddenly remembered.
"Aw mom," Kristy groaned, but she was actually happy about this. At least some things stayed the same.
Mary-Anne
Mary-Anne couldn't believe she was actually starting high school. It had always been something that seemed so far off. One of those things you say will happen someday. She had always thought she'd be scared. Mary-Anne was a shy person, and she liked her comfortable group of friends, but she had to admit she was excited. She was actually more excited than she was scared. Sure, she was nervous, but a part of her felt like she was ready for this next phase of her life. She loved her friends with all her heart, but she wanted to meet new and different people, older people, cool people. She had always known she liked English, and writing, and baby- sitting, but now she had a chance to explore brand new interests. She would get to find out who she was exactly. The thing that excited Mary-Anne the most was that everybody in the whole school didn't know her. They didn't see her as shy, quiet Mary-Anne Spier. To them, she wasn't Logan's girlfriend, or Kristy's best friend, or even Dawn's step sister. She was just a girl. A girl with mystery. She could become anybody she wanted.....if she could find the courage. When she'd first gotten her schedule in the mail, Mary-Anne was devastated that she didn't have a single class with Kristy, Claudia, or Stacy. Now, she had started to look at that as an opportunity. This was her big chance to be brave and discover herself.
"Mary-Anne, what in the world are you thinking about," Sharon asked from the living room.
Mary-Anne spun out of her reverie and looked at Sharon, who was in some weird yoga pose.
"Nothing....why?" she asked.
"Well, you've been staring out that window for ages, and you didn't even notice the school bus just pulled up," Sharon said, with a laugh.
"Oh my gosh! Bye Sharon, I love ya! Tell dad I said bye," Mary-Anne shrieked. She grabbed her bag and scurried to the door.
"Have a great first day! You have to tell me all about it," Sharon said as she fell over.
Mary-Anne laughed. Sharon was so funny. Who else could do yoga and hold a conversation at the same time?
Claudia
Claudia and school didn't mix. They never had. School just wasn't for her. That was why, at precisely this moment, she was wishing she were sixteen instead of fourteen. If she were sixteen, she could just drop out, and become a famous artist. But, right now, she had to get up and go to school instead. Of course, high school had its perks. She would get a license, there would be lots of hot older guys, she could join the art club, and meet people who were more like her. She used to have Stacey, but they had grown apart even more over the summer. Kristy and Mary-Anne.....she loved them, but they were lost causes. They were just very different from her. Claudia was tired of pretending to be this normal suburban girl. She didn't feel that way anymore. She felt like all the things inside of her were ready to come out. This had been intensified at her art camp this summer. For the first time, she'd met people like her. People who were truly dedicated to an art. People who enjoyed being different. The only person she'd ever known like that was Ashley Wyeth....and maybe Dawn. Surely, there must be lots of people like that in high school. Claudia couldn't wait to find them.
Stacey
Stacey had big plans for high school. She was going to sign up for every club and activity humanly possible. She was going to enter the Miss SHS pageant, and try out for cheerleading. Stacey McGill wanted to be popular. It had never really mattered to her that much before. That is, until she met Erin Sanders. Erin was a rising junior at Stoneybrook High School. Stacey had met her over the summer when Erin came into "Glimmer" to shop. Glimmer was the hottest boutique in New York City. Stacey had been lucky to get a summer job there. One day while she was folding shirts, a girl walked in. She was the most beautiful girl Stacey had ever seen. She had long shimmery golden red hair, green eyes, and the newest most fashionable clothes. Stacey had barely been able to stop staring at her. Something about Erin was so captivating. The girl returned the stare.
"You look very familiar," she said.
"Oh....I don't know. I don't usually live here. I'm just spending the summer with my dad," Stacey had replied, trying to sound nonchalant.
"I'm not from here, either. I'm from well.....I'm from hell. I'm talking the smallest of all small towns," she had laughed. Her laugh was tinkling and perfect.
"I know exactly what you mean. I live in this little place called Stoneybrook, Connecticut."
"No way! I live there!"
