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Chapter Three

 First day of school and my alarm clock woke me up 20 minutes late. Great. After what Martha said at the mall I wasn't that excited to go back to school, Martha had a point...Sammie and her friends didn't care who I was. I pulled down a purple ruffled top and buttoned my ripped denim shorts that squeezed my thighs. I didn't have enough time to straighten my hair (like I actually straighten THIS mess!) so it was frizzy and curly when I heard the doorbell ring. As mousy brown, wavy bangs swept over my eyes, Noel Cates opened my door.

"C'mon Jordan," Noel says in her fluttery light voice "hurry up!" Noel grabs my arm and pulls me into her little car. Mrs. Cates has wild bright curly red hair, like Noel, and wears wide boxy glasses that made her green eyes look huge. Noel and her mom both had the smallest waists I had even seen. I admit that both of them used to scare me when I was younger. "Happy first day of 8th grade Jo!" Mrs. Cates cheers as her little Honda starts rolling down the street.

Mrs. Cates pulled up to the school doors and signals with her cell phone for us to get out. "Sammie! Savannah! Ally! Lauren!" EVERYONE yelled "welcome back, girl!" Up by the front doors the four it-girls stood twirling their hair and ignoring the other "wannabes". They were all wearing skirts or super short shorts and carrying oversized designer bags as their "backpacks". "Who do they think they are!?" Martha says to us as she skips out of her moms van. Oh Martha, face the facts- you’re the #1 Nottie, and Sammie's the #1 Hottie.

"Poor Jessica" I say as I watch Jessica Montoya follow Sammie and her friends up by the doors. Sammie was obviously and purposely ignoring Jessica. They had ignored Jessica since 6th grade, but poor Jess still thought she was one of them. Jessica was Martha size and had a darkish blonde hair color that she recently dyed to dark drown like Savannah's. Who would ever want to be more like Savannah! Also Jess was from The Meadows, it was obvious because all the others girls made jokes about her behind her back, and she wore the same Aeropostale hoodie at least four times a week. I kind of felt bad; Jessica was the biggest laugh of the school. I saw Savannah glare and Jessica. "Jess!" Savannah exclaimed "You’re still wearing that sweatshirt? You’re getting...bigger...but it's not your fault Mommy can't afford another one". Okay, so Savannah didn't REALLY say that, she just made some snarky comment about her size.

"Hey Sam!" Jaden Marx (hottie) yelled at Sammie as he attempted to pick her up in his arms. "Shut up Jay," Sammie said flirtatiously slapping his arm "I hate the name Sam! You know that!" Savannah waved at Jaden immediately taking his eyes off of Sammie. There was only a few hot guys at Karman Junior High- Jaden Marx, Danny Dior, Jake Forrester and (the best for last) Luke Maxwell. Sammie looked away, and then at me.

"Jordan?" Martha says "Is Sammie HILLS staring at us?" I grunted a little bit the way Martha said "us". Nikki Leigh crept in the background pulling a cello into the school waiting for another mean comment to come about her C-cup boobs or bubble butt. "All that Nikk-i wants is some dick-i" Savannah shouted at the blonde girl pulling her cello. Sammie snickered "Yup! That slut likes to make movies boys, the cheap porno's you rent at Blockbuster!" Sammie's hair was evenly combed and even the tiniest little hair was stuck to her head, she looked 10x better than Nikki Leigh, and Sammie knew it...but Nikki had messed with her before and they had been fighting dirty ever since.

It wasn't just Jessica following them; another group of girls had scooted over. Leading the group was Ashley (also known as Ash-LAY by Savannah and her valley girl voice) King. Ash was pretty- long long black hair and dark skin with cat-like eyes, following Ashley was Kalyn Scranton and Geneva Hart, the three girls looked alike, talked alike and happened to be the next most popular group at Karman, they were even close friends with Sammie. Ashley was "the typical skank" type, short shorts and little tank tops, rumors about Ashley stuffing her bra were going around the school, I agreed with them too! Ash had a tiny waist and stomach and...HUGE TA-TAS! No one even liked Ashley that much, Sammie stole the show. Ashley was also pretty mean, not Savannah mean...but still pretty sassy.

As the school bell rang it seemed like everyone stepped aside to make way for the 'It Group'. Martha held Ms. Briers' Homeroom door open for me as I trotted in. I noticed she was actually wearing some eye shadow in a pinkish peach color and a little lip gloss in a BRIGHT pink. Of course Savannah and Sammie were in this class, AND had snagged a spot next to each other. Jessica had stolen a spot next to Savannah and an empty chair lay besides Sammie's desk. Would I dare go sit by SAMMIE HILLS!? Well why not. Before I could argue with my mind any longer, I strutted over to the spot next to Sammie. As I sat down Savannah yelled "that spot's taken!" I immediately had all eyes on me. "No, it’s fine Jo!" Sammie said and then leaned toward Savannah to whisper something in her ear.

I sat down and pulled out my textbook. Sammie starts flicking her golden hair over her shoulder and leans into Savannah and Jessica. "Did you guys hear about Karen Dailey and Trey Maran? Apparently Trey asked HER out!" Sammie whispered but just loud enough for me and Martha, who had took a spot next to me, to hear. "Poor Trey, but why Karen? Ugh! She's pathetic!" Savannah scowled disapprovingly. Karen Dailey, yeah she was annoying but Karen was prettyish. Short blonde hair and green eyes, Karen was also the second skinniest girl at Karman High, next to Ally Millington. Jess leaned further in, staring at Sammie and Savannah. "Yeah...pathetic" Jessica repeated pulling down her sweatshirt so it covered her bulging stomach.

Sammie glanced at me like "I invited you over here, girl! Say something...trash somebody! Anybody! You’re with us now." Ms. Briers entered the classroom in her usual khaki capri pants and white tank top. Hailey Briers was only 26 at was the "hot teacher type" who couldn't be taken seriously, thank god I was in Ms. Briers class sitting next to Sammie. "Nice shorts Jordan" Jessica whispered loudly and then rolled her eyes at me. Sammie shot Jess a who-do-YOU-think-YOU-are-because-she's-better-than-YOU-and-YOU-otta-know-that-by-now look. Sammie Hills had practically said I was better than Jessica Montoya with that look, unless I read her face wrong, but I don't think I did because Jessica quickly backed off.

"Hey Jo," Martha whispered flatly "I'm going to go sit back by Noel and Michelle Wardell. Sorry." Martha waddled back by Noel, who was playing with Japanese take-apart erasers, and a girl with messy velvet red dyed hair air blowing pink bubbles with her Double Bubble gum. Red hair a la Ally Millington, a lot of girls dyed their hair red after Ally did. Right as I began to get up Ms. Briers shot me a frustrated look and muttered "Jordan Phillips, please remain in you spot". Suddenly I felt a small cool hand on my arm pulling me down, I looked down to see that the hand belonged to Sammie Hills; Sammie wanted me to sit there!

Ms. Briers rambled through Homeroom then Math and Science. She taught all 3 of the first classes I go to, but Sammie and Savannah had left at Math to head over to a different classroom so, naturally, Jessica plays nice and scoots over next to me. "Sammie told me YOU'VE been over to her house, what's it like?" Jessica questions as Ms. Briers points to different periodic symbol on the chalkboard. "Nice, you know...it's exactly what everyone pictures it to be" I say shrugging. "Fake bitches" Jessica sneers. I almost snap back and say "EXCUSE ME GIRLFRIEND?" instead I just manage a- "Whaaa?" "Sammie and Savannah and all of them...they get everything handed to them on a silver platter. I don't get that...and there is no chance a girl like you, that wears mismatch Old Navy flip-flops, is some big rich hotshot" Jess looks at me, who is staring back shocked "Sorry," She says pulling at her sweatpants "It's just, I'm not them...all I've EVER wanted to be, I can't be!" I listen empathetically, taking in her every lingering word.

Jessica shrugs and picks up her science workbook. "Well I guess you can head out now!" Ms. Briers says rubbing her hands together, like she always does when she's satisfied. I follow Jessica out the door and slowly tap on her shoulder. "Doing anything this weekend?" I say as the words fall like jello out of my mouth. Jessica shakes her head. The last jello-like words that fall out of my mouth is: "My house". Suddenly I can't help but smile.

(A/N Savannah [JojoLevesque] over derrr ->)