Beep! Beep! Beep! The alarm clock wakes me. I groan and flop over to see the time. 8:24! "Saturday." I remind myself. I jump out of bed and pull on a pair of jeans and my Chicago T-shirt. I grab my jacket and bolt out the door. I skip down the steps and get my bike. "Rowan! Eat some breakfast!" Mona (the leader) says. I grab a waffle and stuff it in my mouth as I bike to Claire's. There I jump off my bike and attach it to the bike racks. Then I race inside. "Back for more?" Claire asks. "Yes." I say and pull a dusty book off the shelf. "Where's Jack?" I ask. "He was here an hour ago." Claire says. "Gotta go!" I say. Then I run out and hop on my bike. The breeze whooshes past as I peddle down to Azu Hatako, Blue Lake in Amany, the language of the Native Americans that once lived here. I stop at the edge at look out at the glassy water. I wondered what that woman was doing. Lin, this town was a small one no one ever visited. I desperately didn't want Grace to move. I felt like the calm balance of Lin would fade into nothing. Grace was friendly and owned the biggest cloth shop in Lin.
******************************************************************************
At lunch time I found Jenna and we went to Markez, the best Mexican restaurant there was in Lin. It was created my the Markez family and Reda Fredricks, Johnny Davidson, Maya Akers, Joe Liz and Kaya Lee worked there. Not to mention John Parker, the best looking guy In Lin. Reda and Kaya were my friends. "Can I take your order?" Jen Markez asked me. "Sure." I replied. "I want a Taco." "You?" Jen asks Jenna. "Same thing." Jenna responds. "Drinks?" Jen asks. "I think I'll take Lemonade." I say. "Water." Jenna says. Jen nods and leaves. "It's John!" Lou exclaims near me. Lou almost cost me a race yesterday. I feel like pranking her. "Hey, John!" I call. "I don't need your number!" He calls and the room laughs. "I need to add something to my order!" I say. John walks over. "What?" He says. "I need a bottle of water." I reply. John nods and gets me one. "Here." He says and hands me it. I unscrew the cap and dump it on Lou. "HEY!" Lou shrieks. Most of the room laughs, including John. Lou's eyes bore into me as John walks away. "We'll talk later." She says and turns around. Jen brings us our food and we eat. Afterwards I walk outside with Lou on my tail. As soon as we enter an alley she slams me into a wall. "Little rat!" She shrieks at me. I squirm in her grasp. "Let's see how funny it will be when you are knocked out, eh?" She says. I knee her stomach and drop to the ground. Then I take off. I didn't realize how mean Lou would be.
******************************
"Rowan? Would you mind picking up Jason?" Asks Mona. "Sure!" I say. I hop on my bike and peddle to Jersey Middle school. "Jason?" I call through the thick mob. A thin boy with a mop of black hair steps out of the crowd. "I am here to pick you up, Jason." I say to him. "Nothing like a girl who is in the first year of High School!" He says. "Jason's in 8th grade and soon to be in High School. "Come on!" I say. Jason flashes me that smile and hops on the back of the bike. "No your not! Your walking!" I tell him. Jason gets off and starts running and I bike after him.
