Frenemies Forever

Chapter 3

MONDAY-10:55 A.M.
AT MY LOCKER

We just received our letters ...

FROM THE OFFICE OF
PRINCIPAL WINSTON

TO: Nikki Maxwell

FROM: Principal Winston

RE: EIGHTH-GRADE STUDENT EXCHANGE WEEK

Dear Nikki,

Each year, all eighth-grade students at Westchester Country Day Middle School participate in Student Exchange Week with local schools. We feel this helps to foster community and good citizenship between students and faculty at the host schools. Participation is mandatory for YOU to meet your eighth-grade requirements.

Next week you will be attending NORTH HAMPTO HILLS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY (NHH). You are expected to be on your best behavior and follow the NHH handbook. Photos for student IDs will be taken on Friday, May 9.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,
PRINCIPAL WINSTON

Everyone was excitedly reading their letters and discussing their school assignments.

Principal Winston had also placed the matter list right outside the office door.

I was at my locker writing in my diary when Chloe and Zoey rushed up to me, happily waving their letters in the air.

"OMG, Nikki! Guess what?! WE have the SAME school!" Chloe shrieked hysteriscally.

"WHAT?! NO WAY!" I blinked in surprise. "WE DO?! Are you sure?!"

I assumed that Chloe and Zoey had already checked the office list for my assignment.

"Chloe's right!" Zoey smiled. "WE'RE assigned to the same school! Can you believe it?!"

That news was almost too good to be true. I smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.

I had wasted all that energy worrying for no reason.

I was FINALLY starting to feel excited about he exchange program. It might actually be FUN!

"We're going to have a BLAST!" Chloe squealed. "Group hug, everyone!"

We were doing a group hug when Brandon walked up.

"Let me guess. The three of you have been assigned to the same school! Right?!" He smiled.

"YEP! So, what school did YOU get?" Zoey asked.

When Brandon held up his letter, Chloe and Zoey both screeched, "OMG!! BRANDONHAS THE SAME SCHOOL AS US!"

"This is KA-RAY-ZEE!" I giggled happily. "It seems almost UNBELIEVABLE that the FOUR of us have been assigned to-"

Nikki's friends said:
SOUTH RIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL!!

ME, FEELING TOTALLY CONFUSED!

"WHAT?!" I gasped in shock. "Wait a minute, guys! Are you sure?!"

But Chloe,Zoey, and Brandon didn't seem to hear me. The three of them were laughing and talking about how GREAT it was going to be to hang out with Brandon's best friend, Max Crumbly, at South Ridge Middle School.

Suddenly my stomach started to churn and I could taste the breakfast burrito I had eaten this morning. I bit my lip and tried to swallow the lump in my throat.

No one seemed to notice that I was upset. It was like I was invisible or something. And these people were SUPPOSED to be my FRIENDS?!

I didn't have any choice but to ask myself a very difficult question....

WHY DID I FEEL LIKE A...GIANT BUCKET OF ...
PUKE?!!!

Suddenly everyone stopped talking and stared at me. "Nikki, are you okay?!"

That's when I closed my eyes and wailed...

I'M GOING TO NORTH HAPMTON HILLS!!

"MACKENZIE'S SCHOOL?!" they gasped.

I totally lost it right there in front of my locker as my three friends watched helplessly.

"That's TERRIBLE!" Chloe groaned.

"You POOR thing!" Zoey moaned.

"What CRUDDY luck!" Brandon muttered.

OMG!

I was so frustrated and angry, I wanted to...

SCREAM!!

There's just NO WAY I'm attending school with Mackenzie only to be publicly humiliated by her.

AGAIN!!

I guess this means I'll be signing up for summer school.

Sorry, Principal Winston!

But now that I know none of my friends will be at NHH with me, I'd rather poke my eye out with a dirty stick than be in your STUPID program!!

😦😦😦😦