Kelsey
"It's no use!" I wailed to my best friend, Jennifer Bailey, at lunch. "I'll never get all the signatures I need to get nominated for class president!"
Jennifer looked up from where she was unwrapping her tuna sandwich. "How many do you have?"
I threw my clipboard with the signature lists attached on to the cafeteria table. "About 20 less then I need. And the deadline is tomorrow afternoon!"
Jennifer pushed her short brown hair behind her ears and glanced at the clipboard. Then she sat up straight in her seat and threw me a confident smile. "Cheer up, Kelse- twenty's not impossible! I'm sure we can find 20 people to sign. Let's see now, have you asked all our friends from Grover?"
"Yes, of course," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Those are the first people I asked. I asked, like, everyone from our old class!"
"Everyone? Even Danae and Lilly?" Jennifer grinned devilishly.
I tossed her my best let's-get-real look. "Honestly, Jen. As if they'd sign for me! Let's get some real ideas here."
Jennifer frowned at me. "Well, you don't need to blow a fuse- I was just joking. I'm only trying to help."
"I know," I sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just nervous, okay? This election is really important to me. Being class president would really help me feel like I'm getting settled at this place."
And it would certainly help make myself known here, I added silently as I started unpacked my lunch. Even though school had been going on for a couple weeks, I still feel completely lost in the crowd at Wakeman Middle School, or Wacko, as most of the kids call it. When Wacko was made into a middle school this past year, kids from my old school- Grover Jr. High- were tossed in among 8th graders who had already had a school year together. And since they all knew each other and felt comfortable with each other, naturally us Grover kids were the left-out ones. Oh, most of the other kids were nice enough, but it was obvious that they were wary of us since they've heard the rumors about Grover being a really bad part of town. Okay, so Grover isn't the nicest and safest place in the world.... but just because we live there it doesn't mean we're all criminals! But try explaining that to the in-crowd at Wacko. Yeah, right.
Anyway, I felt that if I was elected to such a 'high office'- president of the 'upperclass'- everyone would quit listening to the stupid rumors and realize that if one of us could get elected to something as important as that, then we must not be all that bad. Then they'd all make an effort to get to know us Groverians and make our lives a whole lot easier.
"What about the Fabulous Five?"
I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of Jennifer's voice.
"What?"
She motioned with her milk carton towards a table near the door.
"I said, what about the Fabulous Five? They're all really nice. They might vote for you. And they're practically the most popular girls in the whole school-" here Jennifer turned and gripped my arm, her eyes shining with excitement"-so if they voted for you, then everyone else might, too! Think about it, Kelse!"
"I don't know," I said shaking my head, making my long dark brown hair swing. "They're pretty good friends with Shawnie Pendergast. They'll probably vote for her."
I looked forlornly across the cafeteria to the table where Shawnie Pendergast was sitting with a bunch of girls, telling a story and obviously the center of a attention. "She's so popular, she'll win for sure. It's no use talking to the Fab Five. They probably signed her nomination papers already. Oh well, I guess I'd better just give it up."
"You are such a chicken, Kelsey Talbot! That's your problem! You never go for things- how will you know if you have a chance if you don't at least TRY?" Jennifer cried, smacking her carton down and splashing milk on the table.
"Shhhh! Jennifer, not so loud!" I hissed, glancing around to see how many kids were looking our way.
"I won't be quiet- not until you promise to at least talk to the Fabulous Five."
"Okay, okay!" I said quickly, wishing I'd never brought up the issue with Jen. Honestly, she could be so stubborn!
But she wasn't finished yet. "Promise, Kelse."
I bit my lip. I really didn't want to talk to the Fab Five. I was sure I'd say something totally idiotic and embarrassing and they'd laugh at me and shun me, forever making me a member of the Out Crowd. But I also didn't want a scene in the cafeteria.
"All right, fine, Jennifer Bailey, have it your way- I promise."