Ordinary Me

by June Sproat

  I was so not going to tell her they wanted me to quit Driver’s Ed and take it with her next semester. She’s my best friend and she had already begged me to wait and take it with her. I knew I would never hear the end of it—about how I should have taken it with her and that even my parents now thought I should. No, not going to happen

  “Um, they didn’t really say much about it.” I shrugged and walked into class.

  “So you are not in any trouble…at all!” She whispered loudly. Very loudly I might add, as she scooted into the seat behind me.

  “Nope, nada, nothing,” I whispered back.

  “What is this world coming to?” I heard her mumble under her breath as she slumped back into her seat.

  “What,” I spun around, “is that supposed to mean?”

  “Well, it’s just that this is so weird. You have a near fatal car accident, have to be brought to the police station, and your parents have no problem with any of this. Then I find you sitting with a bunch of brainless idiots who are trying to well…well, I don’t know what they’re trying to do. If you’re not careful you might fall into their trap and then you’ll start to flip your hair around!”

  “What are you talking about Jodi? I was not in a near fatal car accident. It wasn’t even close to that, and as far as the brainless idiots I told you I…”

  “Excuse me, Miss Sterns, but the rest of the class would like to begin. Unless there are felons in the room you need to take care of for us, could you please turn around and join us?” Mr. Thomas sarcastically asked.

  “Um…sorry,” I apologized and faced forward.

  “And another thing, you are not really a hero or anything, you know,” Jodi whispered to my back. What is wrong with her? All I did was get my left and right mixed up. It’s not like I came to school with a big sign that read, HEY IT’S ME, THE HERO!

  That was so not how I was acting. I mean I didn’t even know I was in the paper, let alone the front page, until Steve showed me. And I was so not a hero. I was simply a bad driver.

  I had no idea why Jodi was getting so worked up about me sitting with someone else. This is why I don’t argue with Jodi. Especially about brainless jock idiots who, I may add, are not all brainless idiots—again, the Steve being a tutor thing.

  I tried not to think about what Jodi said and concentrate on class, but the only thing I could think about was my tutoring session in the science lab today, which made my heart do a little flippy thing. Not because I was excited about Chemistry, but because I was going to see Steve again.

  Chapter Five

  “I wish to thank all my teachers for the knowledge they have shared me these four years.”— Abigail Johnson, Class Valedictorian

  Or maybe my heart was doing that flippy thing because of the super energizing breakfast bar I ate earlier. I made a quick stop at the locker room for a deodorant refresh before I headed up to the science lab.

  “Well, Wheels, I wasn’t sure if you were going to show.” Steve said as I raced into the lab. His chair was tipped back and his arms were crossed over his chest.

  “What did you call me?”

  “Wheels. I figured since you were such a crazy driver, it fit. Don’t you think?” He lifted his knees slightly and let the chair slowly lower until all four legs were on the floor.

  I slid into the chair next to him. “Um…I guess.” I said, but what was I going to say? Here was this totally hot guy who yesterday didn’t even know I was alive and now he has made up a nickname for me? At this point, he could’ve called me anything and I wouldn’t have minded. Well, maybe not anything, because I wouldn’t like to be called something nasty like ‘bulldog’ because, well, that’s just plain mean. Nor would I like something cutesy, like ‘cupcake’.

  That wouldn’t be a good name to get stuck with since I really don’t see myself as a cupcake. However, Wheels didn’t really sound too bad. “Hey, would you sign this for me?” Steve pushed the newspaper in front of me.

  “What? Why?”

  “You know, so I could have your autograph for posterity.” He winked.

  “Oh…um…sure,” I said and signed it. What was I going to say? No? Please!

  I pulled out my latest Chemistry assignment and

  Steve talked about formulas, periodic tables, and atomic structure. I was totally bored out of my mind, but for the first time all day, except for the signing the newspaper thing, I didn’t have to talk about Roger Dawson or the ‘driving incident.’

