(Ashland Middle Scool)

Mel: This is your lunch, okay? Now, I put a dollar in there so you can buy some milk. You can ask one of the big kids where to do that.

Charlie: You remember your phone number? I wrote it down for you, just in case. Put it in your pocket, I don't want you to lose it. Okay?

Mel: You ready?

Coraline: Yeah, guys, I can take care of myself.

Mel: (taking a photo) Coraline's first day of school!

Coraline:(voiceover) I guess it's natural for parents to cry on their kid's first day of school. But, you know, this usually happens when the kid is four or five.

I'm twelve, and before I moved, I went to Pontiac Middle School back in the sixth grade. You probably know my whole adventure with the doll and the Other Mother, but that's all behind me.

I had a great life back in Pontiac. But then my mom and dad got offered jobs writing articles for flower magazines, and I obviously wasn't happy. But if we hadn't moved I wouldn't have met Wybie. You probably know him, hunched over, curly hair, stuttering problem. The best part is that he's going to this school with me.

Charlie: Please be careful.

Coraline: I will. Plus, Wybie goes here, so I'll be fine.

Mel: I doubt that. He's as eccentric as you.

(Coraline laughs and is about to walk across the road, but the bus came speeding past, but luckily she stopped just in time)

Mel: Oh!

Coraline: ... I'm okay. Sorry. I'll be careful.

(Coraline walks up to the school while passing people mainly guys staring at her, some kids burning a book, and she nearly gets hit by a football, she finally makes it to the doors, and walks inside)

(Classroom)

(Coraline Looks around, hoping to see Wybie but she doesn't. So she walks up to a girl)

Coraline: Hi. I don't know if anyone told you about me. I'm a new student here. My name is Coraline Jones.

Girl: (threateningly) Talk to me again and I'll kick your ass. (Holds up her fist)

(Coraline backs away and bumps into Wybie)

Wybie: Hey Jonesy.

Coraline: Wybie! (Hugs him, realizes what she's doing, then stops)

Wybie: (to girl) She's with me, Jacqueline.

(Jacqueline walks away, and Wybie walks to his desk)

(Coraline goes to the desk on the right side of Wybie's desk)

Wybie: You don't wanna sit there. Kristen Hadley's boyfriend is gonna sit there.

Kriten's boyfriend: (sits at his desk) Hey, baby. (Kisses her)

(Coraline sits at the desk in front of him)

Girl: Gene Gladstone farts a lot.

(Coraline sits at the desk left of Wybie's desk)

(The principal walks in)

Mr. Jack: Is everything all right in here?

Ms. Sally: Oh, yeah.

Mr. Jack: So... ...how was your summer?

MsSally: I got divorced. He gambled too much.

Mr. Jack: My carpal tunnel came back.

Ms. Sally: I win.

Mr. Jack-Yes, you do. Well, I just wanted to let everyone know that we have two new student joining us. One just moved here all the way from Africa, and the other moved from Pontiac.

Ms. Sally: Oh. (to Wybie) Welcome.

Wybie: ... I live in Ashland.

Ms. Sally: ... Great.

African Girl: I am from Africa.

Mr. Jack: Her name is Abdalla, and the girl form Pontiac is named Caroline Jones.

Ms. Sally: Oh. Where are you, Caroline?

Coraline: (raises hand) That's me. It's pronounced like the o and the a are switched, so it's Coraline.

Mr. Jack: My apologies. I have a nephew named Anfernee, and I know how mad he gets when I call him Anthony. Almost as mad as I get when I think about the fact that my sister named him Anfernee.

Ms. Sally: Well, welcome, Coraline. And thank you, Mr. Jack.

Mr. Jack: Well, thank you. And... ...if you need anything or if you wanna talk to somebody...

Ms. Sally: Thanks. Maybe some other time.

Mr. Jack: Okay. Good day, everybody.

Coraline: The first day of school was a blur. A stressful, surreal, boring blur. I got in trouble for the most random things.

I usually live in a world where adults don't trust me, where they yell at me, but this is beyond what I went through.

Teacher 1: Don't read ahead!

Teacher 2: No green pen!

Teacher 3: No food in class!

Teacher 4: No colorful hair!

(Cafeteria)

(Coraline walks by a table full of boys)

Boy 1: I told you, I saw the whole thing. Everything.

Boy 2: Did you see nipple? It only counts if you saw a nipple.

Boy 3: That's true, dude.

Coraline: I had a lot of friends in Pontiac. But so far, none in Ashland... Wybie said I could sit with him and his friends, but he had a dentist appointment and left early, so I had no idea where his friends were or where to sit.

(She resorts to eating in the bathroom)

(After school, at the Pink Palace, Coraline walks in the living room where her parents are waiting)

Mel: Hey. How was your first day?

(Coraline runs up to her room)