"I heard there's a new student transferring to your grade on Monday." Mom tells me.
"Wait, really?" I ask excitedly.
"Yeah, I got an email about it. Her name is Kimberly West, maybe you can show her around, you and Amelia could become her friends." She smiles hopefully in her attempt to make me more sociable.
"Nice try, Mom. Amelia and I are fine, we don't need a third party. And even if we did, friendship should come naturally, not be forced." I inform my mother, who obviously hasn't been to high school in a long time.
"Fine, your right." She says. "But if it comes naturally..." She trails off.
"Yes, okay Mom." I finally give in.
***
It's Monday morning and I'm picking out my outfit for the day. I'm not going to lie, I'm thinking about Ian while I search through my closet and how he'll see me in whatever outfit I go with. I wonder if he'll think I look cute or even pretty. Then again he is a boy and wears the same hoodie everyday, so I doubt he even notices what he puts on in the morning.
I end up deciding on black leggings and a light yellow sweater vest, my usual so it doesn't look like I'm trying too hard. I do curl my naturally wavy hair and put on some Mascara and lip gloss because I can't help it.
When I walk out to breakfast Mom barely notices my effort. She's humming and is very cheerful when she hands me my plate of food.
"Um, what happened to you?" I ask, because this is not normal behavoir. Mom hates mornings, I don't think I've ever seen her this cheery at this hour ever.
"Nothing happened to me Marjorie, it's just a beautiful fall morning." She sits down with me.
"Did Hank call or something?" Hank is my best guess to why she's this happy.
"Yeah he did, last night. How did you know?" She doesn't wait for me to answer her before she continues. "He asked me out on another date, and he said to expect a visit from him at Books'n'Things sometime today."
"Wow, so things are still good with him so far?" I"m not really surprised, Mom can be very likable when she wants to be.
"They're still good, very good. Maybe even great." Mom answers my question but I can tell she's not really talking to me anymore.
I get up and clear my spot.
"Well, I'm going to school now, see you later." Mom doesn't even respond to me just waves her hand as an indication that she's heard me.
When I get to my locker, Amelia is already waiting there for me with a smile on her face. It seems like everyone is happier than usual today.
"Did you hear that we're getting a new student today?!" She says as soon as I am in earshot of her.
"Yeah my mom told me, some girl named Kimberly West." I say, but Amelia shakes her head.
"Yeah her too, but did you hear about the boy?" I hadn't actually.
"Oh, what's his name?" I'm a little curious about him too.
"Cole West, he's Kimberly's twin brother. All the girls are talking about him. You should see him Mar, he has the most gorgeous red-brown hair and OMG his freckles are so cute!" Amelia is speaking a mile a minute, gushing over this boy I've never seen.
"And HIS EYES Mar! His green eyes! I think I'm in love."
"Okay, calm down Amelia, have you even talked to him yet?" She shakes her head no as if that crucial part isn't important.
"Then how do you know you're in love?" I ask. She sighs as if I don't understand at all.
"I just know."
It's time for class now, so we go our seperate ways planning to meet up at lunch so she can tell me more about 'the most beautiful boy' she has ever seen in her life. At least I can relate to her about that.
When I sit down at my desk in math, Ian is already there.
"You look nice today." He says and looks into my eyes. I almost melt into a puddle on the floor. He did notice!
"Thanks." I say and grin at him.
Mr. Holland starts class then and I try to pay close attention so I won't have to get a tutor. I don't know if he even notices.
I have Spanish next so I walk there and when I walk into the classroom, I notice a tall, red haired girl with green eyes and perfect skin, I've never seen before.
"Alright clase*, settle down. We have a new estudiante** today." Senora Rosa says and invites the red haired girl up to the front of the classroom. "This is Kimberly West, she will be joining us this year so please help her if she has any questions." After the quick introduction, Kimberly sits down and Senora Rosa starts class.
Kimberly turns out to be in my Chemistry class as well.
At lunch Amelia and I talk about the new twins.
"How crazy is it that Cole is in my English class!" Amelia sqeals. "And when he stood up when Ms. Colman introduced him, he looked directly AT ME!"
"Kimberly's in my Spanish class." I tell her. "She seems nice too, maybe we should talk to her, invite her to sit with us at lunch." Amelia looks at me as if she's never seen me before.
"What? I must have heard you wrong, did you just say to invite Kimberly to lunch? You know you'll have to talk to her right?" Amelia tells me.
"Yes of course I know I'll have to talk to her, and she doesn't have to sit with us everyday, only one time unless we really like her or something." I explain. Amelia still isn't buying it.
"What's gotten into you? Is it Ian?" I laugh.
"No, it's not Ian. I don't know, I just think that if I was the new girl, I would want somewhere to sit at lunch." Then I think. "But she does have her brother so that might be different." Amelia shakes her head.
"No, Cole is actually sitting with Kyle and Ben and those guys, he already fits right in." She says dreamily.
"See! Even more reason to invite her to sit with us." I argue my case.
"Okay, sure. I might as well get to know my future sister-in-law now." I roll my eyes but in a playful way.
"Okay let's go find her, lunch won't be over for another 30 mnutes." I get up and Amelia follows me. I am actually not sure what is giving me all this confidence but I'm not going to argue with it. It might have something to do with Ian's compliment this morning but I'm not going to admit that to anyone.
Amelia and I walk around the field for a while with no luck before we go into the Cafeteria. It's crazy loud in there and smells pretty bad.
"Do you see her yet?" I ask Amelia.
"No," Then. "Oh! There she is." Amelia points and I can see Kimberly sitting with the popular girls.
"Oh, she has people to sit with. I guess we don't have to invite her." Amelia can see my disappointment I think, because she puts her arm around me and leads me outside.
"It was a nice thought anyhow. We can ask her tomorrow." I nod but we both know she probably won't leave the popular girls unless she's kicked out.
Amelia and I finish our lunch and when the bell rings, head to History.
Later, when I'm about to head to my last class of the day, I bump into Ian in the halls. And he's with...Kimberly.
*clase= class in Spanish
**estudiante= student in Spanish