Sophie entered the "school". It really looked like a pyramid surrounded by various extra buildings. She walked up onto the door and pulled it open. She entered the main building and was nearly overwhelmed by how many students swarmed the building. Students milled around and all the girls wore the same uniform. The guys' uniforms looked like the same as the girls' (black blazer, white shirt, black dress shoes, reds pants, and black tie) with the exception of the skirt and ballet flats. Sophie looked around. Everyone was good-looking, and Sophie couldn't see a zit or blemish on anyone. Now that she thought about it, no one had braces, glasses, hearing aids, wheelchairs, crutches, or anything that signaled an injury, imperfection, or disability. Everyone was… perfect. Every girl had glossy, healthy hair and all the guys had broad shoulders and the looks. Except for five guys that had greasy hair slicked back into ponytails. Sophie shuddered and felt like a complete nerd. There she was, the only kid with fake glasses that took up half her face and enlarged her already big brown doe eyes. Wait. Sophie looked at every kid in the school. Sure enough, every kid had blue eyes, in all different shades of blue. Sophie suddenly felt like she didn't belong. She carefully shrugged off her backpack and sat on top of it. She looked around for someone to give her directions to her classroom and realized none of them were in a hurry to help her. The lights dimmed and Sophie looked up. A projection of a caramel haired beauty was enlarged and the female's voice rang through the air. "Good morning students! I think it is time to remind you who I am. Students I am your principal, Ms. Alina, and I want order. You need to be on time in class and no ditching." Ms. Alina looked pointedly at Keefe. "And I would like to welcome Ms. Sophie Foster, our newest prodigy!" She said warmly. "That wraps up our announcements!" And the projection vanished. Sophie stood, desperately wishing that the students would stop staring at her like that. She felt a warm hand grab hers. "HeyletmeshowyoutoyourclassrightthiswaySophie!" Jensi said in his way-too-hyper voice. He glanced at her schedule and took her around to the building that had a bird over it. "You're in the Phoenix wing. That means in any school event, sport, or activity, you'll be in the Phoenix group. Fitz and Keefe are in the Dragon group. You'll be with Biana, Dex, Maruca, Marella, Stina, and me. See you later!" That was the slowest Sophie had ever heard Jensi talk. His words were actually… distinguishable. She waved goodbye and saw Jensi's dark hair bob around the corner and disappear. Sophie lowered her hand and turned to the crazily painted door in front of her. She opened it and heard a crack as a pointer tapped a board with notes. A severe looking woman with a tight bun that made Sophie wince looked down her pointy nose at Sophie. "I see the new girl finally decided to show up. I was getting worried that you were going to ditch like a previous student of mine used to." Sophie interrupted the woman. "I'm very sorry, miss, but I just got here. I was figuring out where the room was when another student showed me where it was." The woman tutted. "Tut tut. Interrupting your teacher. How disrespectful and rude. Take a seat beside Miss Vacker. I am Ms. Galvin, for your future reference. Class, the Dragon students will be joining us, too." Sophie glared at Ms. Galvin before sitting beside Biana. Biana snubbed her nose at her. "You look horrible. Just so you know that." Sophie ignored the snipe and got to work on her science notes. Then Ms. Galvin came around with three vials of powder for each student, a flask of clear liquid, an eyedropper, and an empty test tube. "I want everyone to measure three teaspoons of the red powder, two teaspoons of the purple powder, eight droppers of the clear substance, and one tablespoon of the green powder. Then I want you to fill out these questionnaires. You may begin." Sophie made great progress and followed every instruction to the T. But, when Sophie turned her back on her experiment, Biana put an extra tablespoon of green powder in Sophie's tube. Sophie turned back around, not aware that anything was different with her experiment. She felt someone's gaze across the room. Keefe was staring at Sophie, desperately shaking his head as Sophie lifted her arm to add the last droppers of clear liquid. Ms. Galvin came up to Sophie and asked to see how her experiment was going. Sophie answered a confident good. Biana stepped away as Sophie put in the last droppers of liquid. Sophie saw Keefe facepalm himself and heard a gurgling noise. Sophie turned and her experiment exploded, showering gray sludge on Ms. Galvin's clipboard. Unfortunately it rained over Sophie and she felt the sludge boil against her skin. Sophie cried out as tears streamed down her face. The sludge sank into her skin and Sophie couldn't move. Paralysis was sinking in and Sophie crumpled to her knees. The pain was unbearable, and it made her vision go blank. She saw nothing as she passed out.

