Second chapter!

Chapter 2: Meeting Julie

Perry, 5...

"Oh my god!" The tray full of pasta flew across the lunch room hall, splattering tomato, noodles, and vegetable oil all over the marble ground. Everyone turned to look and saw Perry on the floor, her blouse covered with soda, and they looked at the chaotic mess in front of her. The girl immeditaely put down her own tray and rushed over to her.

"I am so sorry," whispered the girl, trying to get Perry back to her feet. "Are you all right?" Perry regained her balance and looked at her destroyed meal, which had made a mess in the middle of the walkway.

The girl had brown, straight hair and hazel eyes, and was wearing a green tanktop along with jeans which were cut at her knees. On her feet were a pair of brown suede shoes.

Mr. Monseliue, the principal, appeared suddenly from behind them.

"What is this?" he asked, "What had happened?"

"I...I'm sorry," Perry stammered, her face blushing as she tried not to make contact with the large man. "I accidentally fell."

"It was my fault," the girl piped up. "I bumped into her without looking. In fact, I was dared to." The principal looked at the girl with a face of astonishment, then a face of anger. Some other girls behind the girl hid their giggles, and others watching the scene either walked away or simply stayed.

"Young girl," said Mr. Monseliue, "I must---"

"She didn't trip me!" Perry said out loud. "I fell myself."

"Then why is this girl saying she tripped you?" he asked, his face getting gradually more confused and angry.

"Because, umm," Perry stammered again, "I told her to lie." The principal just stood there, confused as ever as he thought of what to say next. A lady walked up to him from another door.

"Mr. Monseliue, we have the teacher meeting now," she told him. She looked at the food mess, then at the girl and Perry. "A custodian will clean up," she told them. "You two can go, and tell the lunch lady to give you a free meal." The two teachers hurried off in the other direction, as Perry tried to remove the soda stain with napkins on her hands.

"I'm really, really sorry," said the girl, just as a custodian with a large mop and bucket started to clean up the mess. "I don't know how to apologize or make it up to you." She pulled Perry a little further against the wall "Those girls over there stole my good luck charm bracelet, and said the only way to get it back was to bump into someone with food. But I didn't expect you to fall down. I'm so sorry."

"It's...okay," said Perry. She felt anger within herself, like a deadly storm brewing inside her at what had just happened. Suddenly, her fury disappeared as she was struck with her senses. She looked at the girl, and saw the most sorry face she had ever seen in her life. It wasn't completely the girl's fault. Perry felt disgusted at herself for feeling such anger, and she finally talked. "At least it was only the Wednesday pasta which always looks moldy." The girl was able to let out a light laugh.

"How about, I'll line up for you," said the girl, "While you could do other stuff, and I'll meet you right on those tables. I'll even use my own money."

"It's really okay," said Perry. "The line is too long now, and I'll just take some pretzals from the snack line."

"I have a spare sandwich and yogurt," the girl offered. "It's out on the patio with the stone tables."

"We could eat there," suggested Perry.

Perry and the girl walked off to the outdoor patio, and Perry ate a peanut butter and carrot sandwich. She thought it was really odd but still delicious, and as she sat down, she felt awkward sitting next to the stranger. But as the other girl and her talked and talked more about different things, she felt more and more comfortable. And safe. Like if she were already a friend of hers.

"It's pretty stupid of me to not ask this yet, but what's your name?"

"It's Perry. Perry Malinowski."

"Julie Christensen," said the girl. "My mom was going to name me Bridget, but I was sooo happy they changed it."

"Bridget isn't bad," said Perry. "My Chinsese name is Ling by the way."

"Oh my god, Ling is the name of my cousin's dog!" exclaimed Julie. They both laughed, as Perry scooped out a spoonful of yogurt and put it in her mouth.

"So, how do you think of McKinley High?" asked Julie.

"It's only been two weeks, and seventh grade is already harder than I thought," Perry replied. "But it's a lot fun."

All of a sudden, Julie perked up. "I think I know you," said Julie. "You have Social Studies third period, right? And you also have Art and Gym seventh I think. You're in two of my classes!"

"You're right!" said Perry. "Do we have Art or Gym today, cause I was wondering all day."

"Art, cause yesterday we had no school." The first bell suddenly rang, as the two girls realized they had lost track of time in the midst of their talking. The doors opened up from the cafeteria as kids rushed to their next classes

"Shoot, I have to go. See you Perry seventh period," said Julie, as she hurried off to her next class in the B Building.

"See you too, Julie," she replied. She gathered her books, threw away her plastic, and was about to go to her next class when she spotted the lunchbox Julie had left behind, the name "Julie" written in various colors across the top. She had made her first true friend in just a mere thirty minutes, as Perry looked at Julie trudging against the campus from far away. She knew that Julie would always be her friend, a friend, she felt, who would be along her side until the day of her death. She smiled to herself at her good fortune.

She hurried off to her next English class.