1

I had never been in a dorm before. I thought it was a bit lonely. I mean, my room mate was cool, but it's nothing like sleeping in your own house, knowing your family is just a couple of steps away.

I met a boy named Dustin. He's the same age as me. He's pretty cool. I had learned a lot about boys from my two older sisters, April and Caitlin. But I still couldn't figure out whether I thought Dustin was cute. I guess I can't tell the difference. I'm so lame.

Lessons start tomorrow. The only thing I can really do today is daydream. I know I should try to make friends with the other kids here, but I don't want to. I'm very shy.

I kept on flashing back to this morning. It was the day after Dad had told us that Mom had died.

April was leaning by the car, looking at the neighborhood, as though trying to lock it in her memory. Caitlin was hugging her best friend, Denise. Danny was saying goodbye to his best friends, Tuck and Sam. And I was waving at Stella, Lauren, and Rachael, my friends from school.

We piled into Dad's old station wagon, and he drove us down the street and onto the highway.

"Now kids, I know you've never been to a boarding school before. This will be a huge change for you. But this is all for the best. I'm going to get an even better job and then you can come home," he said.

"Yes, dad," answered Caitlin. I didn't say anything. April was staring out the window, her hair flowing in the wind. She was very pretty, with long auburn hair and blue/green eyes. I just wished she wouldn't wear so much make-up. It covered up her natural beauty. Danny was staring at his hands. I know the move was very hard on him. I didn't really feel anything, somehow. I don't know why.

I lay on my bed. Someone knocked on my door. I stood up and opened the door. It was Dustin.

"Hi, Skye. Its dinner time now. Do you want me to show you the cafeteria?" he asked. I pushed aside my long pale blonde hair.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks," I answered. He smiled and started walking toward the staircase. I followed him.

In the cafeteria, there were kids sitting in fours and fives in each table. Dustin invited me to sit with him and his friends. I was very conscious about the fact that I was the only girl there. The boys there laughed and joked as though they had known each other for at least a year. Which they had probably had, I reminded myself. I tried to insert myself into the conversation, but I was too shy. I'm so lame.

After dinner, I decided to go to bed early. I fell asleep before my room mate had even set foot in the dorm. I woke up the next morning.

I knew I had lessons that day. So I dressed up in a pair of jeans and a blue shirt. I wore my new white sneakers. After I had breakfast, Dustin offered to show me where lessons would be taking place. He had lessons with the eighth graders. Wow, he must be pretty smart. Anyway, he showed me to my first class.

"And if you need any other help finding classes, you can tell me," he had said. I thought that was awfully nice of him. And I did need his help, several times, in fact. But when I didn't, he came to my aid anyway. Even though I'm very grateful, I can't help but wonder what happened to his other friends.

I met Dustin's sister, Zoey.

"I met your older sister, April," she had said. She smiled a lot when she said that. April tells me that when someone is too nice to you, it means they don't like you or think your weird. Even though that didn't make sense to me, I bought it. April is a pretty tough girl, she should know.

That night I sat on my bed. I'm very good at drawing. I ended up drawing my mom. She was so beautiful. . .

A tear slid from my eye and onto the sketch pad. It made one of Mom's feet blurry. I dropped the sketch pad and buried my head in my pillow. I cried myself to sleep.