Chapter Four

"That was a zoo." Miranda sighs dropping down at the lunch table Adam and Ford had been saving for the rest of the group.

"Your third time around isn't any less crazy." Adam adds, the older guys had gone earlier in the morning.

"I didn't realize we had so many classes." Miranda comments staring at her schedule.

Ford nods, "seven, hours long classes, we start at seven and we have ten minute passing periods. So we start at seven, go until 11:30, then we have an hour long lunch and then we have classes until four."

"And it's not even over then," Adam adds, "well I guess it is if you decide not to do any after school stuff."

"So what's your schedule like Miranda?" Ford asks.

"Advanced show choir, algebra, beginning drama, history, beginning dance, English and orchestra. So explain hor Friday's work around here, I don't get it."

"We don't have our normal day of class, we have six hours of a completely different class."

Kristine and Miranda exchange groans and Colin and Misty laugh at them. "We told you not to do it." Colin adds in the middle of his laughter.

"What class are you guys taking?" Adam asks looking back and forth between Kristine and Misty.

Ford, apparently having picked up on what is going on and he joins the laughing, "so I noticed in your schedule you are missing your foreign language, what happened to your foreign language?"

Kristine tries to hold back her laughter as she asks, "so, we are taking an entire day of Russian?"

The entire group breaks into rounds of laughter, "so what else is there to do before class starts tomorrow?" Misty asks once everyone has stopped laughing at Kristine and Miranda.

"We have orientation after dinner today but other than that we are free to do as we wish." Kristine responds glancing at the schedule/flyer that had been slipped through the mail slot in their dorm-room.

"So what's everyone going to do for the rest of the day?" Miranda questions.

"I want to check out the choir room." Kristine announces.

"I'm checking out the dance room." Misty states.

"I want to check out the fields." Colin replies.

"I want to check out the choir room with you Kristine." Adam adds.

"I was going to head over to the stables." Ford adds, "do you want to come with me Miranda?"

Miranda nods, "sure."

"We have show choir together." Ford states as they walk out of the building that contains the dorm rooms and the dining area.

"I'm not even sure how I got in advanced, I didn't try out or anything."

"You used Lacy at camp as a reference, they probably called her. I'm glad you filled out the application."

Miranda glances over at Ford to find him starring at her, Miranda blushes lightly, "I'm glad I did too."

"So the welcome back dance is next weekend, I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?"

Miranda beams at Ford, "I'd love to."

"I'm an idiot, I said yes and I don't even have a dress to wear." Miranda flops onto her bed and faces her friends.

"We're about the same size and I brought a couple of dresses, you can borrow one of mine." Kristine assures, "stop stressing."

After dinner the entire school had seated themselves in the large auditorium. The headmistress, Lena Michaels, stood alone on the stage. She was to be Kristine and Miranda's Russian teacher, and due to her accent it was obvious that she was from Russia. "Hello Worthington students, it is good to see you all back here safely. I hope your summers were enjoyable and you are all ready to begin the new year.

"We have a busy year this year as always. Football try-outs begin tomorrow, good luck to everyone who tries out and hopefully we can make it to state again this year. The welcome back dance will be next Friday, lease consult the school guidebook for conduct rules and dress code, as they will be strictly enforced.

"And finally there will be try-outs for the school talent show, that will be held on Family night exactly a month from yesterday. Anyone can participate in it, so long as there is a slot open, so sign up early." She continues to talk but Miranda slips her hand in Ford's and he turns to grin at her.

"You guys should do another duet. The one you did at camp was beautiful." Kristine states as they walk out of the auditorium.

Ford and Miranda, who hadn't dropped hands exchange glances, "we could..." Miranda responds slightly unsure as to whether Ford wants to or not.

"I think we should." Ford nods.

Miranda shrugs then grins, "alright, sounds like fun!"

When Miranda got back to her dorm room she set up her laptop and sat down to type an email out to Lizzie.

SweetSassyCool@aol.com:

Hey Lizzie!

Well I'm all settled in here at school, things have been kind of crazy the last couple of days, that's why I haven't emailed you until now, it's not that I didn't want to or that I forgot I just haven't had the time. I got my schedule today, that was an adventure and I'm taking 8 separate classes, seven of them four days a week and then the 8th class is held on Fridays. I went into this without thinking and now I am stuck with Russian for six hours, yuck! But it should be fun, I hope.

Big news though! Next Friday is the back to school dance and I got asked, by this guy I've liked since I met him at camp. His name's Ford and he is so hot! You would like him, he's funny, and he's on the school football team and a junior and we are doing a duet in the school talent show. Hopefully you'll get to meet him sometime, I'm sure you will, maybe I can convince everyone here to come visit you guys when we are allowed our first home visit in a month.

I miss you and Gordo, and I'm sure you guys are getting busy with the back to school stuff school starts in a week for you guys right? Well I hope it all goes well for you guys and Kate doesn't act like her usual self, hey maybe she'll have transfered to a new school...so long as it isn't Worthington that is. Anyway I should get going, it's been a long day and I need to fight my roommates, Kristine & Misty, for the bathroom so I can be up and ready to go for my first class at 7.

Love and hugs,

Miranda

P.S. tell Gordo I say hi and that I miss him as well!