A week passed by and things were going great. J.t asked me out like a million more times. Of course I rejected him. Me Emma and Manny were still like sisters. Even Sean and Emma were going good. That was until today Manny told Emma she signed up for cheerleading and Emma hates cheerleading!

It started just like a regular day. Sean walks Emma to class, we all chat and stuff, but today was definitely different. Today was the day that Paige Michalchuk would start this thing called the 'Spirit Squad'? Paige is a stuck up "popular girl in the eighth grade, who thinks she's all that. The whole spirit squad thing sounds stupid to me. I mean just listen to the name they gave it. (Spirit Squad) I don't have a problem with anyone who wants to sign up. In fact when Manny told me she was going to try out I was happy for her. But, Emma reacted a whole different way.

I walked with Emma and Manny as Manny was going to tell Emma about cheerleading.

"It's like traveling back in time. Cheerleading is so over." Emma stated proudly.

"What? Cheerleading is huge, more popular than ever." Answered Manny.

"Yah right. It's sexist and wrong!" Emma exclaimed.

"I thought it could be kind of fun!" Manny said happily.

"Fun? Manny, please say you're not thinking of trying out."

"Too late…I already did. But, I made it. C'mon can't you be happy for me."

I cut in. "Yeah, don't you think it could be fun, I mean its Manny's choice anyway."

"Well I guess it could be. So have fun Manny!" Emma said.

That went better than expected I thought to myself. It seems kind of fishy though. There is no way Emma Nelson is okay with something like that. We walked into the cafeteria and Paige stopped us to have Manny do what she called "showing us how it's done". Manny then did a wonderful cartwheel. I think Manny is going to do great on the squad, but Em looked less than impressed. We finished up our lunches and headed to the bathroom before next period.

"C'mon Manny! Paige and Hazel are two airheads. Why do you want to hang with them?" Emma questioned.

"They are two wicked popular eighth graders that actually like me! It's a pretty big deal." Manny exclaimed growing annoyed.

"Well someone should be pointing out the ridiculous sides of cheerleading. Someone like me." Emma answered in deep thought.

"Em! You're not going to write an article for the Grapevine are you?" Manny asked upset.

"No, No it's not that big of a deal. Don't worry I won't write it." She answered and Manny had a look of relief.

"Jeez, you guys really need to stop shouting. You're gunna make my ears bleed!" I said complaining.

They both said "Sorry" and we all laughed.

Later on that day, I walked outside to go home and saw Manny talking to Paige and Hazel. I didn't think much of it but, kept watching anyway. The three of them suddenly walked in the opposite direction of Manny's house arms in link. I thought that something is bound to go wrong. So, I started walking home and I held the phone near me expecting a call from either Emma or Manny outraged. And just as I expected Emma called.

"Hello?" I asked.

"SARAH! Manny ditched me for Paige and Hazel!" Emma screamed sounding well upset.

"Well, I did see her go off with them today. She said something about you writing an article about cheerleading before they walked off." I said unsure if I should have mentioned that.

"I wasn't going to write the article…that is until now." She said sounding quite mischievous.

"Emma, you wouldn't. C'mon don't do something your gunna regret." I tried to reason with her.

"But, she crossed the line. I was just starting to get used to the whole cheerleading thing altogether and then she goes and ditches me for the popular crowd!" She answered angrily.

"But, if you post the article then cheering might get removed and then she'll hate you forever." I said.

"Well, I'm still writing it." She said sounding more serious than ever before.

"Please..." but before I could answer she hung up "Don't." I sighed because I now had a bad feeling about their whole friendship.

The next day at school Emma blabbed on about her article being written and sent out later on today. But, what I was worried about is what Paige is gunna make Manny do about it. Paige obviously won't be happy and who knows what she'll do to get her way. I'm just hoping that Emma will have a recall or whatever you call it or Manny will dump Paige's ass. So, I continued walking in the halls "listening" to Em just when we passed by Paige, Manny and Hazel.

"Look its little miss save the world and whoever this is." Paige said rather rudely. (Whoever this is referring to me)

"And it's little miss plastic. Shouldn't you be out testing your make up on animals?" Emma answered rudely as well which shocked me.

"C'mon. We're all more mature than name calling." I tried to stop it before it became a huge fight.

"Like your one to talk. I heard about your background. Miss. Criminal Record." Hazel said sharply and it hurt badly for her to say that.

"Where did you hear that?" I demanded.

"It's not that hard to figure out hun." Paige answered this time. Now I ran to the bathroom with tears in my eyes. How could anyone find out? I thought no one could. Just then Manny ran in really upset and called my name.

"I'm here Manny." I answered coming out of the stall I ended up in.

"What was Hazel talking about back there?" She asked the very question I wished I'd never hear.

Just as I was about to say something Emma walked in still furious from what I could see.

"Em, how could you write that article? You know how much cheering means to me." Manny asked.

"How could you ditch me for Paige and Hazel?" Emma threw a question right back at her.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you mad. I just want to fit in with the members of the squad." Manny answered.

"I'm sorry too. I'll have Liberty take it off the paper." Emma stated.

Then they hugged and I thought they had totally forgotten about what Hazel had said. But, as usual I was wrong.

"But, more importantly, back to you Sarah. What was Hazel talking about?" Manny questioned once again.

"Yeah, I think we'd like to know about that." Emma said as well.

"Umm….well back in Quebec I wasn't the friendliest person." I said trying to make it better than it was.

"What do you mean?" They asked at the same time.

"I got in a lot of fights and never really had friends. I got expelled from my last school. That's why I moved here, not because my dad got a job. But, when I came here I vowed to change and actually make friends and keep them." I explained.

"Wow." Was all that Manny could say.

"That's intense." Emma observed.

"Yeah, really a lot to take in guys?" I asked hoping they'd still like me.

"Well, we're still your friends no matter what your past is." Manny exclaimed. "Right Em?"

"Right!" she shouted. And at that we left the bathroom realizing we skipped homeroom and headed to math class.