Chapter 7

Straight after homeroom on Wednesday morning, Jacinta and I headed to our Art class. Our teacher, Ms Vaughn, was at her desk as Jacinta and I sat with Sheri Crawford. Sheri and I have been friends since 4th Grade and we were in the same class in 6th Grade too. It's a shame that we don't talk as often because we're in different classes, but luckily we are in the same Art and English classes as well as the same lunch period.

"How are you both today?" Sheri asked me and Jacinta.

"I'm good." Jacinta replied.

"I'm okay." I replied. "How are you?"

"Not good, actually." Sheri said.

"Why? What's wrong?" I asked her.

"Mom and Dad are always arguing with each other lately."

"That's not good. I said.

"It's making life at home for me and my two younger siblings quite stressful at the moment." Sheri said.

"I have an older brother and a younger brother and sister." Jacinta said.

"You're lucky. I'm the only girl in my family." Sheri said.

I got out my art diary and began to draw. I'm not the greatest artist, but according to Ms Vaughn, my drawing skills are top notch.

"How's Bruce?" Sheri asked me.

"He's good." I replied.

"Tell him I said hi."

"I will do that. Tell Taylor and James I say hi too." I said.

Taylor and James are Sheri's younger brothers. Like Bruce, Taylor is in the 6th Grade while James is in the 3rd Grade.

"I can't wait until the weekend!" Jacinta said.

"What have you girls got planned?" Sheri asked us.

"I'm organizing to go to the mall with Alison, Jacinta and Rachel. I'm planning on inviting others too." I said.

Sheri dropped her pencil on the piece of paper she was drawing on and looked at me before saying, "So, what's the story with Rachel? She's acting very strange."

"I don't know." I said, sighing. At the bus stop earlier, she didn't talk to me or Alison and on the bus she sat next to Marcella again.

"I reckon it's because of me." Jacinta said.

"Don't say that." I said to her.

"It's probably true."

"Rachel full ignored Alison in homeroom. I felt sorry for her." Sheri said.

"Who? Rachel or Alison?" I asked.

"Alison. I'm sorry, but I think Rachel is being a brat." Sheri replied.

"We agree with you on that one, Sheri." I said.

Jacinta just nodded her head in agreement.


When lunch period came, I sat with Alison, Jacinta, Miri and Kara. Rachel walked us and gave us a haughty look before sitting with Stacey Green.

"Well, someone's got a chip on their shoulder!" Miri said, looking rather annoyed.

"You got that right." Kara said.

"Rachel not talking to you two either?" I asked them.

"She completely ignored me in English class." Kara said.

"And when I tried saying hello to her this morning, she just grunted." Miri said.

"She's seriously got an attitude problem." Alison said.

"All because Alison and I are friends with Jacinta." I said. "I mean, Rachel is just being childish."

"I thought Rachel was our best friend, but I guess not." Alison said.

"Do you want me to call her out on it?" Jacinta asked me and Alison.

"No. I don't think that's a good idea." I said to her.

As we were eating our lunch, Rachel walked past her table and laughed loudly.

"What's your problem, Rachel?" Jacinta asked her.

Rachel glared at Jacinta. "My problem? My problem is my so-called best friends abandoning me for a little tramp like you!" she snarled.

"Watch your mouth, Miss!" Jacinta warned.

"Or what?"

"Or I'll slap you hard across the face!"

Rachel got right in Jacinta's face. "Try it!" she growled.

I got up and pushed Rachel back. I was so angry with her!

"How dare you be mean to Jacinta?! She hasn't done anything to you!" I shouted.

Without saying another word, Rachel just stormed out of the cafeteria.

"Are you okay?" I asked Jacinta.

"Yeah, I'm okay." she replied. "I've dealt with types like her back in Sydney."

"I've never seen Rachel lose it." Miri said.

"She's just jealous." Alison said.

After lunch period, I found Rachel sulking outside Mrs Remo's classroom as I made my way to my Maths class. She looked at me and put her head down. I could tell that she was ashamed to look at me after that big blowout in the cafeteria. I sighed and entered Mrs Godfrey's classroom before sitting next to Alison and Jacinta.

"Steph, you look like you're about to cry." Alison said.

"Maybe I am." I replied softly.

Peter Klaff, who was sitting in front of me, heard what I was saying and turned over to face me. "You okay?" he asked me.

"Rachel Robinson needs to grow up!" I said, slamming my Maths book onto the desk.

I couldn't believe I was speaking to Peter with such venom. The whole cafeteria incident with Rachel was really starting to get to me. Peter could tell, Alison could tell, Jacinta could tell. Even Mrs Godfrey could tell it was getting to me.

"Stephanie, do you need to go outside and take a breather?" Mrs Godfrey asked me with a concerned look on her face.

Without saying anything, I walked out of the room. Once I reached the lockers, I started to cry.

"You'll be okay." a voice said to me.

I looked over and saw Peter Klaff. He walked over before putting his arm over me.

"If you knew what Rachel did in the cafeteria, you would be upset too." I said, sniffling.

"I know. Kara told me everything." he said.

"It's just that I thought Rachel was my best friend."

"I'm sure you two will sort things out." Peter said.

When he said that, I started to cry again.

"I'm here for you, Steph." Peter said, giving me a hug.

I'm just glad that Peter was there to comfort me. He's a good friend. Mom says that he gets his personality from his mother, Dr. Klaff.


As I made my way to the school bus that afternoon, Rachel came over to me.

"Can we talk, Steph?" she asked me.

"No." I said.

"Please?"

I ignored her and waited for Alison and Jacinta to arrive.

"So, you're not going to me mature enough to talk to me?" Rachel said, her voice angry.

"Rachel, I've come to a decision." I said to her.

"And what's that?"

"I no longer want to be friends with you." I said, looking straight towards her.

Rachel looked shocked. "What have I done?" she managed to ask me.

"You know what you did, Rachel." I said to her.

"If it's about that incident with Jacinta, I'm sorry." Rachel said.

"Sorry doesn't cut it anymore!" I snapped.

At that moment, Alison and Jacinta arrived.

"What's going on?" Alison asked me.

Rachel was about to burst into tears. "Steph doesn't want to me my friend anymore." she said, biting her lip.

"I'm getting on the bus." Jacinta said before making her way to the bus.

"I don't want to be your friend either, Rachel." Alison said. "After the way you behaved during lunch period, I don't even want to know you anymore!"

Alison and I then walked away from Rachel and hopped on the bus. As I sat down, I looked through the window and saw Rachel covering her face with her hands. Part of me felt sorry for her, while part of me didn't.