Next Door To A Star

by Krysten Lindsay Hager

  “Excited about school tomorrow?” Aunt Faith asked me.

  My stomach flip-flopped. “Um, no,” I said. “More like terrified.”

  “You’ll be fine. It’s a small school, so not as intimidating as your old one. That’s something, right?”

  I nodded and went to call Simone to ask what I needed to bring on the first day.

  “Make sure to bring lunch money, because only losers bring their lunch, and bring lip gloss and breath mints in case we get cute guys in our class, and a hair thingy in case your hair goes flat,” she said.

  “I meant like, school supplies.”

  “Oh, a notebook or some paper,” she said. “I guess I’m gonna like, need a pen or something.”

  I called Charlotte, and she told me to bring a number two pencil, some erasable pens, a binder for math, a five-subject notebook, folders, a red pen, a ruler, and a box of tissues.

  “And don’t forget to bring your lunch,” she said. “The cafeteria food is gross.”

  I didn’t want to look like a loser, but I made a turkey sandwich to stick in my backpack in case the cafeteria was serving something weird. I packed my backpack and went to bed. I stared at the ceiling for hours. I was so nervous about starting the tenth grade. I mean, I got nervous at the start of each school year, but at least in Goodacre, I already knew those people. How would I do in a school where I only knew a couple of people? And what if Charlotte was wrong and they decided to split up the lunch periods? I’d die if I had to eat lunch in the bathroom again.

  ***

  I was completely stressed out the next morning. Grandma made waffles, but I only ate a bite and I threw up from nerves right before Charlotte came over to pick me up. Mom talked to her while I brushed my teeth to get rid of the vomit taste. Mom had to go with me to make sure all my files from my old school had arrived. I’d asked Simone if she wanted a ride to school, but she was getting a ride from Asia’s mother.

  “I cannot wait until next year when we’ll be allowed to drive to school,” she said.

  Mom pulled up to the school and I felt my stomach lurch again. I felt dumb going into school with my mother, but it was sort of nice to have her there. The secretary in the office said all my stuff had come in so Charlotte walked me to class. Simone was already sitting by the windows, so I sat behind her. She had worn an H&M jean skirt and a pink shirt with her straw sandals. I hadn’t even realized we could wear sandals to school. I would have gotten sent home if I wore sandals at my old school.

  Our teacher came in and I started to relax. Mrs. Feldman had short red hair, and she reminded me of the nurse at Goodacre Academy. The door opened as Mrs. Feldman read off our names.

  “Oops, sorry I’m late,” said a voice, and in walked Nick’s new girlfriend looking runway flawless. Oh, kill me now. No, this was not happening.

  Mrs. Feldman asked the girl what her name was, and she said Reagan O’Hara. Reagan walked over and sat right in front of Simone. Mrs. Feldman made us take a test to see what we had learned last year. I was finishing up a story problem when I heard Reagan whisper to Simone that she loved her sandals.

  “Thanks, they’re Steve Madden,” Simone said.

  “I know, see?” Reagan stuck her foot out into the aisle and she was wearing the same pair of strappy red sandals with a flower on the side. Meanwhile, I was wearing a pair of pink sneakers that made me look like I was going to playgroup or something. The bell rang and I leaned over to pick up my backpack. I got up and Simone and Reagan were walking out together. What was this? She was going to hang out with Reagan now?

  I got lost looking for my English class and walked in late. The teacher glared at me over her glasses as I tried to find an empty seat. I ended up sitting behind Pilar and Morgan. The teacher, Mrs. Simpson, told us we were going to have free reading days every Friday. Pilar sighed, and she and Morgan exchanged a look. Pilar kept flipping her long black ponytail on my desk while I was trying to take notes. Her hair smelled like Herbal Essence shampoo. I met Charlotte and Deidre outside of the lunchroom when the bell rang. I went looking for Simone, but she was already in line with Asia. The cafeteria was serving chili and it smelled like body odor.

  “Did you bring something?” Charlotte asked.

