~Chapter 1~

MIDDLE SCHOOL

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Ugh, is it morning already? I rolled over to my side and felt around clumsily for the snooze button. Where is that thing? Ah ha, here it is. I slammed it down with my palm and the beeping immediately stopped. I snuggled back on my pillow and pulled the covers over my head. Much better.

Before I could fall back asleep though, my eight-year-old sister adopted from China, Michelle started yelling, “Rose!!! Rose, get up!! It‘s the first day of school!!” So much for my plan to get extra sleep. I moaned. Today, like what Michelle said, was the first day of school. Middle school, for me. I sighed, wishing—perhaps even praying—that I wouldn‘t have to go to school. I pulled back the covers and sat up on my bed.

Even in the dark, I could make out the shapes of a couple cardboard boxes filled with some of the stuff I hadn’t unpacked yet. We moved here only three weeks ago, and I didn’t feel at all excited about school. I sighed and stared at the blank sheet of wall in front of me for a second—reminding myself to get posters— before I replied. “I’m coming.” I stepped off my bed and walked to my closet. I slid the door open, revealing a bunch of clothes hanging lopsided on hangers. I yanked down a light blue blouse and slipped on a pair of Levi’s jeans. I pulled on a pair of white socks and hurried downstairs.

I bumped into Kara on the way down. She is the second oldest out of all the Walkman siblings. My parents adopted her about fourteen years ago in Japan when she was only one. “Oops, sorry Kara.” I said apologetically.

“It’s ok.” She replied, smiling. She started to walk away, but then she whirled around and said, “Oh, I almost forgot. I need your opinion. Which top looks better with these pants?” She held up a pair of dark blue pants and a light green shirt. She then swapped the green shirt for a lilac one.

I furrowed my eyebrows as she swapped the shirts again. I finally pointed to the lilac one. “That one. I think it’s a good contrast.”

Kara nodded and said happily, “Thanks, Rose. Oh, and don’t worry about middle school. It’s not as bad as it seems on TV.” She winked and walked to her bedroom.

I smiled to myself and walked over to my normal seat by Michelle and stared at the plate in front of me. There, on the white plate, stood eggs, bacon, a piece of toast, and a glass of milk, waiting for me to gulp it down. I knew my dad would never change our breakfast menu, but I still expected it to disappear and get replaced with a batch of chocolate chip pancakes or perhaps a nice bowl of Lucky Charms cereal. But, nothing happened. I picked up my fork and dug into my food.

After breakfast I collected the plates and forks and stacked them in a neat pile in the sink. I slipped on a jean jacket, slung my bag over my shoulder and stood in the hallway outside the front door to put on my shoes. My mom walked into the hall a few seconds later, her briefcase in her right hand and our school lunches in the other.

“Bye, mom.”

She leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Bye, sweetie. Have a good first day of school!” Then she handed me my school lunch--probably a ham and cheese sandwich-- and turned to help the other Walkman siblings.

I turned the doorknob and held the door open for Ricky, my nine-year-old brother, and Michelle to pass. They were like mustard and ketchup, ok maybe not mustard and ketchup. More like… two crazy, inseparable monkeys. It was their first day in third grade, and they seemed absolutely elated.

“Maybe we’ll get to do plays!” Michelle said, excited.

“Yeah, and maybe we can finally be old enough to join the chess club!” Ricky said. He, I must admit, is a geek. If he’s not playing chess, then he’s fixing a computer glitch. He also knows a lot about different cars and their parts.

“Rose, what are you excited about?” Michelle asked me as we walked to the bus stop together. Kara was in high school and took a different bus. David, who just turned nineteen, was studying at UCLA at the moment.

“Umm… lunch, and recess.” I answered, smiling.

“Really?” Ricky asked in disbelief. “You mean you’re not even excited about after-school clubs and stuff??”

“C’mon, Ricky. You know I was just kidding! Anyway, I’m mostly excited about Math class. Did you know that if you’re in the Advanced Math class, they might send you to the Math Olympiads?” I told him. His eyes widened in excitement.

“Cool!!! I so want to go to middle school! Why do I have to wait three years?” He complained.

“Well, we can start preparing now, though. It will be good practice.” Michelle said, grinning.

I smiled happily as the yellow school bus labeled “Melham Middle School” pulled around the corner. I leaped up the steps, but as soon as I walked in, I knew I was wrong.