This story is when the BSC started HIGH SCHOOL! I work in pieces of Friends Forever plots (which is a creation of Ann Martin) in my own story of their high school years, for instance, I have Mary Anne and Logan break up in April of ninth grade and Mary Anne house fire happens at the end of their tenth grade year. And you all know the drill from my other two stories that I'm working on about the disclaimers, etc, etc...

The BSC Legacy - Book 1: Brave New World of High School

By: CNJ

PG-13

1: First Crazy Day of High School

Kristy:

I couldn't believe that tomorrow, we the BSC would be in HIGH SCHOOL. Ninth grade. Freaky.

"It is freaky that we'll be in ninth grade," Claudia stuffed peanut butter cups into her mouth at that Monday's meeting.

"I'm scared," Mary Anne added nervously. "All those new kids. This is one time I wish I wasn't so shy."

"I'm kind of nervous about it too," Stacey licked off a pretzel.

"Kind of nerve-wracking, but I'm a little excited," Abby put in. "I just hope the girls have the same sports as the boys or I'll sue Stoneybrook High for sex discrimination." We all nodded.

"I'm looking forward to high school also, even if I'm slightly nervous," I admitted.

"You, Kristen Amanda Thomas, nervous about starting in a new school?" Claudia feigned shock. We all laughed a little, loosening up some.

"Yep, me..." I took a deep breath. "I think we're all scared, so all of us have to stick together and let no one and nothing tear us apart." Looking around at my friends, I didn't doubt that we could make it through high school together. The big question was, how hard would it be? I guess we're as ready as we'll ever be...

Stacey:

Stoneybrook High was a ZOO that first morning! The hallways were twice as big as the halls of Stoneybrook Middle. We tried to stand close as we picked up our schedules and combinations for our lockers. We saw a sprinkling of kids we'd known from SMS, but the vast majority of kids were strangers.

Mary Anne and I were lucky enough to be in the same homeroom with a Ms. Buchwald, so we all wished each other good luck and headed off in our separate ways until lunch. Mary Anne and I headed down the corridor.

We were almost to our homeroom when we saw a row of guys, probably juniors or seniors watching us. I felt Mary Anne tense and we tried to ignore them as we kept walking.

"Well, well, what have we here but freshmen girls?" one of them jeered.

"What'd ya think?"

"Not babes, that's for sure," another guy taunted.

"Hoped the scenery would get better this year..." I realized what was happening and we stopped and stared at the guys. I was FUMING!

"What gives you the right to talk to us like that?" I asked grimly.

"Like what?"

"Do you know what sexual harassment is?" I barreled on.

"We were just..." the guys looked down.

"What if some guy did this to your mother or sister?" Mary Anne asked coldly. Bam. She got them where they lived. The guys looked at each other in embarrassment, then slunk off, mumbling apologies. Just then, we heard clapping behind us. I turned and saw a group of girls clapping and some of them cheered. "Right on!" "You told 'em!"

"Thanks..." Mary Anne and I looked at each other and I smiled while Mary Anne blushed.

Mary Anne:

Once Stacey and I got to our homeroom, we sat next to each other, still shaking slightly. I could feel my face still turning red and tried to relax. Once most of the kids got settled in, Ms. Buchwald introduced herself and welcomed us to Stoneybrook High.

The loudspeaker came on and the principal, Ms. Silverbein came on and introduced herself again just as she had done at last week's orientation day. I'd liked her immediately. She has dark hair that's slowly graying, looks to be around her early fifties, is slightly plump and seems like a warm person. She'd reassured as that she'd knew us new freshman would be getting lost a lot in the next few days and that the teachers wouldn't penalize us.

Later going over the rules of Stoneybrook High, she'd added, "Some of you might not like me because I also handle the discipline..." some kids had relaxed and chuckled while a few groaned. She'd smiled and told us, "I knew that would loosen you up."

"Welcome to Stoneybrook High School, all freshmen and new students," Ms. Silverbein told us now over the loudspeaker. She gave a short speech on how she hoped we could grow and learn here and things like that. Before clicking off, she reassured us that we would find our way around soon and that she understood how nervous most of the new ninth-graders were. A few minutes later, the bell rang to officially start our high school classes.

Five minutes after my first class and I was lost already! Try to stay calm, I reasoned. There's only two floors in here. The place seemed vast and wild with kids shoving around, rushing to their next class. I was trying to find my way to math. Room 270.

I headed upstairs, then saw another split in the corridors. Some big guy slammed into me. "Heyyy, watch it, little nerd!" he snarled before barreling on down the hall. Somebody else laughed while I struggled to keep my balance. Tears welled in my eyes and I fought them back. No way was I going to break down bawling now. I was going to keep de-chickening myself and find Room 270.

By slowly following the numbers on the wall, keeping close to that wall, I finally found it and sank into a seat, panting in relief. I wiped the tears from my eyes and took a deep breath. Most of the other freshmen looked bewildered and lost. A girl poked her head into the room. "Is this Lit I?" she asked.