"Are you kidding. What are you doing here?", Stacey asked incredulously.
"I don't shop in Stoneybrook! God, no way. I'm spending the week here with my family. We have a little place here that we visit sometimes."
"Wow, that's so weird! So.......you go to Stoneybrook High,?" Stacey asked.
"Yes. I'll be a junior. Do you go.....," Erin's face fell.
"I think I know who you are," she continued.
Stacey gave her a puzzled look.
"You're in that club. The baby-sitting one. I think you sat for my little sister, Misty, once," Erin said.
"Oh....that's right. You were going out on a date....I remember now! I....I'm not in that club anymore," Stacey said quickly. Her face was flushed. The BSC sounded so dorky to her now.
"I see," Erin had said. Her smile had returned and she'd flipped that golden hair.
She and Stacey had talked for awhile. Mostly, Erin answered endless questions about what SHS was really like. The good stuff they don't tell you in the student handbook. Who to hang with, who not to hang with, the hottest guys, the cliques, that kind of thing.
When she had left the botique, Stacey promised herself that she and Erin would become friends. Erin was it. She was popular. Stacey was determined to become like her.
"Hi Mom," Kristy said. She put her hand lightly on her mother's growing belly. Kristy couldn't believe her mother was going to have a baby! The house, big as it was, was already full enough! Kristy also wasn't sure how she felt about being fourteen years older than her youngest sibling. However, a part of her was excited, and the baby was coming whether she was excited or not, so Kristy decided to make herself happy about it. It was just hard to imagine a woman of her mother's age having a baby. In fact, her mother hadn't thought it could happen either.
"Are you excited about being a freshman?" Mrs. Thomas-Brewer asked.
Kristy shrugged, and stuffed a huge spoonful of cereal into her mouth.
"I loved high school; those were the best years of my life!" Watson said thoughtfully.
"What about me? I'm starting third grade!" David Michael said around a mouthful of toast.
Mr. and Mrs. Brewer exchanged small smiles.
"That's very exciting, too!" Mrs. Thomas-Brewer reassured him.
"Even Emily Michelle is starting school. We're all grown up now," Kristy said with a heavy sigh.
"Well not quite grown up.....but definitely getting older!" Mrs. Thomas-Brewer said.
Kristy sighed. That was just the problem. She didn't really want to get older and grown up. She wanted to stay fourteen. She liked fourteen. She liked her life. Why did everything have to change?
Sam came bounding down the stairs. Kristy watched him thoughtfully as he gulped down his juice. Even Sam would be a senior this year. Pretty soon he'd be gone, just like Charlie.
"You ready, Kristy? I'm not getting detention the first day," Sam said.
"Yeah, I'm ready. Bye everybody. See ya later," Kristy replied dejectedly.
"Have fun, honey! Oh wait.....pictures....I need first day of school pictures," Mrs. Thomas-Brewer suddenly remembered.
"Aw mom," Kristy groaned, but she was actually happy about this. At least some things stayed the same.
Mary-Anne
Mary-Anne couldn't believe she was actually starting high school. It had always been something that seemed so far off. One of those things you say will happen someday. She had always thought she'd be scared. Mary-Anne was a shy person, and she liked her comfortable group of friends, but she had to admit she was excited. She was actually more excited than she was scared. Sure, she was nervous, but a part of her felt like she was ready for this next phase of her life. She loved her friends with all her heart, but she wanted to meet new and different people, older people, cool people. She had always known she liked English, and writing, and baby- sitting, but now she had a chance to explore brand new interests. She would get to find out who she was exactly. The thing that excited Mary-Anne the most was that everybody in the whole school didn't know her. They didn't see her as shy, quiet Mary-Anne Spier. To them, she wasn't Logan's girlfriend, or Kristy's best friend, or even Dawn's step sister. She was just a girl. A girl with mystery. She could become anybody she wanted.....if she could find the courage. When she'd first gotten her schedule in the mail, Mary-Anne was devastated that she didn't have a single class with Kristy, Claudia, or Stacy. Now, she had started to look at that as an opportunity. This was her big chance to be brave and discover herself.
