A Year in the Life of an American Teenager

Chapter 1

"Shauna, I don't think I can handle this," Kendall said, breathing nervously.

"You'll be fine. He's not worth worrying over, and you know that. Just be the bigger person," Shauna instructed, pulling her down the hallway.

Kendall swallowed nervously and kept her chin up as they passed the group of guys and continued further down the hall. She could feel their eyes on her, and she felt incredibly uncomfortable. She did draw some attention to herself this past summer, so it wasn't that suprising to her. She just didn't like the sudden change in the atmosphere as she passed all the people who she recognized from that day. She could hear the excited whispers, and she knew that the rumors were already spreading. The only thing that was going through her head at that moment was get away, and that's exactly what she was going to do.

She pulled her wrist out of Shauna's loose grip and said quietly, "I'm just going to go to class. I'm not really in the mood for any kind of attention right now," and she started to speed walk up the stairs.

Before she could leave successfully, however, her group of friends spotted her and all yelled to her, "Hey Kendall!" "Long time no see!" and so on. Kendall couldn't help but smile at their greetings since they were almost always extremely energetic at school. The group included Laura Barring, Miranda Allen, Colleen White, Clare Littleton, and Allyson Zucco. They all have been friends since freshman year--some of them since elementary school--to this day. Shauna was never part of the group since she and the other girls didn't have much in common, and they were "too peppy" for her taste.

Clare was the first one to hug her, and she asked, "So how was the rest of your summer? I bet you and Ethan hung out a lot! I'm sorry I didn't get to see you much. But honestly, I had so much fun in New Jersey!"

Clare had platinum blonde hair, which she straightened every day. It only fell just past her shoulders, since she was never into growing it out. She had pale green eyes and a great smile. She was very thin with slight curves, which she had claimed to be because of her high metabolism. She did run track, so that would explain it. She was also the loudest in the group and could talk up a storm.

"It was...eventful," Kendall said, and before Clare could ask what all she did, she asked quickly, "How was New Jersey?"

"Oh it was so much fun," she repeated, and then she proceeded to tell Kendall about the "super hot waiter" at one of the pizza joints her family ate at and how she got his number. That was another thing to know about Clare--she could attract any boy she was interested in.

"Clare, you always meet a 'super hot whatever' wherever you go. Whether it's the beach or the friggin North Pole, you always find someone," Colleen said with exasperation, shaking her head, which made her long, curly, chestnut-colored hair brush Kendall's elbow.

Colleen was probably the sassiest one in the group. Anyone who has ever met her would probably admit that they thought she hated them, since, to them, she came off rude. That was just typical Colleen. She was extremely sarcastic all the time, and after getting to know her, people would figure out when she was kidding and when she wasn't. She was also very smart and witty, with calculating dark blue eyes and a thin mouth. She was the only one who dressed nicely every single day, unless she had a track meet.

"You make it sound like I'd date a penguin," Clare replied, scrunching her nose.

"Who knows? It could get cold there, and you guys could cuddle in an igloo together," Colleen joked, and they started giggling.

As Clare and Colleen laughed, Kendall turned around to talk to Laura and Miranda, who were already in a conversation about classes. Laura was the brains in the group, so of course she told Miranda that she was taking four AP classes and Italian IV to complete her final year of high school. She had long black hair, which is usually styled in a single braid, and serious dark eyes, which were behind a pair of green-framed glasses. Her skin tone is very light, and she was one of the taller girls within the group--Miranda being the other one with the height. She was very quiet and studious in school, but she was very wild when outside of school. The other girls were wild and expressive both in and outside of school, which was what made Laura unique compared to them.

Miranda, on the other hand, was an open book. She didn't care who heard her when she talked about things that shouldn't be said out loud, and she was practically immune to feeling fear. One time in sophmore year, the girls were playing Truth or Dare at Colleen's house, and Laura had dared Miranda to go down a couple of houses to senior Craig Leaderman's house and ask for his boxers. She did it without hesitation, even when Craig's mom had answered the door. Miranda just asked her for her son's boxers, having been recieved a skeptical look and the question, "Who are you?" in return.

Her short fiery red hair and mischievous blue eyes helped display her 'no fear' factor and her quick temper. She was big boned since she played basketball and rugby, so it was never good to be on her bad side.

"Damn, I wish I was that dedicated to school. I'm just taking a couple of honors courses and calling it a year, since I'm going to college for basketball," Miranda commented, shrugging.

"Yeah same, except I'm taking one AP in English, but the rest are either regular or honors," Kendall cut in.

"Why just one AP?" Miranda asked, raising her eyebrows.

"That's what I'm majoring in," Kendall replied, knowing Miranda had forgotten that she already told her that before.

"Oh right, you're gonna be a writer or something," she said, glancing at her phone.

Kendall nodded and said, "I'm going to be famous, not just a writer. You'll see."

Miranda and Laura snorted, and Miranda said, "Then I'll claim to know you and become famous from that."

"I don't think that's how it works, sorry to disappoint," Kendall replied, receiving a playful shove from her friend.

As Kendall laughed, she caught sight of Allyson, who was standing with Colleen and Clare. Allyson had wavy light brown hair, which fell a few inches below her broad shoulders, and hazel eyes. She could come off quiet, but then she would just say something funny out of the blue. She had the most contagious laugh in the group, and she could make even the crankiest person smile. She and Kendall have never really talked one-on-one. They have only conversed when the group was together, but not much outside of that.

Just then, the warning bell rang, telling the students that class will be starting in five minutes. That was also a cue for all the groups of friends who were standing in the hall to scatter, since the teachers would yell at them to do so anyway.

Kendall started to follow her group down the hall, until she noticed that they were going in the direction of where Ethan and his friends were standing. That was when she wondered if any of them knew about what happened with Ethan this summer. Then again, they may not know since they didn't really talk to Ethan or his friends. Kendall wondered if she should tell them, but then she thought that she should tell them when they were not in school. It was safer that way.

"Coming, Kendall?" Clare asked, turning back to face her.

"I have to go this way," she said, pointing down the hall and to the stairs she had tried to go up earlier.

She could actually go either way, but the way that she was going was so much quicker and easier for her.

Luckily Clare didn't question it, and instead, she just shrugged and told her she'd see her later.

When Kendall entered her calculus class, she finally relaxed and thought to herself that maybe today will go better than she had anticipated.