Sorry for the wait! This chapter is focused around Sierra, mainly because it's in Sierra's point of view. I think I'm going to change the POV every chapter.


I like the name Cody. It's a nice name. Suitable for a guy as nice as Cody. I really mean it too! It took me all day to work up the nerve to talk to somebody, so I'm glad Cody was so nice to me! I hope I didn't say anything embarrassing. I have a bad habit of saying embarrassing things in front of cute guys. Not that I think Cody is cute or anything... heh.

The bus ride home was awkward. I was all happy and stuff when I climbed aboard, but that was a mistake. Apparently, no one wants to sit with the new girl. I had to sit in the back, by myself. I almost missed my stop because I forgot where I lived. I could hear them snickering and talking about me as I walked off. I fought the urge to think something bad about them. My mom always said that thinking bad thoughts makes your hair fall out, and I think I would be very ugly as a bald person!

Thankfully, I did get off at the right stop. I only had to walk six blocks to get home. Urgh, curse public transportation! But the long walk gave me a lot of time to think, clear my mind in the fresh air.

I don't know if I like my new school. The kids seem mean. Except for Cody, of course. It seemed as if everyone belonged to a certain clique. How on earth was I supposed to fit in? I'm clearly not the goth, emo, or punk rock type. I don't fit in with the preps, blondes, or cheerleaders. What other stereotypes did I see? I'm not athletic, or particularly smart. Where did Cody fit in? Hopefully his friends will accept me, or I will be back to square one.

By the time I got home, I was so fretful that I accidently tripped over a box we haven't unpacked yet and face-planted. By 'we,' I mean my mom and I. My dad left us a long time ago, and I don't have any other siblings. It's a pretty quiet life, but I like it that way.

I was so exhausted that I didn't want to get up from where I was sprawled on the floor. My bag was laying next to me. I stared at it until my eyelids were almost closed with exhaustion. Almost.

I heard the garage door slam and my mom's heels tap down the tiled hallway. "Sierra, dear," she called, but then she saw me. "Sierra, why are you on the floor?"

"Just being lazy," I responded, as I picked my things up. I hauled it all upstairs to my new room, which I had spent a lot of time putting together and thankfully there weren't hazardous boxes everywhere. I flopped down on my bed and pulled out all of my homework. I had an assignment for every class, and I hardly knew how to do any of it. I mean, how am I supposed to do Texas history homework, when I moved here from Florida?

For the next two hours, I sat at my desk, trying to make sense of it all. Right as I was about to give up, my mom called, "Dinner!" Being the studious student I am, I decided to come back to it later as I trudged downstairs.

"How was your first day?" my mom asked as soon as I sat down at the table.

"Fine," I fake-smiled.

"You're lying."

"Okay, tiring. Stressful."

"Why so?"

"Because," I said, "It just was."

"Alright."

That was basically our only conversation. We don't communicate very well. I wanted to tell her about all of my classes, and all of the people I saw, but I knew she wouldn't listen. She never listens.


I was nervous walking into the school building the next morning. Everyone was supposed to go to the cafeteria before the first bell rang, so that's where I headed. When I opened the doors, I was overwhelmed with the noise. I got dirty looks from some of the clusters of people I passed by. I looked around hopelessly for the familiar face of my 'first friend.' I cautiously sat down near the door, ready to make a quick escape if necessary. I waited a few minutes, until I saw him walk through the door. He spotted me as well, and brightened up. "Sierra! Hey!"

"Hi Cody!"

"Come on! We usually sit over here." He gestured for me to follow him, so I got up and hurried after him.

"Hey guys!" Cody greeted two people sitting at a table.

"Yooooo," said one boy in a red sweatervest, seemingly very bored.

"Hey! Who's the chick?" a fat guy asked, and I realized he was talking about me.

"Oh! I'm Sierra!" I answered.

"Hey Sierra! I'm Owen!" the fat guy, er, Owen, responded.

"Noah," the bored kid said, looking at me. Cody sat down, and I followed after.

I didn't talk much. I couldn't keep up with their conversation because I didn't know them, or this school, very well. I was pretty much spacing out, when Noah caught my attention. "So where'd you move from?"

"What?"

"I assume you moved here from somewhere. Unless you're a homeschool gone street."

"Um... Florida. I moved here from Florida."

"Heh. Of course."

"So," Owen asked, "Is your hair natural?"

"No," I answered. "It's dyed."

"Well, I think it's cool," Cody said. Just then, the first bell rang, and they all got up to go to their first classes. I started to, but Cody called after me.

"Yeah, Cody?"

"Just, uh," He looked down, and his cheeks flushed. "Meet us here for lunch, okay?"

"Sure!"

I can't explain in words how happy that simple sentence made me. Cody was still so nice, and Owen seemed so too, even though he was a little loud. Noah was a little boring and sarcastic, but I guess we all need a friend that's a voice of reason. Looks like the weird new girl has made some friends!


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