The Magic Lands

CHAPTER ONE • CARTER

Second core, math class. A handful of kids actually wanted to learn including me, another handful were loud and had no interest what so ever in learning. The kids that were left just didn't care. Our teacher, Mrs. Calimare, was trying to teach us but the hum of chatter from mainly the back row was still there.

"Now, if the diameter of a circle is 1.5 and I want to find the circumference. What would I do?" She asked the class and almost immediately a girl in the front row, named Katie raised her hand.

Katie has grown a reputation of being the school genius, and sometimes the teacher's pet. "Yes Katie?" Mrs. Calimare called on her. If you looked you could even see a bit of a sigh come off her lips. That's how much Katie answered questions on a normal basis. And how much the rest of the class bothered not to try.

"Well, you would have to multiply 1.5 by pi, which would be 3.14. So 3.14 x 1.5 would equal 4.71. So in conclusion 4.71 is the circumference." She said, I think if she had a reason to she could have gone on forever.

My name is Carter by the way, and I am not really the kid who likes to stand out. I don't have many friends because I don't really enjoy taking to people. And I am certainly not like Katie raising my hand after every question. I know the answers most of the time, and get good grades, but I don't like to show it.

"Very good Katie, alright next question," Mrs. Calimare said looking down at her paper. "Jackson was running around a circular track with a radius of 3.75 ft. What is the area of the entire track. Remember to use your notebook paper." But, it made no difference because Katie already had her hand stuck high in the air. "Anyone else?" Mrs. Calimare asked but soon after her alarm rang for lunch. "Alright get your things and line up at the door."

•••

Lunch is a free period, we don't have to sit with our class like other schools, instead there are a number of circular tables that are free sitting.

I usually sit with my two friends Kayden and Arnold, though I don't have any classes with them I knew them from last year in 6th grade.

I sat down with Kayden while we waited on Arnold in the lunch line. "How is going Carter?" Kayden asked me as I opened my lunch box.

"Good." I resoponded now picking up my sandwich. "Are you exited for the field trip tomorrow?" I asked him. We were going to the history museum and I was somewhat excited, I think it would be interesting.

"Kinda, I guess. We haven't found out who all will be in our groups yet, I heard that the teachers are just picking at random." He responded now eating his mac and cheese from a thermos.

I swallowed a bite of my lunch. "Really? Like I have any friends in first core anyway, I'll probably get stuck with—" I didn't even have to finish the person in mind spoke up for me.

"Urgh! You are the worst Josh!" A voice said rather loudly. It was Valerie, one of the most popular girls in the 7th grade. Also one of the most annoying, Josh is her boyfriend or, WAS judging by what just happened.

"Gosh, I see what you mean. At least she isn't in your first core." He said, but I gave him a look and he commented again. "Oh, she is isn't she?"

"Yep."

Then Arnold came to the table, carrying his styrofoam tray he sat down, filling the third of the six seats at the table. "So what did I miss?"