Chapter 2

Turns out Catherine and I were a lot alike. She also loved horses and I even had her in my next class after the orientation. We walked out together and the guy from the bus I'd thought was cute walked by with some of his friends.

"Who is he?" I motioned toward him.

"Oh him? That's Shane Tregan."

Shane. That was a fitting name. He didn't have the next class with me but at least now I knew one person.

In this class, history, I didn't get to sit next to Catherine but I sat next to another girl a brunette dressed in all pink. I found out from the teacher taking roll that her name was Lauren and I wasn't sure how it happened but in no time we were talking and laughing as I had with Catherine. Were all the girls here this nice? If so I would love it here. Lauren and I hit it off right away because she was also new this year. I wasn't alone after all.

At break all three of us hung out and I couldn't believe my good luck so far. It hadn't even been a whole day and I had two friends here. Catherine was the informative one I labeled her. She told me about most of the people in our grade and who to avoid, who was nice and who wasn't.

"You don't want to get involved with her," she pointed at one girl sitting on a bench surrounded by a bunch of other girls. "That's Heidi Griggs and her disciples. She's pure evil."

I nodded. I definitely didn't want any trouble from any girls. Girls can be as mean as snakes.

Laura was the funny one. She was always happy, always smiling, and could make me bend over laughing.

At lunch I sat with both of them at a table that was mostly full of plain girls like us. I met some more people and across the room I saw Shane come in and sit at the table closest to the windows. That table was for the "Populars" Catherine called them. I could tell why. Most of them were pretty girls and good looking guys. It's funny how simple popularity works. If you look good enough you're automatically in the club, if not you're not worth the time.

After lunch I went to Science, and P.E not really knowing what to expect. I walked into the gym and there were numbers taped to the floor all in rows from one to fifty.

"As I take roll I will give you a number and that number is your spot the rest the year," the P.E teacher announced and then she started calling names. Turns out the numbers you were given was determined by your last name in the alphabet, mine starting with a 'T' gave me forty three. When I sat on my number I noticed two numbers straight ahead of me was Shane and I gulped. Of course his last name started with a 'T' too.

The entire period was basically orientation about rules and grading and the prices of gym clothes. I was awkward, I didn't have Catherine or Lauren in P.E.

After the bell rang I escaped to my last period Health which thankfully I had Catherine in and she sat by me. She told me all about her horse and I told her about mine. I had the feeling today was a start of a beautiful friendship.

"Do you ride the bus?" I asked after the bell rang.

She shook her head, "No, my mom picks me up because last time I rode the bus they lost me." She rolled her eyes.

Lost you? How can the bus lose you? It's your own job to know when and where to get off and on. I thought but didn't say. After all she was my first friend and I wanted her to like me. I just nodded and said bye.

Right before I got on the bus Lauren caught me, "You ride the bus too? Awesome! Let's sit together!"

I grinned, "Okay," and we sat together on the way to the high school.

When we got there and got off that bus I took in the sight. It was a pretty decent-sized high school and the parking lot was full of buses. How would I ever find the right one? I turned to her, "I have to get on bus thirty-one"

She smiled, "Me too. I think it's up there," she pointed near the front of the parking lot and I nodded and followed her.

We found our bus and sat together near the front. I shared my iPod with her but unfortunately I was first to get off with a bunch of other kids I had no idea even lived on my road.

At home I watched T.V until Dad got home. When he did come home I happily told him about my day.

"I really like it so far. I made two friends already today," I informed him grinning. Also a hot guy is in five of my classes that I can drool over.

"That's great sweetheart," he smiled, "Of course you'll make plenty of friends. Want to watch a movie?" Dad and I always watched a movie together at least twice a week. It was a family tradition.

This night I picked Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles the old live-action one from the 80's. We also had pizza for dinner in honor of the movie. Life was good.

The next two weeks I repeated my first day's routine at school. I was really settling in. We even had a Yosemite field trip coming up in a couple days. In homeroom we had to make up groups of four to six to walk around with when we were there. Thankfully I had Lauren in homeroom and we both signed on for the group which was made up of the quiet girls we sat with at lunch.

Catherine wasn't too thrilled about her group. She told us at break, "My mom is chaperoning one of the groups and I have to be in her group. I don't mind most of the girls except for Heather," her face looked annoyed, "She's so two-faced and is a total know-it-all about horses."

"I could never ride a horse," Laura shook her head. "They're too big and scary."

"That's okay I mean everyone is into something different," I smiled.

"Oh my god here he comes," Laura straightened her posture and smoothed her hair.

"Who?" I glanced around and some boys I didn't know walked past.

"Lucas," she pointed at one of them, "He's so cute I could die. He's in my P.E class."

I laughed, "Why don't you go talk to him?"

"Because he could hear me."

I giggled, "Come on, be brave."

Catherine shook her head, "Yuck. That's my cousin."

"Great! Then you can introduce me," Laura said all excited and tugged on her arms to get up from where we were sitting.

Catherine shook her head again, "No, he doesn't like me coming up to him in public."

"Why?" Laura and I asked at the same time confused.

She shrugged, "I don't know. He's an idiot."

Laura and I glanced at each other but we didn't ask anything else about it. Maybe he was just mean that's all.

On the day of the field trip, we all had to line up in front of the buses alphabetically while the teachers and chaperones took role and loaded the buses with lunch stuff. I had to stand right behind Shane. I hoped my hair wasn't frizzy and instinctively my fingers wandered to my head to check.

He turned around and looked at me flipping his hair to one side. My breath hitched in my throat. He was way more gorgeous up close and I couldn't help but stare.

"Hey," he smiled and my heart melted.

"Hi," I choked out. He chuckled and turned away and I could breathe again. Yep I was gone. I had a new crush.

I hoped our seats on the bus depended on our last names but we were allowed to sit where we wanted. He sat toward the back with a pretty girl and I sighed. Probably better to dream. I sat by Laura. Catherine didn't get on the bus. Instead she rode with her mom in her car. She'd asked if we'd wanted to ride with her but Laura and I said no. We liked the bus.

The bus ride was long but fun. Laura and I chatted with some of the people who sat around us including Shane! I glanced around at the other girls on the bus. Of course I was the only one with curly hair. Why did I have to be cursed with it?

"So is your hair naturally like that?" Shane asked me and I couldn't help but laugh.

"You think I'd do this?" I pointed to my frizz, "On purpose?"

He smiled, "Oh okay."

The bus went through a mountain in a tunnel, it was dark and everyone whooped and screamed.

When we finally got there I took in the beautiful sight. I'd never been Yosemite, nor had I seen such a place. Mountains, huge rocks, waterfalls, it was incredible.

When the bus finally stopped we all piled out and got into our groups. I stole one last look at Shane before he left with his group to sightsee. I glanced around at the people in mine. There was actually one boy in our group. A boy with reddish brown hair who was a little on the chubby side named Cole.

He looked at me funny, "Are you new?"

I nodded, "Just moved here, you?"

He shook his head, "Nah, I've lived here my whole life. I'm Cole."

"Anna."

He nodded, "You're friends with Catherine?"

"Yeah," I gave him a funny look, "How did you know?"

"I saw you hang with her at lunch at stuff. Her mom is good friends with my mom so I've known her since elementary school."

"Oh okay," What's his point? Did he like her or something?

"Yeah. She can be a little…strange sometimes. I just wanted to let you know because-" He didn't get to finish his sentence our chaperone started talking to all of us. I stared at him. Catherine seemed perfectly normal what was he talking about? I didn't get a chance to ask him about it. We were off to tour Yosemite.