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When it doesn’t work, she shakes her head and places her hand on my knee, using it as a crutch to help herself up.
“I’m off to Spanish.Adios, amigos!” she says cheerfully, making me want to throw a wadded-up piece of paper at her with the way her cheerleading skirt bounces from side to side, looking as joyful as she is.
I drop my head back on the couch and close my eyes, hoping to just lie here the rest of the day. When the warning bell rings, I let out a frustrated sigh, slap my hands on my knees, and make my way to standing so I can head to my next class—Econ.
I’m the last person to walk in, so I look for any empty seat available, only to see Natalie is the person right in front of me.
Looking up to the ceiling, I mouth,Why?
Then, I sit in the chair just as the final bell rings.
I don’t mean to hit the seat in front of me, but of course, this is not my day, so when I do, Natalie turns around to see me sitting there. When she rolls her eyes, all I can think of is how I feel the exact same way.
CHAPTER TWO
Natalie
I jump out of Thomas’s truck after he pulls up to our house. Yes, he’s a year younger than me, and, technically, we are supposed to share the truck, but I let him drive us to and from school. The truck is constantly breaking down, and since he’s the one that actually fixes it, I figured it’s more his anyway. I don’t mind him driving us around though.
I’ve never been so thankful that he’s not a talker because there’s nothing I want to say anyway. Today, I’m very happy for his blasting stereo that sometimes drives me crazy. Now that we’re home though, I know my luck is about to change.
I’m not in the house for two seconds before my mom, Tracy, asks, “How was the first day of school?”
“Fine,” I state as I walk straight to my room to change.
There’s only one thing that will help this mood I’m in, and it’s Brandy, my horse, so the quicker I can get out to her stable, the better.
When there’s a knock on my door, I don’t even have to think twice about who it is. “Yes, Mom?”
My tone doesn’t hide a thing, and she’s quick to call me on it as she enters my room.
“What’s wrong, baby? Did you have a bad day?”
I question telling her about my assigned partner in English. The last thing she and my Pops want is me hanging out with someone from the TimeLand crew, especially Dalton. I know I can’t get away from it though, so I might as well get it out now.
“They assigned partners in English today.” I plop down on my bed with my shoulders slumped.
Mom sits next to me. “It can’t be that bad. You’ve always worked really well with other kids. Why did this upset you so much?”
I look at her, hoping she sees the anguish in my expression. “Because I got assigned to partner with Dalton Wick.”
Her eyes widen as she takes it all in. “Oh …” is all she says.
“Exactly.Oh. Pops is going to flip. And, yes, we both went straight to the teacher after class, but she insisted that nothing will change, no matter what our family history is.”
Mom takes in a breath and lets it out slowly. “Well, I guess that’s real life.”
I throw my hands up in the air as I stand up. “That’s exactly what she said. Can’t you guys call the school and complain?”
“I can try, but it sounds like the teacher has already made up her mind. I see what lesson she’s trying to teach you.”
“Really? The same lesson you guys and the TimeLand crew have been working on since before I was born?”
She stands up and places her hand on my shoulder. “That’s different.”
“No, it’s not.” I grab my boots from the floor and shout over my shoulder as I walk out of my room, “I’ll be out with Brandy.”
“Go see your dad in the barn. He’s going to need your help with the baby pigs. A few more were born today.”