  I nodded and followed them to a table. Deidre and Charlotte had almost every class together, but I only had one class with Charlotte. I saw Simone paying the cashier and I tried to get her attention. She didn’t look up, and she and Asia went to sit with Morgan and Pilar. Then I saw Simone look up and start waving. I started to get up and then realized she was waving Reagan over, the girl she had only known for about five minutes and was my almost boyfriend’s new girlfriend. Was there no loyalty anywhere?

  I had social studies with Simone, so I saved her a seat. Simone walked into the room with Reagan and I motioned to her. Simone said she promised to sit with Reagan too.

  “You want to sit with Nick’s girlfriend?” I asked.

  “From what I’ve heard, she doesn’t even know he was ever talking to you. They broke up months ago and she went to Traverse City for a few weeks, and she came back after the whole Fourth of July party thing,” Simone said. “See? She’s totally innocent in all of this.”

  “How long did they date before?” I asked.

  “Well…they were together last summer, I guess. She doesn’t normally live here year round, so that’s why I didn’t know her. She’s super sweet though.”

  Sweet? She didn’t seem sweet to me. Although I guess I couldn’t hate her for coming in between me and Nick since she technically hadn’t, right?

  “Well…maybe we can all sit together,” I said, looking around for three empty seats together.

  “Simone, over here,” Reagan said, pointing to two empty seats on the other side of the room.

  Simone said we could sit together in science class, which was next period. I nodded, but for now I was stuck sitting by myself. Maybe I could get to class early tomorrow and save seats for the three of us.

  Our teacher, Ms. Crawford, passed out our textbooks and started writing on the board. I couldn’t pay attention because I was watching Reagan and Simone whispering to each other. They had known each other for one day and were already acting like best friends. At least Simone remembered to wait for me after class.

  “I heard Mr. Martin is tough,” Simone said as we walked to the science room.

  The room had little tables for two instead of regular desks. I stopped in the doorway and bit my lip.

  “I’ll sit at a table with Hadley, and Reagan, you sit behind us,” Simone said.

  I felt relief, but Reagan’s lips formed a straight line and she looked like she wanted to say something.

  “Okay, people. We need to pick lab partners—only work in groups of two, got it?” Mr. Martin said.

  Reagan moved up to work with us, and I hoped that our little group of three would fly under Mr. Martin’s radar. We were working on filling a bottle with vinegar and baking soda. Reagan and Simone were trying to get the balloon on the bottle when Mr. Martin came over.

  “Girls, we have an uneven number here and I need one of you to work with Max Wright,” he said.

  I hoped Reagan would offer to go since Simone had agreed to sit with me, but she didn’t say a word, and Mr. Martin asked me if I’d mind moving.

  I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to say Simone was my partner and I shouldn’t have to leave, but I got up and moved to work with the short, funny-looking kid who smelled like ham and rubbing alcohol. I hoped he’d at least know what he was doing, but I had to do the whole lab by myself while he stared at his shoes. I could hear Reagan and Simone laughing on the other side of the room. Their balloon had blown up like it was supposed to, but ours had only sprayed foam on us. My brand new shirt was soaked with vinegar and it stunk. The bell rang, and I had to clean up by myself because Max had left.

  Charlotte saved me a seat in our next class. We were working on the first chapter when my eraser fell out of my pen and I asked Charl
otte if I could borrow hers. She took off her pen cap and I noticed the ring she was wearing. It was a pinky-peach color and made from a seashell.

  “That’s pretty. Where did you get the ring?” I asked.

  “Deidre got it for me when she was on vacation,” she said, twisting the ring on her finger. “She has one too.”

  Great, she and Deidre had matching rings, Simone had a fabulous new friend, and I had ham boy for a lab partner. This school year was already crappy and it was only the first day, which meant I still had to come back tomorrow. Ugh.

  “Do you want to come over after school?” Charlotte asked. “Deidre and I are going to do our homework together.”

  “I guess,” I said.

