Awkward Firsts

Chapter 1

If someone would open a dictionary in search of the definition of wallflower, this is what they would see:

noun

1. A Southern European plant of the cabbage family, with fragrant yellow, orange-red, dark red, or brown flowers, cultivated for its early spring blooming.

2. A person who has no one to dance with or feels shy, awkward, or excluded at a party.

And if that person continued reading, they'd probably see a picture of yours truly, Meghan Carter.

Yes, it's spelled Meghan, not Megan. So many people get that wrong.

See, while I don't fit the first option, since, you know, I'm not a plant, I am shy, and awkward, and I typically do feel excluded, although that doesn't just stand for parties alone.

Although, I guess I wouldn't really know. Even though I am a senior in high school, I don't really go to parties, and for the few I have been to I've only stayed for short periods of time. Barely enough time to see how I would fare in such a situation.

I can't imagine it'd be any different from how I respond to life in general, so maybe it doesn't really matter. I don't like unexpected change, and with situations like that, anything can happen.

But regardless of that, I'm just socially awkward in general. Making conversation with people I don't know is change, and that's far outside my comfort zone.

It doesn't exactly help that I'm kind of a klutz either.

Bad luck follows me everywhere, and it takes the form of either word vomit or a lack of balance.

But that's another story.

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Being as awkward as I am, I'm far from popular. But despite that little fact, I'm not entirely friendless. I just kind of fell into step with the other wallflowers.

So when I get to lunch I'm not surprised to see the rest of the misfit gang huddled around our table in the corner.

Once a wallflower, always a wallflower, right?

"Meghan!" One of the girls, Corinne, exclaims as soon as she spots me.

I grimace slightly, sinking down into the seat across from her with a gut feeling telling me I won't like what she's about to say. "Yeah?"

"We were just waiting for you to get here." Suddenly she gets very serious, her voice solemn. "Meg, we've got some news."

Bingo. My gut was right.

Alarmed, I lean in a bit and grab the apple off my tray. "Um, okay. What kind of news?" I lift the apple to my lips.

"We've decided that we're tired of being wallflowers, and so, for that reason, this year all of us are stepping out of our comfort zones."

I nearly choke on my mouthful of apple as my eyes pop out of my head. I cough loudly, trying to clear my throat, as the other four bodies at the table watch carefully.

"Wait a second," I manage after a brief coughing fit. "Did you just say you're all basically going to change your personalities?"

Corinne nods her head. "And so are you."

It's only fitting that the water I took a sip of splutters out of my mouth now.

"Say what now?"

"We, as in all of us, are going to branch out for our final year of high school. You know, do something different," Corinne explains.

"But we are different!" I squeak, my jaw working silently.