CHAPTER ONE-"HOW WAS GEOGRAPHY, MISS WARD?"

"Miss Ward, are you still with us?" Madame Fishman asked.

I jolted up from my daydream. Where was I? Oh yeah. Seventh Period Geography, room 301, at Susan B Anthony Girl's Acadamey. Right. "Yes, Madame." I answered.

"Good, than can you tell me the capital of Ohio?" Madame F quizzed.

"Springfield." I answered.

"Wrong. Springfield is the capital of Illinois, Miss. Ward. The capital of Ohio is Columbus."

"Whatever," I mumbled.

"Excuse me, Miss Ward. Did you say something?"

"Um, I just said that you were right," I improvised.

"Good then. Miss. Jerome-" I stopped listening as soon as Madame
moved on.

After 30 more minutes of tortuous Geography, the bell rang. I joined the flow of girls exiting the classroom. I walked to my locker, and entered the combanation. The locker popped open. I grabbed my bag, and slammed the door shut.

"Well, Miss Ward, how was geography?" a sugar coated voice asked.

I whirled around to face my best friend, Krystine. My mouth popped a big grin. "How was biology, Miss Blitzman?" I asked her.

"Dreadful," she said, draping her hand dramatically across her forhead, "Absolutely dreadful."

I laughed, and we joined the procession out the front doors of the school. "Walk or ride?" Krys asked me.

Since we lived so close, we could walk or ride to school. I looked down at my navy blue and white plaid skirt. "Hmmm,"

Krys looked at me expectantly. I looked at the clouds. They didn't seem too dark. "Lets walk," I said, slinging my bag over my shoulder.

"Okay," Krys said.

On the way home, we passed my older brother's school, Blackwell School for Young Men. By the looks of it, school wasn't out yet. The front grounds were deserted. Krys looked up at the brick building, skeptically.

"So hows Devon?" she questioned, a little to eagerly.

"Oh stop, Krys," I punched her lightly in the arm, "I know, he knows, that you like him!"

Krys blushed a deep pink. "Yeah, I guess its pretty obvious."

"Uh huh."

After the school had disapeared in the trees, all talk of boys, and Devon stopped. It was actually pretty silent. The sound of gravel crunching beneath our black buttoned shoes was the only sound at all. I tucked my navy sweater tightly around me, as we left the tunnel of trees. Just a short walk through Graffiti Tunnel, and then we were home.

The wind swept through the trees, shaking leaves down on us. I shivered again, and buttoned the cardigan all the way up to my chin. Krys barely glanced up at the sudden movement from me. Normally she'd be freaking out. "Are you all right?" I asked her.

"Yeah. I had the worst biology class of the semester. Madame Seer was particuarly sneery today." Krys responded.

We ducked into Graffiti Tunnel. "Really. Madame Sneer seemed nicer today."

"Yeah, but you don't have her for biology."

As we left Graffiti Tunnel behind, Krys fell silent again. A few minutes later, we arrived at my house. "I'll email you." I said, waving. I walked up the walkway, and into my house.

Lucky me, my brother was home. Yep, the older one. I could hear his heavy metal guitar music. "Libby, do your homework." Mom called from the kitchen. "I'll bring you some snacks."

"Thanks mom." I made my way up the stairs.

When I got to my room, I spread out my materials, and tried to study for the math test, but Devons music was pounding into my brain. Even after mom told him to quiet it down, it didn't help. By 4:30, I had gotten through one page in my book, and eaten all the snacks.

"I'm gonna give that boy a piece of my mind." I said, slamming my book closed.

I walked across the hall to his bedroom, and pounded on the door. I didn't wait for a response. I burst right in.

And froze.