  That was how people were beginning to refer to yesterday’s adventure. I went to one class and the teacher asked, “Do you have anything you would like to say about your driving incident.” Another teacher said, “The students would like you to discuss the driving incident.” I knew no one wanted to hear about it. At least, I didn’t think so.

  Lunch however was entirely different. It started off fine.

  I met Jodi, like usual.

  We got our food, like usual.

  We went to sit down, oh, so not like usual.

  As soon as we stepped out of the lunch line, I heard sing-song call my name, and when I looked over, she waved for me to sit with them. I looked at Jodi who shrugged her shoulders and put her hand out in front of her so I could lead the way. We sat at the table with the cheerleaders, and of course, various members of the basketball team, which included Steve.

  “Hi Katie,” sing-song said.

  “Um…hi, this is Jodi,” I said.

  “Oh, yeah, hi Jodi,” sing-song said, “I think we have a class together, don’t we?”

  I looked at Jodi who found a seat on the other side of the table. She shook her head yes.

  “I thought so. So, ready for Drivers Ed again, Katie?” sing-song giggled.

  “Um, well, I don’t have to drive today, so it should be uneventful.” I tried to laugh.

  “Yeah, the criminals will be safe today,” Bobby, Jackie’s boyfriend busted out.

  Everyone started to laugh. I wasn’t sure how to react, so I just laughed right along with everyone else. Jodi, I noticed, did not laugh. She looked over to where we normally sat with the other ordinaries—Peter, James, and Ellen. I looked at her and gave her a smile hoping she would get that I was trying to tell her we would eat with them tomorrow. I don’t think she got it, because she just stared down at her lunch. When I looked over at her a little later, she was gone.

  “And that’s what’s in a Chicken Burrito.” Steve said, bringing me back to the present.

  “What?”

  “Well, you weren’t listening to me anyway, so I thought I’d have some fun with you.”

  He was having fun with me. How cool is that?

  “Sorry, I guess my mind is kind of wandering today.”

  “That’s okay, our session really ended five minutes ago.” Steve said getting up.

  Shoot, I was going to be late again. That had been happening a lot today.

  “I have to go,” I said and grabbed my backpack. I’d been late for geometry class earlier today, because in Driver’s Ed I had to re-tell the entire story since Coach Grainer felt it was a valuable life lesson. Yeah, here’s the life lesson; if you know your right from your left, you may avoid killing someone, but you could also be lucky enough to catch an escaped convict! Really valuable! I personally think Coach just enjoyed the fact that his name was in the newspaper in a section other than sports.

  Except that is not completely why I was late. I was late because Carrie Johnson, who’s in my Driver’s Ed class, and on the school newspaper, wanted to get an exclusive interview with me.

  Me. That was so cool.

  I tried to answer her questions in the few minutes we had between classes, but when I realized how late I was I scribbled my phone number down and told her to call me later.

  ****

  I left the lab and rushed down to the gym.

  “I’m glad you could join us today, Miss Sterns.” Mrs. Freinkle, my PE instructor, bellowed across the pool as I ran in. Her voice echoed loudly so naturally everyone
turned to look at me. Well, everyone except Jodi.

  “Sorry,” I said and dropped my towel. I jumped into the water with the rest of the class. Jodi was on the other side of the pool, and since Mrs. Freinkle had not stopped glaring at me, I figured I better not try and talk to Jodi just yet.

  “Do you have a pass for missing class yesterday as well as a make-up slip for me?” She walked over to my end of the pool.

  “No, I mean, yes. I have them, the notes I mean, but I forgot them in my locker, so no, I don’t have them right this minute.” I babbled. I babble when I’m nervous, which of course I had no reason to be nervous, except that the whole class was staring at me.

  “That’s fine, give them to me after class,” Mrs. Freinkle turned to the rest of the class, “all right girls, start doing laps.”

  So I swam. I guess Jodi didn’t want to talk to me because she just swam away and didn’t even look at me.

  “What exactly is your problem?” I asked when I finally caught up with Jodi in the locker room.

