Emma walked into Patterson Park High School she was really nervous. It was her first day at a new school, and she wasn't used to being the new girl. She had lived in Omaha, Nebraska her whole life and she had plenty of friends there. She was one of the most popular girls at her school and she was also very popular with the guys because of her striking good looks. She had chestnut curly brown hair and hazel eyes, and a chest guys always went crazy for. She didn't like to flaunt her chest too much but it was obvious, even if she wore an oversized sweater. Today she was wearing a long pale blue shirt and a cream colored blouse that her mom said showed too much cleavage but she didn't think it was so bad. All of the guys she passed in the whole smiled at her and some even tried talking to her but she just waved them off. She didn't want to get involved with guys right now. She had to get used to her surroundings. Her family had only been in Baltimore for a couple of days. They hadn't even finished unpacking yet but her mom wanted her to start school right away.

She went to her homeroom and saw a lot of kids sitting there. A lot of the girls looked at her like they wanted to kill her and the guys all smiled at her. She handed her attendance card to the teacher. She looked at Emma and smiled. "Hello, Emma. Welcome to Patterson Park High." She said to her and turned to the class and said "Everyone this is Emma Harralson. Today's her first day. Emma, why don't you tell everyone about yourself." Emma smiled and turned to the class. She wasn't shy at all after all she was very popular and she hoped to be popular here as well.

"My name is Emma and I'm from Omaha. I'm sixteen and I love to sing and dance. I would love to become an actress one day." She said

"Thanks Emma. You may sit down."

"Excuse me, Ms. Billups," a blonde girl said raising her hand. Emma thought she was really beautiful. She was wearing a pretty white and blue dress and had her hair up in a beehive hair do. She always hated that hairstyle but it was pretty popular for some reason.

"Yes Amber." Ms. Billups asked her.

"May I ask her a question?" She asked looking towards Emma.

"Sure Amber I'm sure Emma doesn't mind." Emma smiled at the girl and waited for her to ask her question.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Amber said nastily and a couple of girls sitting next to her laughed. Emma's smile evaporated. She wasn't about to let this girl know she hurt her feelings.

"What is wrong with the way I'm dressed?" Emma asked offended

"I mean aren't your breasts too big for that blouse?" Amber asked getting some laughs from the guys in the class along with her friends.

"That's enough Amber!" Ms. Billups said before Emma could answer her but she couldn't resist saying something back to her. "There is nothing wrong with my blouse but what's wrong with your hair?" Amber gasped and looked at Emma like she had just slapped her.

"Okay Emma just sit down." Ms. Billups said impatiently. She found a seat near the front and tried to concentrate on the morning announcements while avoiding Amber's murderous glares. She noticed a girl sitting next to her with brown ponytails and wearing a plaid jumper. The girl noticed her and smiled at her. Emma smiled back.

"Hi," the girl said as they got up when the bell rang.

"Hi." She said back

"I'm Penny Pingleton." The girl said

"Well, you already know I'm Emma Harralson." They walked down the hall together.

"I can't believe the way you stood up to Amber. I would never do that." She said in admiration.

"What's her problem anyway?" Emma said looking at Amber whisper something to the two girls she was standing with. They all looked at Emma and laughed.

"I honestly don't know. She's never liked me or my best friend Tracy."

"Who is she?"

"Amber Von Tussle. She's one of the most popular girls in school." Great, Emma thought. Now she knew she wasn't going to be popular here now. She hadn't even been at Patterson Park High School an hour and she already made an enemy out of one of the popular girls.

"She's also the lead dancer of the Corny Collins show. The only reason she even got on the show is because her mom is the station manager. If you ask me, she can't dance." Penny said rolling her eyes.

"What's The Corny Collins show?" Emma asked confused. Penny couldn't help laughing at the clueless girl even though she knew it wasn't her fault. Emma looked at her like she was crazy.

