Becoming Janie

Why So Cynical?

Mrs Powers clapped her hands to get our attention "Everyone grab a chair and put them around in a circle."

This felt way too school like for me, but let's be honest I was far from a 'rebel' so I did as I was asked, grabbing the nearest computer chair. Atleast the chairs were comfy.

I hated sitting around in a circle because you always ended up making awkward eye contact with the people opposite you. To avoid this, I averted my eyes to the ground. Oh God, two chairs away from me on my right were a pair of red and black Nikes. Troy.

Why did he have to sit so close?

"Okay, so I realise most of you have been in glee club since last year but we have three new members joining us today so we are going to go around the circle and introduce ourselves."

No! Oh my God. Why did we have to do this? Why couldn't we just sing and get it over with already?

"Saraya we will start with you, you just say your name and three things about yourself." Saraya was sitting next to Troy on his right. Why did Mrs Powers have to start so close to me?

"I'm Saraya County," Saraya beamed at the class looking everyone in the eye individually. I was suprised with myself when I made eye contact with her. She had such pretty eyes. They were baby blue so of course they went well with her bleach blonde hair. I figured she was a bit of a girly girl because she was wearing a frilly summer dress and wore her hair in two pigtails. I bet the boys loved her.

"I like Family Guy, going to the mall and hanging with my friends." Family Guy aye? Maybe not a complete girly girl after all.

I prayed the circle would go the other way and end up with me near the last few people to speak. No such luck. "Troy, you're next," Mrs Powers smiled at him.

Troy ran a hand through his spikey brunette hair. "Um, well I'm Troy Salem? He sounded nervous, was he really? He always seemed so confident. Mind you I had to learn not to judge a book by it's cover.

"I LOVE Moto X," He added emphasis to the love part and everyone but me laughed.

"Sleeping and my pets."

Troy loved animals? Aww we had something in common. Not that-that would mean much to him.

"What sort of pets do you have, Troy?" Mrs Powers asked.

"I have a cat, Quicksilver. A dog, Fox and a goldfish Rusty. I tried not to laugh, all of his pets had clothes label names. Though I did like the way he had made the names fit them.

"On to you, Milly."

"My names Milly Endeveror! I love eating, shopping and movies!" Milly was a little hard to understand because she had quite a thick accent but what she lacked in english she made up for in spirit. She looked like she was ready to bounce off her seat and run up the wall at any minute.

"Thanks, Milly," Mrs Powers smiled.

"Janie, you're next."

Me? God . "Uh-Uh I stutterd, Uh."

Mrs Powers smiled at me in encouragement. I said a quick prayer in my head that if I could just get through this I would start going to Church SOME Sundays. I probably wouldn't, but I was desperate.

"Um, I-I'm Janie Evans" I looked around the room and immediately wished I hadn't. Every pair of eyes was on me including Troy. It just made me more nervous.

"I like One Tree Hill, the OC, and my pets."

Someone snorted. There was a brunette boy three seats to my left snickering. What was his problem?

"The OC?" He snickered again. "Isn't that like the oldest show ever?"

"Eliott!" Mrs Powers warned him.

"And what if it is?" I half shouted at him.

He smirked "If I was you I would be too embarrassed to admit that I watch that crap."

Crap? Was this loudmouthed smart ass expecting me to just take it while he dissed my second favourite show?

"The OC is not crap! It is a powerful show that really draws in the audience and makes us connect with it and the characters, you would know that if you bothered to educate yourself and watch it," I didn't know that he hadn't watched it, I was just assuming.

Eliott snorted again "You just like that brunette guy, what's his name?"

"His name is Ryan" I answered coldly "And yes I do like him. That wouldn't be because he is hot either it's because he's the misunderstood character that I can really connect with, everyone thinks he's so bad ass but he just makes bad choices because he feels like he is forced to. He just wants to fit in with out the unneccesary drama."

I took a deep breath.

"Why so cynical Eliott?" I asked. Eliott was actually quite hot when I got a good look at him. It was just a shame he didn't have the personality to match.

Eliott now looked sorry that he had argued with me and as if he didn't really know what to say.

"So, Eliott, maybe you should get all your facts straight before you try and debate with someone."

Eliott didn't say anything back and it was then that I noticed Mrs Powers smile at me before everyone else burst into a round of applause and cheers.

"About time someone put you in your place, Eliott" a boy smirked at him as Eliott went red.

I could feel someone looking at me. It was Troy; he was giving me a mysterious smile. Oh he looked so cute. I avoided his gaze though and instead stared at the floor and anywhere else to avoid his eyes.

"Well," Mrs Powers said "Now that Janie and Eliott have warmed up their vocal chords let's continue shall we?"

We went around the room but I couldn't hear what the others were saying because I had just realised something and now I was in shock.

I had actually just talked to a boy over the age of eight.