Chapter 1: Katlyn

"Hey Katlyn, I'll trade you my pringles for your brownies." asked Rosemary.

"Uh... Okay, I guess." I replied. This is about as exciting as my life gets, trading lunches. I know what your thinking, take the "L" of your forehead. But seriously, I don't blame you, I'm not the coolest crayon in the box. I have two best friends, yes I said two and only two. Rosemary Jenkins, who goes by Rosie and Jaime Davis, who Rosie and I call Jaimes. Jaimes is a sporty, outgoing, brunette, and Rosie is a pale, and brainy blonde. The three of us are polar opposites, yet we match perfectly when we're together. If you are trying to picture me in your head, don't bother, its not worth it. I have shoulder length wavy red hair and freckles out the wazoo. Yep, Annie look a like, that's me. Now I know what your thinking, how much more of a loser can you get? I'm not really a nerd per say, but I'm not "cool" either. Oh, and also, I'm not one of those people whose one goal in life is to be popular, just so you know. Okay, so I wouldn't mind being so called popular, but I'm just saying that

"Wykerman!" Coach Johnson yelled interupting my thought.

"Yes, Sir, what is it?" I replied even though I despise being called by my last name.

"That plate is stocked with food, I want you eating all your lunch to work on those muscles." he said rather loudly, grabbing my skinny arm. "Nice work Davis." said Coach Johnson eyeing Jaime's empty lunch tray.

"Thanks." she replied in a snotty tone, followed by a nose blow.

"What's wrong with you?" Coach Johnson asked.

"Nothing! I am absolutely FINE!" Jaimes shouted a little louder than necessary.

"Okay, then. See you girls in P.E." Coach Johnson said leaving.

"So, you don't want anyone to think your sick?" Rosie asked. "Why?" she asked again as Jaimes remained silent. "What's the deal Jaimes? Rosie asked.

"Or is it really, Jaimes?" I added to Rosie's delight.

"Chill you guys, I just don't want anyone to make me go to the nurses office, I don't want to miss my big basketball game this afternoon, I'm starting." I'm so ready for this game... hold on a sec." Jaimes whispered and blew her nose.

"Whatever," Rosie said as she zipped her ski jacket all the way up to her neck. "We won't tell."

"Thanks." Jaimes stated looking up at us from under a tissue, as we walked from the cafeteria to class.

"I hate winter in Wood-berry." Rosie said as she grabbed onto me for warmth.

"Wood-berry..." Jaimes said.

"The most boring place in the United States!" We all screamed in unison.

"Rosie," I said pulling on her huge ski jacket, "You look like the guy from the Michelin commercial!" I yelled just loud enough for the boys walking behind us to hear.

"Shut up Kat!" Rosie yelled and accidentally pushing into a bush. "Oh my gosh!" Rosie exclaimed. "Sorry Kat!"

"Rooosieee, whaddya do that for?" Jaimes jokingly asked as they helped me out of the bush.

"Shhhhhh

!" Rosie whispered as three boys walked by laughing at us under their breath. "Kat, I am so sorry." Rosie repeated once I was up. "No worries." I said even though I was completely embarrassed. "Let's just get to P.E. with Coach Johnson on time." I stated.

"Sure thing, Wykerman." Jaimes joked.

Chapter 2: Nate

"Pass this to Kendra!" Oakel urgently whispered to me.

"Why?" I asked making kissy kissy noises.

"I want to ask her to the dance next Friday ." Oakel whisper shouted.

"Fine!" I said giving in.

"Thanks Nate, you rock." Oakel said smiling.

"I know." I replied as I tapped Kendra's shoulder.

"What?" she asked me as she whipped her ink black curly hair around to face me.

"Here." I said handing her the note.

"Oh, well thanks." she giggled flashing a pearly white smile toward me.

"Yeah, your welcome." I whispered.

"Nate and Kendra!" shouted our World History professor Mrs. Shlickman."Is there something you would like to share with the class?" she said tapping her 2 inch maroon nails on her desk.

"No ma'am." Kendra replied sweetly as I shook my head no.

"Okay, then please be quiet and pay attention." Mrs. Shlikman stated softer returning to her lesson on the blackboard.

"Close one, dude." Oakel whispered running his hand through his straight blonde hair, as I watched Kendra read the note. It said:

Kendra-

Dance next Friday. duh. Anyways, can you

see me and you there together in your future?