"It's a dance show everyone watches it. It's Baltimore's own American Bandstand. My best friend Tracy is on the dance council and so are those two girls with Amber, Lou Ann and Tammy, they are her two followers."

"I'll have to watch it some time." She said. It sounded like the type of show she would not only want to watch but also would like to be a part of but Emma was sure lots of kids in Baltimore wanted that too.

"Why don't we watch it after school today? I miss having someone to watch it with." Penny said excitedly.

"Sure, I have to get to class. I'll talk to you later."

"Sure, I'll look for you at lunch" Penny said and walked away. Emma smiled she might have made an enemy but it looked like she made a friend as well.

In third period Chemistry, Emma looked around for an empty seat, since her teacher told her to find a lab group. She walked up to the first table with an empty seat but unfortunately it was that girl Tammy sitting there with another girl. Maybe Tammy was nicer without Amber around.

"Hi, can I sit here? I'm supposed to find a lab group." She said smiling at them. They stopped talking and exchanged looks with each other. Neither of them answered her and Emma got the message and sat at a back table by herself. She wasn't going to let a bunch of stupid girls get her down. She never has and she wasn't about to start now.

A few seconds later, she was joined by a guy with dark hair and blue eyes. "Hi," he said as he sat down next to her.

"Hi," He said as he sat down next to her.

"Oh is this your table. I'll move if you want me to." She said and started to get her things together.

"No it's okay. You can sit here with me. I'm Link Larkin by the way."

"I'm Emma Harralson. I'm new here." She said stating the obvious.

"Yeah I heard about you." He said

"Oh," she said thinking about what he could possibly have hard about her.

"Yeah I heard you put Amber in her place not many people have the nerve to do that." He said smiling and winking at her. Did he just wink at her? She didn't even know him that well and he as trying to flirt with her! She couldn't help blushing.

"Hey Link," a guy said and sat beside them

"Hi Brad. This is Emma. Emma this is Brad." Link said introducing them Brad smiled and looked at her up and down.

"Hi Emma. I knew not having another partner would pay off one day." He said smiling at her again. Emma felt herself blushing again. He was trying to flirt with her, too! She couldn't help giggling a little. Things seemed to be looking up for her. Her joy dimmed a little when she saw Amber walk through the door. They locked eyes for a second before Amber sat with Tammy and the other girl.

"Isn't that your new best friend?" Link joked with her. She couldn't help laughing at that one. She noticed Amber glaring at her but she turned away from her. Maybe if she ignored Amber she'll go away.

Amber couldn't help glaring at Emma. She hated that girl! Where the hell did she come from? "See I told you she was a slut." Amber whispered to Tammy and Vicky. Emma was definitely a slut. She was sitting there flirting with Link and Brad at the same time! She knew it from the moment Emma walked into their homeroom with her top button undone. She was obviously trying to show off her huge chest.

"Yeah, she's worse then Tracy," Tammy said shaking her head. It took Amber a minute to figure out what Tammy was talking about then she remembered the false rumors she planted about Tracy when she first got on the council. Tracy bounced back from those rumors and stole Link away from her. She still hadn't given up on Link. He would open his eyes one day and realize that the love of his life was standing in front of him all along. Now that Emma was here, it looked like she was going to take Link from Tracy. It would be harder to take Link away from Emma, though. Guys liked sluts. He wouldn't even care that Emma will probably have been with Brad and probably then other guys at school by the end of the week.

"Don't worry about her. You are much prettier." Vicky said

"Yeah she's just white trash. Plus everyone loves you." Tammy chimed in. Her friends knew exactly what to say to make her feel better. They were right: Emma was just right trash from Nebraska and know one knew or cared who she was and she was the lead dancer of the Corny Collins show and everyone in Baltimore loved her! She heard Emma laughing with Brad and Link again. She turned towards her again then smiled because she knew it didn't matter because unbeknownst to Emma, she was going to have her crying back to Omaha.