To Be a Spy

Chapter 1

"Come on, let's go!" I shouted with all the residual voice that I had. We were going to be late. Very late.

"Yeah, I know, just hold on...a sec!" my best friend's voice echoed throughout the whole house. I groaned in frustration. Hannah, my best friend, is such a slow poke. If there would be a contest for getting ready the slowest, hell yeah she'd win. And she'd probably hold the record for changing in 1,000,000,000 minutes.

"That's the FIFTH time that you've said that!" I yelled back. I paced around the doorway and sighed loudly, just to make sure that she would hear. Without waiting for a reply, I checked myself in front of the mirror. My chestnut, brown hair was beautifully braided (thanks to Hannah), and my uniform matched myself. It looked nice. Or pretty good.

I ran my fingers through my hair and gazed out the window. Today was the first day of school, and we were going to be late.

That's just terrific, I thought.

Just after I finished that thought, Hannah called my name.

"Rachel!"

"Yeah?" I asked her, waiting for an answer of 'I'm ready!' or something along those lines.

"I'm good now, let's move!"

"Thank God," I sighed. I got her arm and pulled her out the door. "We're gonna be late!" I shouted once more through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, I know," Hannah told me.

"Then hurry up!" I replied irritably.

We rushed (or just me) up to the cobblestone stairs and after I seemed we were never going to make it, I gazed up. I looked at the huge building that I have been to once before, which was the year in when I was a newbie to the school. I was now a high schooler in the tenth grade, so I figured things might be the same.

My eyes skimmed over the professional-looking iron plate that read, 'Welcome to Winston High School'. I glanced at the school and sighed. Welcome home, I guess, I thought.

Without another thought, I took my best friend's hand. We both stepped up carefully and saw ahead what looked like a banner. It read, 'Incoming students, please proceed to the left.' I turned and fixed my brown-eyed gaze into Hannah's. "That's us," I told her as I pointed a finger at the sign. Hannah nodded, and I smiled. I knew that, somehow, things were going to be okay in this upcoming new year.

With Hannah's hand still secured in my grip, we both approached the small stand that stood there. A man was packing up all the paperwork and supplies.

"U-Um, Mr. Everts!" I waved my hand in the air so that he could notice the both of us. Lucky enough, he did, and he stared down at us. "Why, hello, both of you!" he smiled, then laughed. "I thought you guys were some other people that strangely knew my name."

Hannah and I both chuckled. "You must be here for check-in, yes?" he asked us. "Yes," we both replied excitedly. He stretched out his big hand and said, "Welcome to Winston High School once again! I'll have to get both your schedules, Hannah and Rachel."

We both dug our hand into our bags and handed him the paper. His eyes darted over a corner and afterwards instructed, "Okay, now I'll need your IDs for replacement of the...let's see...year and picture." Again we handed him two plastic cards that read our name and ID number.

"Now, do you mind if I take your picture for your ID?" he asked us.

"No, not at all," I answered him, and stood in front of a camera. After the picture was taken I received my new school ID. "Here you go," he handed the card into my hands. "Make sure you don't lose it," Mr. Everts warned me.