-Oakel

Kendra flashed her legendary smile back at Oakel, kissed the note leaving a bright red lipstick mark on it, and wrote Yes. She passed the letter back to me, and I turned around and looked at Oakel with that I'm so sorry man, look and mouthed "sorry" to him. Oakel's smile turned upside down and he put his head on his desk, thinking Kendra had declined. As soon as the bell rang, I yelled "Psyche!" and threw the Kendra kissed letter at his face. "Hahahah!" I laughed as I ran out of Mrs. Shlickman's class faster than she could say "No running, Nate."

"I'm gonna kill you, Nate!" Oakel said as he chased me out of the classroom waving goodbye to Kendra.

"Mr. Kemp!" Mrs. Shlickman yelled after Oakel. "Violence is not the answer!"

"Yes, ma'am!" he screamed continuing to run after me.

"Oakel!" our other best friend Ryan yelled watching Oakel run after me. " Wait for me!"

"Ryan HELP ME!" I yelled.

"Okay." Ryan said easily holding Oakel back as we all laughed.

'"Fine!" Oakel joked giving up, "But you deserved it!"

"I know, I know, but congrats , man!" I said "You're going to the dance with Kendra Pellman!"

"No way!" Ryan yelled letting Oakel go.

"Yes, way." Oakel bragged.

"Who are you going with Nate?" Oakel asked me.

"I donno." I said with my head down.

"Oh well, who really cares?" Ryan said trying to cheer me up.

"Yeah, whatever." I said, thinking how lucky Ryan was to have a steady girlfriend to take, and how lucky Oakel was to have the confidence to ask any girl in the grade, unlike me.

"Yeah, no big deal, besides, all dorks go dateless!" Oakel joked.

"Shut up!" I said jokingly laughing with the guys as we passed three girls in a bush.

Chapter 3: Katlyn

" I call outside!" I screamed as Jaimes, Rosie and I ran to the bus.

"Jaimes, Kat, wait!" Rosie yelled after us. "You know, I can't run in these shoes!" she said referring to her new yellow wedges recently bought from J. Crew.

"That's your own fault, Rosie! You know you can't walk in those!" Jaimes yelled as we slowed our pace.

"So, we are in the eighth grade now, who cares about walking, I need cute shoes!" Rosie laughed as she tried to slide them off and keep up with us at the same time.

"Afternoon, ladies, you're the first ones here as usual." said our cheerful 70 year old bus driver Mr. Lewis.

"Hey, Mr. Lewis!" we all said together as we made our way to the two seats in the very back of the Wood-berry school bus.

"Burr!" I shivered letting Jaimes into the window seat. "It's freezing in here! Rosie, come sit with us and keep us warm with your poofy jacket!" I yelled.

"Shut up, Kat!" she yelled back as she sat in the seat across from Jaimes and I. We all got out our ipods and began listening to our favorite Red Hot Chili Peppers songs as all the kids boarded and our bus took off down the streets of Wood-berry. My house, was only 10 minutes away from school, but my older brother Ned refused to drive me home from school, actually, he refused to drive me anywhere at all.

"Well, heres my stop." I said grabbing my yellow north face backpack from the floor of the bus.

"See ya, Kat." Jaimes said as I made my way down the crowded aisle.

"Bye!" Rosie yelled louder. Almost to the end of the aisle I turned around and waved to my two best friends in the back.

"Thanks, Mr. Lewis!" I said cheerfully.

"Have a good weekend Katlyn!" he said closing the doors behind me.

"I love Fridays." I said to no one in particular as I breathed in the fresh winter air and exhaled. I made my way to the front door of my good-sized grey stone home, with the cold air rushing through my red hair.

"Vrooom!" a bright red 1950s convertible pulled up in front of my house. The car of course, belonged to my brother Ned, who gets everything his little heart desires.

"Awwww! Ned! Your little sister is so adorable!" one of the three girls in the car screamed in a high pitched valley girl tone. It just so happens, my older brother is the most popular guy in the 11th grade. I know, why couldn't my parents have made their second child popular! "Ahhhh, its so annoying!" He has tons of friends, a different girlfriend every week, and on top of that, he gets great grades. All I have, are the girls, and my surprising similarity to Annie. "Hey Mom!" I screamed as I walked inside the house.

"Honey, take your shoes off, I'm guessing they are covered in mud." my mom Linda yelled back.

"Okay!" I said sliding my Sperry Topsiders onto the Wykerman welcome mat.

"How was your day, boo?" she asked.

"Fine, Mom." I uttered watching my mother walk down the stairs in hair curlers and a pink bathrobe. I was secretly thrilled nobody I knew could see her right now.

"I'm gonna go chill upstairs, where are you going tonight?" I asked her.

"Oh, sweetheart, you mean where are we going."

