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October 18th, 8th Period Family and Consumer Science/School Parking Lot
"Oh, Paigey, you're so lucky," Akane said as she brushed her hair at the end of class.
"What?" I asked, looking up at her. I had been packing away my binder.
"Chaaaaaad," she said.
"Would you PLEASE stop saying that?" I asked politely.
Akane shrugged as she picked up her back, but swung her black haired head back behind her.
"What?" I asked.
Walking toward us, with his black and white checked back, was Chad Arden. He had a pencil tucked behind his ear.
"Hey, Paige!" he said, and walked in faster strides toward us.
"Here he comes!" Akane said in a sing-song voice.
Chad stopped beside Akane.
"Want me to walk with you guys?" he asked.
"Uh, we're only walking to the subway," I put in.
"Just as well, Paige—y," he said.
I went as red as a ripe cherry tomato.
"What?"
"Paigey. I heard Akane say it, and I thought you liked being called Paigey," he explained, his face visibly pink. "Sorry."
"No, no!" I said, a little too fast, "You can call me Paigey, it's okay Chaddy."
It was at that point Akane cracked up, and Chad chuckled along after a moment. I laughed, too.
"It's a deal," he agreed.
We left the school, and Chad told me some stuff about him—after he heard about me.
"So, Paige," he had said after Akane had yelled at a nerd who had gotten mud all over her bike when he trailed by on his bike, "How's life?"
"It's alright," I admitted. "Chad, where did you move from?"
"Los Angeles," he said, looking at his shoe.
Was he… ASHAMED of being from L.A.?
After that, the conversation grew livelier. I realized, when I'd went to bed that night, that Chad was turning out to be a good friend.
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