"Mary-Anne, what in the world are you thinking about," Sharon asked from the living room.
Mary-Anne spun out of her reverie and looked at Sharon, who was in some weird yoga pose.
"Nothing....why?" she asked.
"Well, you've been staring out that window for ages, and you didn't even notice the school bus just pulled up," Sharon said, with a laugh.
"Oh my gosh! Bye Sharon, I love ya! Tell dad I said bye," Mary-Anne shrieked. She grabbed her bag and scurried to the door.
"Have a great first day! You have to tell me all about it," Sharon said as she fell over.
Mary-Anne laughed. Sharon was so funny. Who else could do yoga and hold a conversation at the same time?
Claudia
Claudia and school didn't mix. They never had. School just wasn't for her. That was why, at precisely this moment, she was wishing she were sixteen instead of fourteen. If she were sixteen, she could just drop out, and become a famous artist. But, right now, she had to get up and go to school instead. Of course, high school had its perks. She would get a license, there would be lots of hot older guys, she could join the art club, and meet people who were more like her. She used to have Stacey, but they had grown apart even more over the summer. Kristy and Mary-Anne.....she loved them, but they were lost causes. They were just very different from her. Claudia was tired of pretending to be this normal suburban girl. She didn't feel that way anymore. She felt like all the things inside of her were ready to come out. This had been intensified at her art camp this summer. For the first time, she'd met people like her. People who were truly dedicated to an art. People who enjoyed being different. The only person she'd ever known like that was Ashley Wyeth....and maybe Dawn. Surely, there must be lots of people like that in high school. Claudia couldn't wait to find them.
Stacey
Stacey had big plans for high school. She was going to sign up for every club and activity humanly possible. She was going to enter the Miss SHS pageant, and try out for cheerleading. Stacey McGill wanted to be popular. It had never really mattered to her that much before. That is, until she met Erin Sanders. Erin was a rising junior at Stoneybrook High School. Stacey had met her over the summer when Erin came into "Glimmer" to shop. Glimmer was the hottest boutique in New York City. Stacey had been lucky to get a summer job there. One day while she was folding shirts, a girl walked in. She was the most beautiful girl Stacey had ever seen. She had long shimmery golden red hair, green eyes, and the newest most fashionable clothes. Stacey had barely been able to stop staring at her. Something about Erin was so captivating. The girl returned the stare.
"You look very familiar," she said.
"Oh....I don't know. I don't usually live here. I'm just spending the summer with my dad," Stacey had replied, trying to sound nonchalant.
"I'm not from here, either. I'm from well.....I'm from hell. I'm talking the smallest of all small towns," she had laughed. Her laugh was tinkling and perfect.
"I know exactly what you mean. I live in this little place called Stoneybrook, Connecticut."
"No way! I live there!"
"Are you kidding. What are you doing here?", Stacey asked incredulously.
"I don't shop in Stoneybrook! God, no way. I'm spending the week here with my family. We have a little place here that we visit sometimes."
"Wow, that's so weird! So.......you go to Stoneybrook High,?" Stacey asked.
"Yes. I'll be a junior. Do you go.....," Erin's face fell.
"I think I know who you are," she continued.
Stacey gave her a puzzled look.
"You're in that club. The baby-sitting one. I think you sat for my little sister, Misty, once," Erin said.
"Oh....that's right. You were going out on a date....I remember now! I....I'm not in that club anymore," Stacey said quickly. Her face was flushed. The BSC sounded so dorky to her now.
"I see," Erin had said. Her smile had returned and she'd flipped that golden hair.
She and Stacey had talked for awhile. Mostly, Erin answered endless questions about what SHS was really like. The good stuff they don't tell you in the student handbook. Who to hang with, who not to hang with, the hottest guys, the cliques, that kind of thing.
When she had left the botique, Stacey promised herself that she and Erin would become friends. Erin was it. She was popular. Stacey was determined to become like her.