Twin Hearts [The Body Switchers] (1)

 "Good luck, hon!"

 I pull on my black Mary Janes over my white socks and head out the door, shutting it gently behind me. Yeah, I've got a pretty old style, but what can I say? I don't exactly look my age either. I jump down the last set of stairs in my building and run across the hall to Nada's house. I knock on the door three times and press the doorbell twice. My best friend Nada pokes her black-haired head out of the door and looks around cautiously. "Sorry," she mumbles, finally stepping out. "I thought you were Jason."

 "Oh come on! We've had that secret knock forever," I say, grabbing her arm and pulling her into the sunshine.

 "You never know," she says, pushing her short hair behind her ear. She's half my height, but has twice my character. Nada has been cool since I first met her in the third grade. Now, in ninth, she's cut her hair into a feisty straight bob, and trimmed her eyebrows to perfection, she's one of the prettiest girls in our whole school. That's pretty good for a freshman.

  Jason thinks so too. He's our neighbor from across the street, well, if you can call him that. He's been Nada's stalker for almost as long as we've been friends and is beginning to really creep her out. She's nice, but not when it comes to someone who rings on your doorbell, looks at you when you answer and runs off. Three times a week.

 "You really need to move to a new apartment," I joke. "That guy'll keep bugging you till you answer that letter."

 She cringes at the thought. "I don't want to be mean, but, doesn't he know I'm gonna say no?"

 "Know, no," I laugh out. She gives me a look. "Sorry," I mumble.

 "But really, I mean....I could just write back, but I'd rather not say anything. He'd be so crushed if I told him to back off," she contemplates.

 "Hey, at least he'll leave you alone," I point out.

 "Or try and kill me," she shudders. We both laugh, walking up to the mail box.

 "Let's see," I say, searching for number 212. I find it and open it up. "Oh. My. God. It's here! Nada! It's here," I shout excitedly.

 "What, what? Oh my gosh, are you talking about that book again? Come on Char, we'll be late for school," she says, trying to pull me along.

 "'That book?'" I say, staring at her with wide eyes. "'That book?!'"  I say, pulling out the bright green package. "This is not just a book, Nada. You know that this is the book that I've been waiting for for a month. This is the sequel to Twin Hearts! You know, the book I've been obsessed with ever since I was in the sixth grade?!"

 "Yeah, I remember. You cried when Donnor or whatever almost died," she mumbles, trying to walk away.

 I grab her back. "It's Connor and yes, that's the one! Should I skip school today? I mean this is far more important than watching Mr. Terkins tell us the probability of a plane crashing into our building, right?"

 She gives me a look and rolls her eyes. "Really, Char?"

 I give her a look back and sigh. "I guess I can bare one more day," I mumble as I shut the post office door.

 ___________________

____________________

 I walk back towards the library after third period with my lunch. I fish my glasses out of my backpack and pull them on. I make my way toward the back of the room and sit down at my usual spot, facing the east window.

 I set my lunch down and open it up. I pull out a Cranberry Ice Tea Arizona, a Tuna Subway sandwich, and a packet of 100 Calorie Oreos. I start chewing on my Subway and open up the deep burgundy book sitting in front of me. The crisp first page makes my heart flutter and I turn the page to Chapter One.