A/N: Yes! I can update thanx 2 the fact that it's a SNOW DAY!!! Well, sort of... there's hardly any actual snow but the roads got pretty icy last night so now I have time to update! Yay!
January 2, 7:30 A.M.:
School starts in thirty minutes. I'm waiting by the gym.
Normally, they leave it unlocked and students are allowed to go in and use it before school if they want. I guess because this is our first day back after Christmas break, the janitor must have forgotten to leave it unlocked this morning. So now I'm sitting here, surrounded by all the other kids waiting to get in but still feeling alone.
Velma sometimes comes in with me, but not today. She said she had to meet with Ms. Skinner, her psychology teacher, about her midterm report. Fred and Shaggy are in the student lounge, undoubtedly playing video games and gorging themselves on the junk in the snack machines, as usual. I could go join them, but I don't need the temptation; I need to lose the two pounds I gained over Christmas. I hope they unlock the door soon, or it will really throw a wrench into that agenda. I could just stay up later and make up for it tonight; maybe if I run an extra two or three miles...
"Hey Daphne..."
It's Arianna Phillips, my lab partner in chemistry class.
"Did you understand what Mr. Williams was talking about when he told us about the whole VSEPR-thingy in--?" She stops talking as I shake my head blankly.
The truth is, I haven't even done the homework. It's not like Mr. Williams actually checks it anyway. He just looks to see if there are any pencil marks on your paper and gives you credit anyway. So I basically just scribbled. Like I've been doing all year.
He's really just like every other adult: Completely oblivious. He doesn't know what's going on any better than he knows that his brown shoes don't match his navy (clip-on!) tie. He's just like my daddy: He says exactly what he thinks we need to hear, then assumes we actually listened.
Jeepers, that's complete bologna.
Chemistry, however, gets pushed out of my head as the faithful janitor approaches the gym door, the keys jingling on his belt. I dash across the gym floor to the locker room on the opposite side and change as quickly as I can. I check my watch. 7:41. I guess I'll just go one extra mile tonight... I tell myself leniently. But of course it isn't true. I know what my goal is, and I'll stay up all night running if I have to.