Crash [Chapter 3]

“Hey!” Jenn yells from behind me, “What’s up?”1

“Hi Jenn,” I reply. “Where’s Nicky?” I curiously ask. 2

Jenn and Nicky are my best friends. We do almost everything together. Jenn is tall with blonde hair like me. She always has a smile on her face, and rarely gets mad about anything. Nicky is a little shorter than me. She has light brown hair and pretty green eyes. Sometimes Nicky tends to be a little more sensitive about things. 3

“Oh, she’s coming. She had to drop something off in Mrs. Reeber’s room. So, how are you coming on your autobiography?” Jenn says. She just had to mention it. At least I might be able to get some good ideas from her.4

“Not too well,” I disappointedly say, “I haven’t even started it yet. There just doesn’t seem like there’s anything to write about around here. I mean, as far as ‘thrilling, new, and exciting’ goes, you know?” I state. Just then I see Nicky walk around the corner.5

“Hey Nicky, come here!” Jenn motions for Nicky.6

“Kate!” she says, surprised, “Hi! I didn’t see you this morning.”7

“My bus was a little late,” I explain.8

“Kate just told me she hasn’t even started her paper yet!” Jenn tells Nicky. 9

“Are you serious?” Nicky says, “I’m practically done with mine! It’s due tomorrow you know. If you want I can help you tonight.”10

“Yah, I’m a little stuck. There just doesn’t seem to be anything ‘exciting’ that I can include. Actually, was just thinking that you guys could give me some good ideas to write about. I really don’t want to fail,” I suggest. Jenn and Nicky seem a little surprised.11

“You mean, make something up?” Jenn asks, “Isn’t that considered, well, cheating? I mean it is supposed to be an autobiography. I don’t know about you, but I don’t know too many autobiographies that are made up.”12

“I know, I know, but I’m desperate here! I’ve got to do something!” I say, “Listen I’ve got to go to class, but if you guys come over to my house tonight, maybe we can come up with something,” I anxiously say. Jenn and Nicky agree. I really do need all the help I can get.13

We all depart our separate ways before the bell. I’m not in any of Nicky’s class, but Jenn and I have math and biology together. But, unfortunately, English is my homeroom, so I head to Mr. Thomas’s class.14

When I walk in, I read a note on the board. It says: AUTOBIOGRAPHIES DUE FRIDAY, MAY 26, 2006! EXTRA CREDIT FOR EARLY HAND-INS! I take my seat in the back of the room.15

“I hope you all like surprises!” Mr. Thomas says sarcastically, “Pop quiz! Pencils out and get ready to begin!”16

I sink into my seat. I have one of those feelings that it’s the start of a bad day.17

At lunch, I meet back up with Jenn and Nicky. They’re already seated at the table when I sit down. They notice I don’t have any lunch with me.18

“Where’s your lunch? Did you forget it?” Nicky asks.19

“Yah, I guess I wasn’t thinking clearly this morning,” I say.20

“Well, if you want, I have some money you can use to buy some lunch,” Nicky offers.21

“Thanks,” I reply, “but I’m not really hungry anyway.”22

“Alright, whatever,” Nicky says.23

I’m really not that hungry. I don’t know why, but I’d guess it’s probably because I’m too busy trying to plan out what I’m going to write about tonight. 24

“You at least want my chips? I don’t like them very much,” Jenn offers. 25

“Sure, I guess. Thanks,” I graciously say.26

“No problem. Just promise me you won’t worry about that paper until tonight. OK? We’ll help you,” Jenn kindly says.27

“I know, I know. It’s just that I can’t stop thinking that if I don’t get this just right, I’ll fail,” I say, concerned. 28

I’ve never failed at anything before. I’m a straight A student and I wouldn’t be able to bare failing such an important paper.29

“Hey, I’ve failed things before. It’s really not as bad as you think,” Nicky says, as she tries to comfort me, “Honestly. You know, you worry way too much.”30

Maybe Nicky was right. I did tend to stress out about the stupidest things. Like this one time a couple of months ago. My science teacher claimed he had never received my homework that I swear I had done and handed in. For the longest time, I pulled my hair out over losing points for one homework assignment. Well, as it turned out, I had handed it in. My teacher had mixed it up with another class. I felt so stupid for worrying about it.31

After lunch I head to Spanish. Spanish is like my least favorite class, other than English. But I guess that’s only because I can’t speak it! Yeah, I can say “hello” and “goodbye” and stuff like that, but other than the basic words, I don’t know Spanish. I have like an 85 average in there. For me, that’s bad. But my parents understand. They hated taking foreign languages in school, so they don’t care if I don’t do so hot. Personally, that’s the only class that I don’t care either.32

The end of the day is always the longest part to me. So I battle through a few more hours of torture, and I’m finally released to go home. But on the way to the bus, I run into Chelsea and her friends, Margie and Debby. The three school preps. They happen to hate me, and I have no clue why. 33

“Well, well, well, ladies. Look what we have here. It’s little Miss Kate,” teases Chelsea.34

“Hey, can you do a little dance for us, please?” says Debby.35

“Go away you losers,” is all I could come up with. Lame, but I had to stand my ground somehow. 36

“It’s not nice to call others names, Kate. Didn’t you learn that in first grade?” replies Margie. All three of them laughed.37

“So, I heard you haven’t even started that important report yet? The one that’s due tomorrow,” says Chelsea.38

“Yeah, so why would it matter to you?” I shoot back.39

“Oh, believe me, it doesn’t. I just wanted to remind you, that’s all. I hope you don’t fail it!” she says sarcastically. 40

“I’m sure you’re just so concerned,” I say with no emotion. 41

“Of coarse I am! By the way, all three of us handed it in today, for and extra 20 points! Aren’t you so glad for us?” she bragged.42

“Actually no,” I say, as I chuckle to myself, “I don’t really care.” It was quite humorous watching the smile drop from her face.43

I was all out of patients and comebacks, so I walked away. God, I hate them.44

“What, you scared? Awwwwe, I think we hurt her feelings,” Debby mocks. And again, they giggled at the smart remark. I guess they got sick of me, so they too walked away. Ever since middle school, those three have been down my neck about everything, always finding something to tease me about. I just ignore them. Some people are just ignorant enough to think that I care. I could care less about those jerks. Actually, I’d love to describe them with a different word, but it may not be appropriate. 45

I hop on the bus and take out my cell. I call Jenn just to confirm what time they’re stopping by. 7:00 tonight. That’s about four and a half hours from now. Plenty of time to give my mind a rest and stop worrying about, you know what, for some time at least. Thanks God today’s over. Well, for the most part. 46

[To be continued...]47