Chapter 4: Nate

"Y'all, I'm so sorry my nanny is late" I said apologetically through the blistering cold in the Wood-berry carpool line.

"It's okay" Ryan said shivering.

"I hate carpool line in winter!" Oakel whined.

As I watched my spanish nanny's red mini van pull into the school entrance I quickly yelled to the guys. "Consuela's here! Come on you guys!" Running as fast as humanly possible we ran to the van throwing are matching backpacks into the trunk and piling into the backseat.

"So so sorry I'm late, boys." my nanny Consuela apologized.

"It's okay, Consuela, just turn on the heat, por favor!" Ryan pleaded, putting his spanish knowledge to good use.

"What took you so long?" I asked her eyeing my watch. It was 3:50 and we had been sitting outside since 3:15.

"I know, it took me forever... I couldn't find my way here from Lood Fion." she said in her thick spanish accent pointing to the groceries in the front seat next to her.

"That's okay Consuela, and by the way its Food Lion." I reminded her.

"Oh, of course. Silly me!" she blushed.

"Turn it up!" Oakel yelled from the very back seat.

"Wanna catch me White n' nerdy!" We sand together to Weird Al's newest track.

"Oh my, not again!" Consuela moaned. Right Before the last verse, we pulled into my circle driveway."We're here , boys!" Consuela said quickly turning off the radio. We grabbed our signature L.L. Bean red backpacks, and ran through the front door and up the grand staircase to play Wii.

"I'm going to the dance with Kendra, yes I am, yes I am, to the dance with Kendra...uh huh...uh huh!" Oakel sang.

"Nate, seriously though, who are you going to ask?" Ryan questioned.

"I donno." I said for the second time.

"You better hurry up man, the dance is next week." Oakel said as he pulled the Kendra kissed letter out of his backpack to show Ryan the evidence. "Nateypooo! It's six o' clock!" came a high pitched shriek that was my mothers. The time had flew, playing Wii with the guys, and my mother had a rule that they had to leave before six, or spend the night, so that she could go out without worrying about getting them home.

"Sorry guys, you gotta go." I said apologetically.

"It's okay." Ryan and Oakel said in unison. "Jinx!" they yelled as they walked out the door.

"Mom! Can you PLEASE not call me Nateypoo in front of the guys." I asked when the guy's were out of earshot. Actually, can you not call me Nateypoo, EVER?" I begged.

"I'm sorry sugar, it's a habit. Now go get ready." she said running her hair through my dirty blonde hair.

"Get ready for what?" I asked.

"Oh, did I not tell you? Well, I invited a family whose new to Woodberry this year, to our home for dinner." my mom said as the click clacks of her heels made their way to the entrance to my room.

"Awww, Mom, can't I stay upstairs?" I pleaded following her into my room. "No, honey." she said. "There's a little girl in your grade coming, and I'm sure she would like a friend." she said nudging me with her elbow.

"Mom, she's been in school for three months now! School started in August and now its almost December. I'm sure she has a friend by now." I reasoned. "Honey, you're coming, end of story." she said as she pointed to my dresser, indicating for me to change clothes. "What's her name?" I asked as she left my room.

"Katlyn." she uttered.

Chapter 5: Katlyn

"What do you mean WE?" Mom! I have ummm... plans!" I screamed at her. In response, all my mother did was turn her entire body away from me (one of her new highly annoying parenting ideas). "Ugh!" "Okay." I said lowering my voice and taking a deep calming breath.

"Now," my mother said with a proud look on her face. "A family of a boy in your grade has invited us over for dinner." she said.

"Ahhhhhh!" I silently screamed as I looked down at my white floral tee and brown courdoroy skirt with leggings. " I have to change!"I realized running up the stairs. I grabbed the phone and quickly three way called the girls.

"Hello?" Rosie answered.

"Rosie! It's me!" I yelled into the phone.

"Helllooo. This is Jaimes." Jaimes said as if she was relaxing on the beach of a Hawaiian island.

" Okay, Rosie, Jaimes, I have to tell you guys something!" I said frusterated.

"Okay, Kat, sorry, I'm all ears." Jaimes said.

"Ditto!" Rosie uttered.

"Okay." I said calmly. " OH MY GOSH!" I yelled unable to remain calm any longer.

"WHAT?!" They asked in unison.

"I have to go to dinner at some guy's house!" I exclaimed.

"What guy?" Rosie asked.

"Some guy in our grade, apparently." I said worrying.

"Well, what's his name?" Jaimes said impatiently.

