Stepping into my Algebra class, I noticed at once the problems we were gonna have. There were six rows of desks, each with about six behind each one. On the right three desks, closest to the doors, there were a few black kids, waiting for class to start. On the left side, near the books, there were the white kids, doin' the same. I decided to sit near the middle of the room, which happened to be next to a pretty black girl. I took a deep breath, it was now or never.

"Hi" I said "I'm Liz Walsh."

The room went silent. There were only a handful of people in there, and I was talking a little loud, but I had a feeling that even if Pearl Harbor was goin' on everyone would have stopped to listen to me introduce myself to a black girl.

"Christine Babcock." She said shortly.

"Nice to meet you." I ventured.

She whipped her head towards me. "Why are you doin' this?" she hissed. "I got friends, don't need any white girl to be makin' fun of me."

"I'm not making fun of you." I said, almost in a whisper. "You may have friends, but I don't."

The room sat in silence for a second. "Nice to meet you too." She said finally, smiling slightly.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and smiled back at her.

The bell rang and students filed in. They sat in their 'appropriate' seats, where no one sat on the other's side.

Halfway through filling out all the paperwork each teacher assigned us, I tapped Christine on the shoulder. "Hey" I whispered, "My neighbor's on the football team and he's giving me a ride home. Do you want to come watch practice with me?" I knew I was toeing the line but I was desperate for a girlfriend.

Christine thought about it for a moment. "Okay, but how much do you know about football?"

I blushed. "Only that most boys behinds look quite nice in those football pants."

The bell rang and everyone gathered their books and turned in their forms. Christine giggled. "I think this is the beginning of a wonderful friendship." She said.