"No..." several kids told her. Her eyes grew wide and she left. My heart went out to her.

Kristy:

Claudia and I were fortunate enough to be in the same first period math. We grabbed seats next to each other. So far we'd managed not to get lost...yet. Yet being the operative word here. I wondered how long our good luck would last. We had this class and history together.

"Gooood luck," I whispered.

"Could be worse," Claudia whispered back. "At least freshmen all have the same lunch." Thanks the stars above. It was a little while later that I almost collided with disaster. I had to use the bathroom after English and was afraid to ask a junior or senior. So I searched and found tile. Good! I thought.

But as I was going in, I almost barreled into a tall, skinny guy coming out. Oh...God! I'd almost walked into the BOYS' bathroom! I mumbled an, "Excuse me..." and looked anxiously around until I found the girls' room and made it in, my heart pounding.

Stacey:

On my way to fourth period, I got lost! I was trying to find my way to science when I found myself back at the math room. I'd gone in a circle, I realized, my heart pounding. I leaned on the wall, my breath shallow and tense.

Don't panic, I told myself. I closed my eyes, then opened them and looked at my schedule again. Room 221. Math had been in Room 270. So, logically, the corridor at the right with the numbers going down...I followed the numbers staying close to the wall. The odds were on the left; the evens were on the right. There, I found it! I came in, sat, and let out a gasp of relief.

Kristy:

We finally made it to lunch and got seats together. The cafeteria was humongous, almost three times the size the one at SMS. I felt like I'd run a mile race and I think the others felt the same way. Mary Anne almost wound up on the floor, but I shoved a chair under her right in time to avoid major mortification for her.

Abby flopped over, miming extreme exhaustion and that got a chuckle out of us. Abby's twin sister, Anna joined us and sat next to Abby.

"Looks like battle one is over," I mused as we began eating and exchanging I survived my first morning in ninth grade stories. Stacey and Mary Anne told us about an incident on the way to their homeroom where a group of guys tried to comment on them and other girls going past and Stacey and Mary Anne told them off! Good for them! I reached over and we all whooped and hi-fived. Mary Anne blushed a deep red. Mary Anne is one of the strongest girls I know and Stacey's tough too.

Abby:

Surviving your first day in high school is a tough battle, but did you ever try to grope your way around classes when you lose your schedule slip? I don't recommend it. I thought I had the schedule in my purse, but when I looked after lunch, it wasn't there! "Ohhh, God..." I moaned, sitting down on a radiator and pawing through my books and purse.

I stood up, trying not to panic when something brushed against my sock and fluttered to the floor. The schedule! I grabbed it and clutched it, letting out my breath in relief. Next class, English. Room 112. I wound my way there and saw Mary Anne and Stacey.

"Finally three of us have a class together!" Stacey called and the three of us walked into class together and sat.

"Surviving?" I asked. Mary Anne and Stacey nodded.

"I've had to fight back tears twice," Mary Anne whispered.

"I lost my schedule before this class, but thank the stars I found it." I checked my wallet to see if it was still there. It was. It looks like I'm really going to like English this year with two of my best friends in it and the teacher, Ms. Fedders. She was really nice and seemed to understand kids.

After that class was over, we still had one more class to go. Mary Anne had gym, while I had German and Stacey had history. After the day was over, Mary Anne and I were the first at our lockers.

"I'm glad Ms. Fedders is the moderator of the Stoneybrook Beacon because I'm signing up for the newspaper," Mary Anne told me.

"I'm joining soccer," I opened my locker just as our other friends joined us. We talked a bit about what extra-curricular activities we'd join. Stacey said she was joining the Future Scientists Club and Kristy said she was trying out for soccer with me and Claudia said she'd sign up for yearbook.

Mary Anne:

I was almost done with my homework when Sharon came home later that afternoon after school. Dad would be home late that night, so Sharon and I ate dinner, just the two of us. She had a tuna pasta salad, while I had pasta with plenty of meatballs.

I'd called Dawn earlier and she'd gotten through her first day of high school at Vista. In a way, she was "broken in" to high school because last year when we were in eighth grade, the eighth graders at Vista Middle were moved to the high school building to alleviate crowding.

"So how did your first day at SHS go?" Sharon asked.

"Crazy," I let out my breath. "Stressful. Enlightening. Got lost. Almost cried twice. I think the halls today were mostly full of lost freshmen." Then I told Sharon about the incident this morning when Stacey and I fought back against those guys.

"Good for you!" Sharon crowed. She came over and hugged me. "You're growing so fast...soon you'll be a woman...independent...adult. I can't believe it."

Claudia:

"My girls are really growing fast," Mom commented at dinner that night. "Janine's a senior and Claudia's now in high school. Time goes so fast." Bizarre. I used to think time went slowly, especially when I was waiting for something. I can't believe I'm in high school either and Janine's almost in college. She'll be old enough to vote next year. Wow. We're entering a brave new era.