Four classes and one extremely embarrassing break in which I couldn't find my locker, I was sitting at a cafeteria table squished in between Skittery and Sarah, picking what was supposed to be pizza. I'm never ever buying food here again, seriously. I looked around at the other kids at my table; they were all boys except for Sarah and were really loud, yelling insults and jokes at one another.

Next to me, Skittery was saying to the boy from earlier with the eye patch, Blink I think, "So, did you make attendance?"

Blink shook his head, "Nah, but Davey boy who 'sleeping hideous' made take attendance signed me in."

Skittery mocked shock, clutching his hands to his heart and jumped up yelling, "I have an announcement! Davey bent the rules!"

I jumped as loud cheers went up and several people pounded David on the back.

"Now, it's not serious. But, he marked Blink as here when he was actually late. First rule bend of the year goes to Davey Jacobs!" then as an afterthought he added, "Of course usually the first rule bend of the year is much more interesting but seeing as its Dave's first, we'll let it slide."

Another loud cheer went up and Skittery sat down and Jack stood up, "Once again, Skitts neglected his manners, everyone, this is Anna."

Jack pointed to me and every face turned to look at me. I slide down in my seat offering a small smile. Having twelve people all giving you the once over is extremely uncomfortable.

Jack continued pointing at each of the other boys in turn starting at the person at the end of the table, "Mush, Kid Blink, Skittery, you, Sarah, me, Racetrack, Crutchy, David, Specs, Dutchy, Snoddy, and Pie Eater."

He sat back down and every one else stared at me for a second before all saying hi at once. I nodded and waved, "Hi."

"So," the one called Mush asked, "Where you from?"

"Connecticut."

The boys nodded, finding that an acceptable answer and having nothing else to say went back to their own conversations and me to my pathetic excuse for pizza.

Sarah leaned over to talk to me, "Don't worry. Soon enough, they'll be giving you just as much crap as they give each other, give them an hour."

In all honesty I really didn't care if the only ones who talked to me were Skittery and Sarah. Two friends would make my day just fine.

I was surprised when the kid across from me spoke up, "Where in Connecticut?"

I glanced around wondering who he was talking to before realizing he was looking at me, "Uh, Tolland. It's near Massachusetts."

He nodded, "Never heard of it." and went back to talking to a kid with glasses.

I was pretty sure the kid with glasses was Specs, and I think Jack said the blonde who spoke to me was Dutchy. I couldn't be sure, God, I groaned, it'll take me forever to catch on to these names.

Skittery heard me groan and turned to look at me, "What's up?"

"I'm never going to remember everyone's name."

He shrugged, "You'll get them. Anyway at least you get our nicknames straight up. It took us two years to get used to calling each other by them and oh, god, remembering whose name was what."

The boy I think is Snoddy moaned in agreement, "It was a nightmare. We finally got it when we all refused to answer to our real name. That was hard too though."

Several heads nodded in agreement. I looked at them shocked, how could all of them carry on their own conversations and still pay attention to what the others were saying? I could barely hear Skittery, never mind across the table.

The thought had barely entered my head when it was pushed out by an extremely dirty and sweaty hand that I could feel through my shirt grip my shoulder.

"What have we here?"

I looked up to see what had potential to be a handsome face but was marred by a nasty sneer; I moved my shoulder trying to shake off the hand.

From where he was sitting at the head of the table next to Jack, Racetrack spoke up, "Whew, what is that awful stench? I fear the sewer may have backed up."

Another boy called out, "To nasty to be the sewer."

Crutchy, sharing the head of the table with Racetrack added "Must be the Delancey brothers."

The others laughed and I grew interested, the Delancey brothers, the ones Skittery had told me about?

Looking over, I could see that there were indeed two of them, the other one had a ridiculous looking mustache and I was debating telling him that when Jack beat me to it.

"I love the mustache Morris." He said using an accent on mustache, "though may I suggest a beard, it'd hide your face better."

Morris bristled with anger while everyone else including me laughed. It wasn't the best joke or insult but it had the desired result. Morris lunged for Jack. Jack slid off the chair letting Morris fall on to it.

All around the table, as well as at several others cheers of excitement went up and Racetrack called out, "Five to One, Cowboy gets 'em!"

The table all shook their heads at him, "Race!" and turned their attention back to the promise of a fight. The other brother lunged at Jack, fists flying but Jack grabbed the chair Morris had fallen on and used it to hit the other 'round the knees sending him to the ground on top of his older brother.

As the brothers stood up again and circled around bringing the fight dangerously close to the table, Skittery grabbed me by the wrist pulling me out of my chair and to the side. I watched shocked, yeah, ok, this was highly amusing but the lack of teachers rushing in surprised me. I pointed this out to Skittery and Sarah who was standing next to him.

They shook their heads, "It's Weasel on duty today, and he won't do anything."

"Who?" I asked

"An assistant Principle."

I nodded; I'd already been told that there were two vice principles, neither of whom were pleasant. Jack was now holding a tray like he was going to throw it at them, the younger brother, Oscar, Skittery had called him, dove, tackling Jack at the waist. He went down with a thud, Jack shoved Oscar off of him and was quickly on his feet, grabbing Morris and swinging him around into a table. Morris came up with a bowl and threw the contents at Jack. Oscar got pelted with pasta, Jack had ducked and Oscar who was getting to his feet got it instead. During Oscar's confusion, Jack managed to grab him in a sort of head lock, almost using him as a body shield against Morris. Morris held up his fists trying to get Jack without hitting his brother while Oscar yelled to just hit him.

Suddenly the bell went off loud and shrill. Jack threw Oscar to Morris and walked back towards us, raising his hands in a 'thank you, thank you very much' attitude.

The Delanceys stocked off, calling, "We'll get you later Cowboy!"

Jack ignored them as everyone threw the remains of lunch in the trash and clapped Jack on the back. I smiled, amused as I tossed my half eaten pizza into the trashcan.

As we left the boys smiled mockingly at the fat, balding man by the doors, "Bye Weasel."

Weasel glared nastily at them and mumbled something about his name being Wiesel.

I was starving, that pizza was awful and that was all I had. Sarah rushed up behind me grabbing my arm making me and Skittery jump.

She pressed a granola bar into my hand, "Word of advice, bring your lunch next time."

I gaped after her blankly, gazing at the granola bar in my hand, how had she known? She'd actually noticed that I wasn't eating. God, that girl is a saint, I'll never compare.

Skittery grinned at me, "We have study, you can eat it then, Medda won't care." He continued, nodding toward my hand, "Sarah notices everything, she likes to mother us. I've been saying for years that she's the second coming of Mary."

I laughed at that, I was willing to second the emotion; Sarah strikes me as the kind of person that's hard not to like.

"Come on, "Skittery said, casually draping an arm over my shoulders, guiding me down the hall, "Let's introduce you to Medda."