  “My problem? I’m not the instant celebrity!” She snorted and pulled her shirt on over her head. Jodi’s locker was right by mine. We always tried to get lockers together for PE since we are roughly built the same. We felt we would be less embarrassed that way. This semester her locker was across from mine, so I had to talk with my back to her as I got dressed.

  “Um, celebrity?”

  “You really are getting brainless, Kate. It must be rubbing off on you. The car thing, the convict thing, hello!” It sounded like she was angry, because she had the band of her watch in her mouth as she put on her necklace, so her teeth were clenched together. I’m sure she wasn’t angry. I mean, she really had no reason to be.

  “One day you’re Kate, plain and simple Kate.

  The next day you’re Katie and everyone is giddy over you. How can you even stand to be in the same room with yourself?” She slammed her locker shut.

  I guess she was mad. Go figure.

  “I’ve got to go,” she said and walked away, just like that.

  I just stood there looking at my open locker. I so did not get this. What had I done wrong exactly? Because all I knew was that I made a mistake driving yesterday which stopped a convict, and made me un- invisible for the first time in my life, and suddenly people seemed interested in me. That was a good thing, wasn’t it?

  I looked around realizing I was alone in the locker room and late for another class. This had really become a very bad day. Luckily, I only had one more class to go—cooking. I took a deep breath and headed out of the locker room.

  Chapter Six

  “I wish someone would have told me my friends wouldn’t be my friends forever. I wouldn’t have told them all that stuff about myself.” — Todd Feldman

  “Hi Kate. Want to cook with us today?” Becky asked as we headed into the kitchen area. Our cooking class looked like the setting for a bake-off contest. There were six sectioned kitchen areas and each was equipped with an oven/stove, blender, mixers, and cabinets filled with dishes and other cooking stuff.

  This class was totally my mother’s idea. I have never wanted to, nor will I ever want to, be a cook. I don’t enjoy cooking at all and I’m not good at it. You know, there’s this saying about a person not being able to even boil water. Yeah, that’s me.

  Once, when I was about ten, I made my dad scrambled eggs for breakfast. They were so runny he could have probably sucked them through a straw, but he ate them anyway. My mom insisted that the fact he was sick after he ate them had nothing to do with me. She called it a coincidence; I called it food poisoning.

  Our cooking class always broke up into groups to cook. Normally I was just the extra person in a group. You know, like the last one picked for the team at recess. Usually when everyone broke up into their own groups I went wherever there was space. Until today, Becky had never even acknowledged me, let alone asked me to be in her group.

  “Sure,” I followed her to our section. We were making corn muffins today; Mrs.

  Weaver, our teacher, handed out the recipe. The recipe seemed simple enough and we should have been done in no time. That is if we were actually working on the muffins.

  Becky apparently had other plans. She leaned back, squishing her butt against the counter, arms crossed in front of her.

  “Do you know what that guy…what’s his name? Roger? Said about you on the news last night?” she asked me.

  “No, I didn’t see the news.” Actually I was glad I hadn’t seen the news because a few kids had mentioned he seemed really angry about getting caught. Well, duh, the guy escaped from prison. I’m pretty sure he didn’t want to be caught and was trying to avoid it. If it wasn’t for me he probably would have been almost to Mexico by now.

  “Well I heard it.” Allison, Becky’s evil sidekick, piped in. Then Allison continued to say that he, Roger, basically said I was a female dog, which was not very nice, and definitely not a nickname I would want to be stuck with!

  Becky made a whispered “oh” sound and then smiled at me.

  Were they intentionally trying to make me upset?

  “Oh, that’s really nice,” I mean what should I have done, broke down and cried, oh poor me, an escaped convict thinks I’m nasty.

  “Well, I don’t think you have to worry about it, I mean he is back in jail, right?” Becky said. “Um…right,” I said.

  “Ladies, the muffins,” Mrs. Weaver reminded us as she walked past our kitchen area.

  “Oh sure, Mrs. Weaver.” Becky looked over at Allison who had been putting the mix together. Without another word, Allison turned and flipped the bowl with all its contents…right into my face.

  “Whoops! Didn’t see you there,” Allison said, her eyes widened all innocent like.