  We went to Charlotte’s house and all I heard about was how Deidre and Charlotte had all the same assignments since they had so many classes together. Oh, how precious. Gag. They worked together, and I had to do all my work by myself. I called Simone when I got back to my grandparents’ house, but her mom said she was at Asia’s house. Mrs. Hendrickson said she’d have Simone call me when she got home, but she never called me back.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Simone was already in class and talking to Reagan when I got there the next morning.

  “I got your message, but I got home too late to call you,” she said.

  She started to say something else, but Reagan tapped her arm to get her attention. I wanted to see if I could eat lunch with her, but I was afraid to ask. Instead, I ate with Deidre and Charlotte, and they were telling me this funny story about their science class. It didn’t seem funny to me, but I tried to laugh. I hurried to get to social studies so I could sit next to Simone, and I saved seats for both Simone and Reagan. They spent most of the hour whispering to each other and Simone barely spoke to me.

  I was dreading science class and having to sit next to Max. He was already at our lab table, and he was wearing a pair of plaid shorts that made his legs look shorter and whiter than usual. We had another lab assignment, and Max broke a test tube. Mr. Martin said we’d have to stay after to finish the lab, but Max said he rode the bus home. So I was now stuck doing the whole thing. I banged my stuff on the desk when I got to my next class.

  “What’s the matter?” Charlotte asked.

  “I have to stay after because my idiot lab partner messed up our project.”

  “Simone?”

  “No, this guy named Max. Will you stay after with me?” I asked.

  “I would, but I promised Deidre I’d go over to her house. You could come over when you’re done,” she said.

  “When did she ask you to come over?”

  “I dunno. This morning. Why?” she asked.

  I shrugged and said, “No reason.” Deidre could have asked me to come over when she saw me at lunch, but it was obvious she wanted Charlotte all to herself. I thought this year would be different, but maybe I wasn’t meant to have friends.

  ***

  Charlotte got sick the following week and was absent. I sat at our usual table at lunch, but Deidre went to sit with some other girls. She didn’t even come over and ask me to join her. My face got hot, and I crumpled up my sandwich and went to the bathroom. I stayed in there until the bell rang and called Charlotte after school to see how she was feeling.

  “I have pneumonia,” she said. “It was my first chance to watch Charmed Lives since school started and I slept right through it.”

  “When do you think you’ll be back at school?” I asked.

  “Not for a while.”

  “Wow, I hope you feel better. I can get your homework for you and drop it off.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Deidre said she’ll bring it home for me. She’s in most of my classes anyway, so it’s easier for her to get it.”

  I got off the phone and Grandma asked me what was wrong. I told her and she blew it off.

  “Let the other girl bring her the homework. Why would you want to go over there and catch her germs?” she asked. “You’re lucky you don’t have to be exposed to pneumonia.”

  I wouldn’t have minded getting sick and missing a few days of school. I thought this school year was going to be different because I had Charlotte and Simone, but I was still alone.

  I went over to the new house and Dad had finished my room. The house smelled like sweat and paint, and I pulled my shirt over my nose when I went into my room. I wanted a yellow room and even picked out a soft yellow carpet, but we found a big stain on the wall when they removed the rooster wallpaper. They painted over it, but the stain still showed through the yellow paint. Aunt Faith knew I had my heart set on having the walls yellow, and she suggested we paint two of the walls a different color. Grandpa had some leftover lilac paint in his garage, so they painted both the stained wall and the wall across from it lilac. Grandma didn’t like it, saying it, “Was like a cheap Easter egg.” Aunt Faith reminded her it wasn’t her room.

  Simone told me she’d go with me to buy stuff for my bedroom, but she was never home when I called. She was either with Morgan, Pilar, and Asia, or her new friend Reagan.

  “Dad, when can we move my furniture in?” I asked.

  “Not for a couple of days,” he said. “How do you like the purple?”

  It was pretty, but I still couldn’t picture it as my bedroom. Also, I had unpacked my dollhouse, and Mom said I’d either have to store it in the garage and risk it getting moldy and bug infested in there, or I keep it in my room. I had outgrown it years ago, but I didn’t like the idea of something that had once been so special to me sitting in a damp garage. I knew Charlotte would like it, but I didn’t know if Simone would be coming over, and I didn’t want her to think I was some immature kid. Maybe I could put it in the back of the closet.

