The Golden Band (7th Grade Edition)

Chapter One

The door slammed and shook the whole house.

"I'm home!" shouted Jay as he threw his book bag on the stairs. Mom and I were in the kitchen watching a soap opera and making dinner.

"Honey, don't leave your book bag on the stairs. You know I hate that!" My mother yelled, stirring bouillon and not taking her eyes off the television.

Sometimes I think that my mother is psychic. She says things like, "Honey, don't cheat while you're playing solitaire," when I'm in the other room, or "I have told you not to wear lipstick in school," when I carry lipstick out the door so she can't see it. Maybe she's watching too many soap operas.

Jay is like any fifteen-year-old brother. He's in the ninth grade, which is tough when I'm only in junior high. He's okay, though. He's a "baby" in high school, but I'm in seventh grade. "Monkey in the middle," my dad calls it.

Tomorrow is the first day of spring break. A vacation for a whole week. I hope we're going to the beach; then I can bring Allison along. My mother said since she invited me to go to Daytona Beach, I could invite her when I go. I haven't been to the beach in a year and a half.

"Cricket, can you get my pipe?" Dad called from the living room.

"Sure," I yelled. My name is really Alice Maria Stevens, but I am into gymnastics. My dad thinks it's just a lot of hopping around. That's when he made up the name, and I got stuck with it. Now everyone, except the people who are mad at me, call me Cricket. (It really works out for a person with brown hair and green eyes.) Lucky for me, that fits the description perfectly.

The first day of school was last month, and boy was it rough. First, the bus was late. I got here right after the bell rang. I ran into my classroom and stopped right in the doorway. Everyone was staring at me. The teacher, Mrs. Crawlon (Last year I heard they called her "Brawley Crawlon") sat me in a front seat.

"Are you Alice Stevens?" Mrs. Crawlon asked.

 "Yes ma'am, but people call me Cricket," I replied.

"Very well then, Cricket. That seat will be yours for the rest of the year."

I made a silent groan and looked around the classroom. Allison, my best friend, wasn't in my unit. At least I knew a few of the people in homeroom.

Mrs. Crawlon passed out our schedules. "These shall be your classes for now," she said, "unless we change you." She looked me right in the eye.

I knew this wasn't going to be my day.

*

The bell finally rang after an endless period of time. I walked to first period English. Second and third period were Science and Geography. Then we went to lunch. I was glad I had my lunch, because in the cafeteria they had spaghetti (gross!). After I ate lunch, I had fourth and fifth period, Math and Spanish. Sixth period I had Gym. I hate Gym.

We all had to get our Gym lockers. I especially hate Gym lockers, so I don't use mine. I bring a bag to school every day. It beats having to fight your way through other people to get to your locker and then trying to change. It's impossible!

Finally, school was over with. Our bus broke down on the way home, so we had to walk to a gas station and call our folks from there. When I finally got home, my mother said, "How was school today, honey?" I almost fainted.

That's when it all started.