  “You did that on purpose!” I said, spitting flour everywhere.

  “No Kate. I’m sure it was an accident, right, Allie?” Becky said, brushing a towel down my front.

  “Yeah, I’m sure.” I grabbed the towel from her. I could feel tears stinging my eyes or maybe it was just the flour. I wasn’t sure. One thing I was sure of was that there was no way I was going to let tears run down my face and end up looking like the sad clown in the circus.

  “I don’t know what you mean Becky; she ran into me!” Allison said.

  “Allie, why don’t you just get the mix together again, and Kate, maybe you should go clean up,” Becky flicked her wrist at me. I exhaled a few more puffs of flour and stomped out.

  Oh. My. God. She just flicked her wrist at me! I can’t believe she flicked her wrist at me! I should have snapped her wrist off. It’s a good thing I’m not prone to violence.

  I slammed the girl’s bathroom door open and looked at my pasty reflection in the mirror. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. Instead I splashed water on my face.

  I heard footsteps and when I lifted my head from the sink I saw Becky standing there. Great. Did she come to gloat?

  “Here,” she handed me a towel, “I thought you could use it.”

  “Thanks, but you’ve helped enough already,” I wanted to say, but instead I just stopped at, “Thanks.” Just before I put the towel to my face I wondered if this was another trick, like maybe there was spit on the towel or something. My doubt must have shown since Becky said, “it’s clean.”

  I nodded and dried my face.

  “Don’t worry about Allison. She doesn’t adjust well to new people.”

  I nodded. I hadn’t really thought of myself as new, but I guess when one day you don’t exist, and then the next day there you are in everybody’s face, you might just be considered new.

  “Hey, you know, Jackie’s having a party at her house tomorrow night after the game. Why don’t you come, then you can, you know, get to know everyone better.”

  Okay, an invitation to a jock party where Steve might be, that was a no brainer.

  “Yeah, sure,” I said.

  “Great, see you later,” Becky said and walked out.

  Chapter
Seven

  “I wish I could take the whole football team with me when I go to college. You’re my buds!” — Marc Malek

  “I told my mom I was sleeping over here tonight. That okay?” Jodi asked as she walked in my bedroom and dropped her backpack on my bed. “So, what’s the plan?”

  “Well, I guess we’ll go to the school, watch the game, and then head over to Jackie’s.” It wasn’t an elaborate plan, but really I didn’t think any actual plan was even necessary. I mean it was just a party, right?

  “I don’t even know why we’re going to this.” Jodi said.

  “What? You were the one who said you wanted to go!”

  “No, I said it might be interesting, maybe even entertaining, but I never said I wanted to go. Besides, I thought you wanted to go to get back at them for dumping the muffin mix in your face,” Jodi said.

  “I don’t want to go for revenge, I just want to hang with them a little,” I said.

  Sadly, this was the truth. It’s not like I’ve dreamed of this all my life or anything, but for the first time ever I was not on the outside looking in. I was in.

  “Well, unlike you, I’m not used to rubbing elbows with the jocks!” Jodi snorted, and tried to look snotty, only she just ended up looking like a squished-up baby doll.

  Actually, I think Jodi really wanted to go; only she wouldn’t admit it. I mean, just a few days ago she was complaining about how stupid the jocks were, and now she was going to rub elbows with them.

  Read between the lines, it’s not that hard to get.

  “I don’t rub elbows with any jocks and you know it!” I mumbled under my breath. Although, I had been rubbing elbows with one jock in particular, but since I was probably the only one noticing there was any touching going on, I kept it to myself.

  I wanted to tell her that today he almost held my hand. Okay, so we both reached for the pencil on the table at the same time and my hand got there first, but he didn’t move his hand away. I mean, he did move it, but not right away. Like if a guy accidentally touches you, and they didn’t want to touch you, they would pull their hand away really fast, like you had some kind of fungus or something on your hand. Steve didn’t do that. We just kind of stayed that way for like five seconds, he said “Sorry,” and then pulled his hand away. I know, this is totally like sixth grade stuff, but it’s something.