"I don't know, let me check." I said putting the girls on hold. "MOM!" I yelled through the small white intercom box in my room.

"What is it, my sweet?"

"What's the guy's name who were going to meet tonight?" I said trying to keep my heart beating at a normal pace.

"The boy? Oh yes, his name is Nate. Nate Harper." she said.

"Okay." I said through the intercom. "Nate Harper." I said into the phone as I took the girls off hold. I could clearly hear Rosie's gulp through the phone. "Uh-oh." I said. "Who is Nate Harper? Is he a nerd?" I asked frantically.

"Not, exactly." Jaimes said nervously. "It just so happens, that well..." Jaimes said avoiding telling me something.

"Well, WHAT?" I screamed.

"Okay, okay..." Jaimes stalled. "Nate Harper is like, one of the most popular guys in the grade." Jaimes stated.

"WHAT!?" I yelled.

"It's okay, Kat, calm down." Rosie said.

"How am i supposed to CALM down?"

"Okay, chill, it'll be fine, what are you wearing?" Jaimes asked.

"Oh my god!" I yelled realizing that I had no idea what I was going to wear.

"Okay, Kat, put on your dark washed lucky brand jeans, salmon abercrombie v-neck top, silver hoop earrings, and your tan flats." Jaimes said proudly.

"Perfect! Thanks girl! I love you!" I said to Jaimes preparing to hang up.

"Wait!" Jaimes yelled.

"What? I have to change!" I said.

"Put us on speakerphone." Rosie said.

"K." I uttered pressing the button labeled LDSPKER.

"Now, I want you to straighten your hair, and wear it half-way up, it looks so good like that. Oh, I almost forgot, don't forget to put on the make up I got for you last week." Jaimes said.

"Crap! Where did I put that?" I asked.

"You hid it in your closet!" Rosie reminded me.

"Oh yeah." I said remembering how I hid the make-up from my mother who refused to let me grow up.

"Good luck, Kat!" Jaimes said following a mild coughing attack. "My game starts in half an hour!"

"Good luck to you too, and feel better!" I yelled into the phone. "Click" the phone sounded as Jaimes hung up.

"Remember Kat, act natural, don't be nervous, or it'll be awkward." Rosie said advising me.

"Okay, thanks Rosie." I replied.

"See ya." She said hanging up.

"Here goes nothing." I thought to myself.

Chapter 6: Nate

" Do you know who Katlyn is?" I asked Oakel.

"Uh, hold on a sec." he said as he put the phone down. "Now, what did you say?"

"Am I on speakerphone?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm lifting weights." he grunted.

"Oh. Anyways, do you know a Katlyn?" I asked hopefully.

"Nope, don't think so." he answered. "Why?"

"Cause she's coming to my house tonight, my mom said she's in our grade."

"Oh, that's awesome." Oakel said preoccupied. "Maybe she'll be uhhh..ummm...cool." Oakel said obviously lying.

"Okay, dude, why don't you think she'll be cool?" I asked.

"Well, because Oakel knows ALL the cool people." he replied proudly.

"Dude, you are so shallow." I said to him.

"Whatever, but you, me and Ryan are currently the coolest guys in the eighth grade at Woodberry Middle, and I plan on keeping it that way. So, don't become like, friends with her. K?" He asked.

"Whatever, I can be friends with whoever I want thank, you. Bye." I said hanging up, ignoring his "Wait!" before the click of the phone.

I brushed my teeth, and hair and put on my khaki shorts and an orange lacoste shirt.

"Knock, Knock!" Came a screech at my bedroom door.

"Come In!" I said.

"EEEEEeeeeekkkk! Nate! Look at my new dress!" My five year old sister Ellie screamed as she barged in.

"Uhhh, nice, I guess." I stuttered.

"Yay! Yay! Yaaaayyyyy!" She screamed exiting my room.

"Nate, dear, would you please handle your sister." my mom said trying to untangle my sister's deathlock around her leg. "Please." she repeated as she placed chopsticks into the sides of her brunette bun.

"Yeah sure, whatever." I answered. I had nothing else to do.

As I walked down the grande staircase, I thought about this girl, Katlyn. "I wonder what she's like. Is she pretty? Weird? Smart? Geeky?" I thought.

"Nateee! I'm red!" Ellie screeched as she whipped her brunette curls around to face me. She had just learned how to play checkers, and was very excited. About mid way through our game, came a knock at the door. "Mom! They're here!" I yelled running up the stairs.

"Okay, honey!" my mom answered as she ran down the stairs as best she could in heels. She primped her hair, smoothed her blouse, and opened the large wooden door.

Chapter 7: