To Infinity and Beyond

 My epic, exciting, and possibly totally insane story starts in a small Minisota town called Hanibal.

 It was the day after winter break, and I was less than enthusiastic about trudging a mile through the snow to Hanibal highschool, home of the panthers. If it wasn't for my almost obsessive thirst for knowledge, and my desperation for something to do after two weeks of being trapped inside by the snow, I wouldn't have even bothered.

 I was halfway there when my best friend, Blue Alley, pulled up next to me in her red pickup truck. I climbed in without a second thought. Just because my mom was a hippie who walked everywhere didn't mean I had to be one, too.

 "Did you hear?" Blue asked, not taking her eyes off the snow covered street. "There's a new boy in our class. Today's his first day."

 I rolled my eyes. "Of course, I haven't heard. I live with the New Age Nazi, remember."

 Blue laughed. "Oh, yeah. You're probably the most socially chalanged person in Hanibal. Anyway, I was on the phone with Sarah and she said that the new boy moved in just down the street."

 "How does Sarah know? Has she talked to him."

 "Well. . .no. . ."

 "Has she even seen him?"

 "Um. . .not exactly. . ."

 "Then, for all she knows, and elderly couple moved in down the street."

 Blue shook her head, her dark, corkscrew curls dancing around her face. "Sarah says she saw them bring in stuff that looked like it belonged to a teenage boy."

 "Oh, then it must be true!"

 Blue glared at me "Winnie, sometimes you can be the most difficult person on the planet."

 I smiled sweetly. "But you love me anyway."

 "Yeah, whatever." Blue pulled into her usual parking place in front of the school. "Get out of my car."