Repeat

Chapter 2

The bus pulls up on the school curb and sways to the right a bit. Like it's going to do tip over. I get out of my seat, only to get pushed back down.

"Nice try, Alice McStupid!" Luke Hafacid, the school bully shouts as me, bulldozing up the rows of seats.

"It's McStucin." I mumble under my breath. Alex raises her eyebrows.

"They kinda sound alike." She nods her head, lips pursed.

I lower my eyebrows at her and give her my best death glare possible. She looks away from me.

I'm not the kind of person that just sits and watches and plans. I'm a doer and an action taker. I wear black every day, I mouth off to teachers and other kids. The one thing that makes people bully me is that I'm the shortest kid in my grade.

Well, that, and I'm a nobody.

Alex gets off first, then I do. we walk in the front door of jail for any sensible kid.

School.

Dummies, bullies, jocks, populars, players, gamers, and nerds. Those are the categories of my school, East Lakeway Middle school.

It's the same routine everyday. Wake up. Read. Eat. Read. Get on bus. Read. Go to locker. Read. First class. Second. Third. Lunch. Read. Fifth. Sixth. Seventh. Eighth. Get on bus. Read. Go to sports practice. Do homework. Read. Eat. Read. Read. Read. Sleep.

"Hey! Over here! Earth to Alice!" Grace, the perkiest person I've ever known bobs and weaves through the crowd of seventh graders, waving to me. I wave back halfheartedly. I see Kota pacing behind her, pushing her glasses up and studying for some test we have next week.

"How was your weekend?! I went to this crazy party and then I talked to Tasha who was like 'I buzzed the punch!' And then I was like 'no freaken way......." Grace jabbers on, getting lost in a story nobody cares about except her.

"What do you think your doing?" I ask Kota, during Grace's story, who has my binder out, searching my notes.

"We have a unit test in a week and I don't think I have all the notes and I asked our teacher and she said we needed at least five pages and I have seven but I think she was tricking me and how do you only have one page of notes anyway how long do you study for because I studied for so long and we should quiz each other!" Kota finishes, barely breathing. Kota is what you would expect from a person who talks like her. She has short auburn hair with giant glasses. Her face is tiny, as well as the rest of her body. No sports at all. Kota always says "It what we do in school that depends what we do in the future." As in if you study hard, you will get a good job. Fail to do so, and the consequences will be terrible.

Grace says the same thing. But she means if you study hard, you will get no boys. Only care about style, and you will have a line of boys following you wherever you go. Grace has flowy, blonde hair that goes to her waist. She is also what you would expect from someone who talks like her. Push-up bra, makeup since age 9, and dresses no matter what. She is also very skinny.

Unlike me. I am bigger than them only because of muscle. I do sports everyday but read when I can. I have beach blonde hair, which runs in the family, and brown eyes. I say do your best even if your best is somebody else's worst.

I need a new catchphrase.

And maybe a new style of living.

And to start talking instead of reading.

Nah, not a chance.