The Barrier Crossers

Chapter Two~Extending Friendships

 The rest of the day has passed by this time. I am in last period, science, and I am waiting for the bell to ring. A hush has fallen over the classroom as everyone stares at the clock. My eyes widen and everyone counts.

"Five, four, three, two, one!"

Everyone simultaneously stands up and rushes out of the closest door. I bolt to my locker and throw everything in my backpack. I empty out my locker completely and run outside and start running over to where me and Kira wait for our bus to finally arrive. We take each other by the wrists and spin around in circles, both of us with hair flying everywhere. We hug and run around yelling "SCHOOLS OUT!" still waiting for the bus to arrive.

We go on for two more minutes and begin to grow tired. I smell cherry again. I look at Kira, pink cheeks. She smells it to. We both lie down and smile next to our backpacks. The bus finally comes and we rush on, into the farthest back seat there is. Me, her and the other girls in the back of the bus all try and see who can withstand the bus drivers horrible turns and nobody can. We all fall off within a minute. All giggling I am thrown into the emergency door and have to use the handle to get up. I giggle as others try and pick me up but can't because I keep falling and I finally manage to get back into my seat, unable to withstand the laughter coming from my throat. Everybody is yelling and laughing and having a good time. I frown a bit as the bus stops at my stop and say goodbye. I am attacked my a wave of hugs and byes.

"We'll miss you!" they all say in an accidental unison. They all laugh and we all say bye as I rush to get off the bus in time. I walk home, smiling. I can feel the redness in my cheeks as I run home as fast as I can. My heart beating I go inside and text Mom to ask if I can run to Kira's house after picking up Ethan. She says yes as expected and I text my friends until 3:20 so I can pick up Ethan. I grab our bikes and helmets and walk the to his bus stop. He gets out with his backpack and sees me with our bikes.

"Are we going to Kira's?" Ethan asks. I smile and nod as he grabs his bike and helmet and then starts going on the sidewalk to her house.

"SCHOOL'S OUT!" I yell with Ethan. We arrive at Kira's and he goes inside with the tablet I brought to play with Kira's little siblings. I run over to Kira who is waiting in her room and we call all of our friends to have a party. They all say yes and when they arrive we go into the basement and play some board games. We are all having a good time when all of the sudden we all grow serious. We ask about our summer plans and learn that me and Kira are going to an overnight summer camp for most of summer. Our other friends are slightly upset at this, but they try to have fun with the time we have. We go back to having fun, and before we know it, we're all asleep. We wake up and I text my Mom to pick me up, because it's raining.

She arrives and asks "How was it?" I smile and she just knows. I have to go to camp tomorrow so I start to pack. I need a summers worth of clothes, and I can only use the washer twice a month so I will need at least ten outfits. I prepare them and everything else I need and put them in a single suitcase. I also get a second one for my pillow and sheets. By the time I am done, I need to eat dinner. I haven't had anything to eat all day so I am absolutely starving.

"Finally hungry?" Mom asks.

"Yeah. I have been packing all day. I lost track of time." She nods and I make myself macaroni.

"I am gonna miss you when you're at summer camp. You'll write to me?"

"Of course, Mom. As long as you promise to visit at least once a month." I smile saying this. She nods and I sit down to eat. I finish up and we send Ethan to bed and watch movies sitting on the couch before I go. Before I go to bed she takes me to her room for a surprise apparently. Excitedly we run up and Mom presents me with a brand new art set that is the perfect size to fit in my bag.