  Simone called when I came back to my grandparents’ house and wanted me to come over. I asked Aunt Faith if I could, but she told me to wait until after dinner. I hoped Simone wouldn’t call somebody else in the meantime.

  “I’ll come as soon as I’m finished eating,” I said.

  “Okay. Whatever,” Simone said.

  I sped through dinner and ran over to her house. Grandma was convinced I’d throw up before I reached her house, but my dinner stayed down. Simone said her mom was out on another date with “Bob, the giant loser.” We went to her room and I noticed her bear, Glitter, was stuck underneath her blanket.

  “Did you see the skirt Morgan was wearing today?” she asked. “I’m surprised the principal didn’t send her home.”

  I didn’t think Morgan’s skirt was too short, but I nodded.

  “You know, Morgan asked Reagan to go shopping with her this weekend, and she didn’t even invite Asia and me,” she said.

  “Is Pilar going too?” I asked.

  “Of course, ‘cause Morgan can’t go anywhere without her shadow.” She rolled her eyes. “Morgan’s had an attitude problem lately.”

  I wanted to say, “Only lately,” but I knew they’d eventually make up and didn’t want to chance my comment getting back to Morgan.

  We started playing with her makeup, and she told me she had taken the clarity serum from our free gift and used it on her eyelids.

  “See? It gives a nice little shimmer,” she said, closing her eyes. I put some on my eyes, but it made my lids look oily.

  Simone wanted me to stay until her mom got home. Mrs. Hendrickson didn’t get home until nine, and I ended up having to stay up late to finish my homework.

  Chapter Twenty

  Simone sat with me at lunch because Morgan was mad at her for copying her nail polish. Simone’s polish was pale pink and I didn’t see what was so unique about it. I asked if Pilar and Asia were mad at her too.

  “No, but they kind of go along with whatever she says,” she said.

  Reagan came over and sat down across from Simone and started squirting a ketchup packet all over her fries. Reagan was wearing a jean skirt with a lilac top, which matched her lace up sandals. She seemed more like a model than a tenth grader. Simone had jeans an
d a t-shirt on like me, except hers were cuter, trendier, and made her look a lot older. I made a decision to wear some makeup other than lip gloss and blush tomorrow. Maybe Simone could show me how to put on eyeliner again or I could try the serum stuff on my lids. I was sick of looking younger than everybody else.

  Simone wanted to know what Morgan had said when Reagan told her she was sitting with us. Reagan shrugged.

  “Whatever, nobody tells me who I can and can’t sit with,” she said.

  I could tell Simone was impressed, because nobody ever stood up to Morgan.

  “Are you still going shopping with them tomorrow?” Simone asked.

  “Yeah. Do you want me to talk to her or something?” Reagan asked.

  “Nah, she’d get mad, but maybe we could do something tonight,” Simone said.

  “Oh, Pilar and I are spending the night at Morgan’s.” She shrugged. “Sorry.”

  I wished Simone would ask me to do something, but she went back to eating her lunch.

  We walked back to class and Simone and Reagan passed notes all hour. I hoped Ms. Crawford would catch them and make Reagan move to another seat way across the room, but she never did.

  Max wasn’t in science class and Mr. Martin let me work with Simone and Reagan. Simone went to the bathroom and I tried to think of something to say to Reagan, but she had this way of making me feel like a little kid.

  “I like your skirt,” I said.

  “Huh? Oh, thanks. My boyfriend loves when I wear it,” she said, and my stomach flipped over. “Can you hand me the beaker?” she asked.

  I went to pick up the beaker, but I knocked it over and water went everywhere. Fabulous, I had become Max Wright. I went to get some paper towels, which Reagan snatched from me to wipe her skirt.

  “I’m so sorry,” I said.

  “Do you know how much this cost? It’s Topshop,” she snapped. “Don’t stand there, you moron, get some paper towels.”