Middle School

Chapter 6

Mary, careful not to tear her clothing, ascended down the tree to where Julie was clutching a branch about ten feet from the ground. Julie had a giddy smile on her face. "Such skill," Mary said, her face breaking into the same giddy smile. Julie carefully lifted one hand to flip her right braid.

"I'm very talented," she said with a failed straight face. Julie clamped the hand back on the branch. "Now get me down, thank you very much!" Mary planted her foot at an odd angle and grabbed at Julie's hand.

A muscle ached deep in Mary's leg, and Mary's arm, which was wrapped around a nearby branch, was slipping, wood splintering her skin. Julie jerked her hand back to the branch, and Mary felt herself tipping forward.

The ground rocked back and forth. Mary's eyes crossed, making the yard look deformed and demented. Her leg slipped, jerking her entire body downwards, like sudden death. Mary frantically flailed her right arm around until she felt a stick jab into her upper arm, puncturing the skin. She ignored the pain and held tight to the flimsy twig.

Julie laughed and hopped down. "Just kidding," she yelled, cupping her hands around her mouth. Mary looked down. She was about eight feet up, almost twice her height. Mary forced a bitter smile and looked down at her clothing. No rips, tears, stains, anything. She heaved a sigh of relief.

Too soon.

Both her arms slipped and she fell. Her left ankle slammed onto a rock and rolled into an indent. Mary stepped out of the hole and almost sighed. But when she planted her ankle, she felt a spark of white pain and rapidly sunk to the ground.

Julie was looking at her nails when she heard the howl. She barely moved her eyes. "You okay?" she said flatly. Mary felt a soft hand help her up. This time, Mary sunk only a little and could stand up.

Mary limped around and saw Edith, who glanced at their outfits and gulped. "We had a change of plans," Mary voiced, making sure she sounded annoyed. Then she looked up, smirked, and snickered. "You didn't hear? Ooops. My mistake."

She motioned for Julie to follow her. They started off into the school yard. When Edith followed them Julie turned around and waved her away. Mary limped over to Julie and they launched into laughter. Deep inside Mary's head, the storage cabinet was getting full.

"Aw, crap, we have that English test today," Julie said, stopping and slapping her forehead. Mary shrugged.

"You sit by Marcus. He's smart. I sit by what's-his-name. We'll cheat off them, duh." Julie smiled and slapped Mary's back.

"Thank God I have you, my sister from another mister." Suddenly, Lynn ran up to them.

"Beware the Angie. . ." she said mysteriously, waving her hands in front of her. She held back a laugh and bolted away. Next, Angie ran up to her, wearing the same brown sweatshirt and Sketchers, but wore loose, unflattering jeggings with two holes in them.

"Hello, my boonfellows. Would you like to--" Mary snatched her pen and threw it across the school yard. Julie grabbed her clipboard and bonked it over her head.

"Oops," they said together and then strutted away, laughing.

"Don't you know that chick?" Julie snickered, tossing the sparkly clipboard to the ground. Mary shrugged, and limp-ran to the school doors. She scampered in and slammed the door shut in Julie's face.

Julie opened the door and gasped, trying to hold back a smile. She looked around to make sure no teachers were watching, and screeched, "Girl! Ugh!"