her the most was mostly all eyes were on her—at least the guys’ were anyway.
Heads were turning everywhere. One guy was staring at her so much so, he accidentally walked right into a pole; he paused for a second, startled, and then went on staring as if nothing happened. I sure am attracting a lot of attention. Surla was amazed.
The school was bigger than she expected also. She saw many steps, halls, cou rts for playing basketball and tennis, a football field, and a theater for acting.
The bell rang, startling Surla. She pulled her wadd ed up schedule out of her pants pocket. First, I have History , she read, in room 509. Where is that? She saw the closest classroom door said 218. Oh no, it will take me forever to find this class .
Students were rushing to their classes with their friends. Surla felt overwhelmed. Just keep walking , she told herself. You’ll find it eventually . She couldn’t let anyone know she wasn’t sure of the demographics to the school she had supposedly attended for the last two years.
She continued down the hall and turned the corner, almost bumping into a tall, dark-haired guy, wearing a red letterman jacket.
“Cathy?!” His surprised, green eyes opened wide, looking Surla up and down.
“Yes.” She smiled, wishing she could call him by name also.
“Wow, you look so… different.” He smiled back.
Who are you? she wanted to say.
“Why are you going this way?” He laughed . “History is in the opposite direction.”
Thank goodness . He must have class with me. I can follow him . “Oh, I know. I was just…” She was at a loss for words. “Never mind.”
She went with him across the quad to another building of classes. If this is Craig , Surla thought, then Cathy has good taste .
“Come sit by me,” he said, leading her to a desk in the back. Once again, Surla noticed all the staring eyes.
“Oh my gosh!” said the girl sitting on the opposite side of her, covering her mouth. She was a cute girl with big brown eyes and a matching bob hair-do.
At that exclamation, a blond girl turned in her seat to look. She was pretty with pouty lips. “Wow, she’s wearing makeup,” she said with the least amount of excitement as possible. “Well, it’s about time. I think she heard us Friday when we were talking about her.”
“Tiffany!” the other girl said disapprovingly.
“What, Chrissy?” She lifted her eyebrows. “What’s with you? You’re so ‘goody-goody’ sometimes. And don’t give me that attitude.”
That definitely has to be the snobby Tiffany, Cathy was telling me about , Surla remembered. It’s about time Cathy talks back, instead of being the same timid mouse she always has been . “Excuse me,” Surla said to Chrissy.
“Yeah?” Chrissy said hesitantly.
“Did she just say you were the one with the attitude?” Surla made sure she was loud enough for Tiffany to hear.
“Yes.”
“That’s very funny, coming from her.”
Surla could see Tiffany breathe in deeply. Tiffany then turned around to say, “Stay out of my and Chrissy’s business. ”
Surla looked to her left to see that the guy wasn’t in his seat. She glanced around the room and quickly spotted him sharpening his pencil. Surla took the opportunity to growl behind Tiffany’s back, “Reeeow.” If she had her other ears, they would have been flattening to her head. Then, she smiled at Chrissy. A smile crept on Chrissy’s face also, as she unsuccessfully tried to hold back laughter.
Tiffany, once again, turned in her seat, this time looking Chrissy straight in the eyes. “I know you are not laughing at me, because nobody laughs at me.”
By this time the guy had returned to his seat next to Surla. “Hi , Todd,” Tiffany said, smiling.
“Hey , Tiffany.” He smiled back, then grabbed his backpack to pull out a binder.
So , that’s not Craig , Surla realized. He’s cute though… for a human.
A short, balding man with glasses approached the front of the classroom.