Sophie woke in a cot with a worried man bobbing around her blurred vision. Sophie made a coughing noise and the man shoved something down her throat. It was warm and sticky sweet. She felt something crisp and fresh go down her throat, but it stopped. Sophie mumbled as it stopped and the man shushed her. "There there Sophie, you've been out for ten minutes. My name's Elwin and I am the school doctor. I'll be releasing you for class, I just want you to drink this first." Sophie obediently drank the sour medicine and got up and left for class. She went back to Ms. Galvin's room and heard a whispering. "SOPHIE ELIZABETH FOSTER WHAT ON EARTH DID YOU DO TO MAKE THAT EXPLODE?! THE ONLY WAY IT WOULD'VE EXPLODED LIKE THAT WOULD BE IF YOU ADDED AN EXTRA TABLESPOON OF GREEN POWDER BEFORE YOU ADDED THE LAST FEW DROPPERS!" Ms. Galvin screamed. Sophie hadn't added the extra tablespoon and she told Ms. Galvin just that. Galvin shook off the excuse though and said that Biana certainly hadn't added the extra powder. Sophie protested that it HAD to have been Biana because no one else was close enough to do it. Galvin said that it was just an awful attempt to undermine Biana. Sophie then shouted angrily that it wasn't her, it was Biana. Galvin would have none of the "nonsense". Sophie huffed angrily and sat down. Galvin gave Sophie an F, turned to Biana, observed her experiment, and gave her an A. Sophie felt rage bubble up, but it quickly melted when Biana invited her to the community pool with her, Fitz, Maruca, and Keefe. When Sophie asked if Dex, Jensi, and Marella could come, Biana just rolled her eyes and said "Whatever". Sophie eyed Biana curiously. Something fishy was going on… Keefe came up and hooked arms with her. "Now if you'll excuse us, Biana, Foster and I have a date with detention." And Keefe dragged her off. Sophie rolled her eyes and smiled. Fitz stared after them with a small smile on his lips. Sophie and Keefe went to the study hall-which was now the detention hall-and took two empty seats. Keefe leaned across to Sophie and whispered in her ear, "Hey, just so you know, I saw Biana put the powder in your work. I don't think she meant for you to get hurt, but… if I'm shaking my head at you like there's an earthquake, then… don't mess with what you're working on. Find an excuse not to do it." Sophie gave the slightest nod. "'Kay Keefe." She looked up as Mrs. Belva grabbed Keefe. "You'll be dancing with me… oh, Sophie… you can dance with… Valin." Sophie looked across the room at the greasy haired, ponytailed boy Ms. Belva was pointing at. Valin was drooling. Sophie sighed and took Valin's hand. It was cold, sweaty, and clammy. She huffed under her breath. Why had Ms. Belva assigned one of the creepy boys? Why couldn't she dance with Keefe? Sophie forced her brain to comprehend that question. Why was her brain telling her that she just asked herself why she couldn't dance with Keefe? Because she did. Sophie mentally harassed herself. Did she really want to dance with Keefe? Sort of. Maybe. Yeah. Whoa whoa whoa brain. Slow down! You're suggesting I dance with Keefe? Sophie silently screamed at herself. Well yeah. Keefe would be better than Valin. Sophie winced when Valin stomped on her toe. It hurt. Sophie rushed for the door when the bell rang. She heard the swish of a bag as someone hurried after her. Keefe slowed beside her. "Someone's got a booooyfrieeeeend!" Sophie's cheeks flamed and she shoved Keefe. "I do not. I don't like him that way. I don't think I like him at all. My toe's gonna be black blue and purple all week because of him." Keefe looked at her. "Someone's gonna be a heartbreaker. I can see it in your eyes." Sophie punched Keefe lightly. "Ewww gross! Keefe's being all sentimental with the 'I see it in your eyes' and all that rubbish!" Keefe grabbed Sophie and put her in a playful chokehold. She fake gasped and pretended to be distressed. He put a fist on her head and rubbed lightly, ruffing her hair. "Ohhhh Keefe! The pain and agony of the Noogie of Death! Oh it hurts!" She cried sarcastically, trying to keep herself from laughing. She escaped and pulled a softcover of her dictionary and bopped him lightly on the head. Then she chased him to the school gates where Sophie's smile faded and she abruptly came to a halt, her laugh dying on her lips. She put her head down and walked quickly past a practically spitting Biana and a laughing Fitz. Dex was grinning and Marella and Jensi were beaming at her. Maruca merely snubbed her nose. Sophie rushed onto the bus and buried her head in her book. When the bus came to her stop she hurried off without saying goodbye to Fitz, Keefe, or anybody. She just went inside her house and shut the door. That night she fell asleep wondering if it was just Keefe teasing her or if-though he might not have been-he was flirting with her.