Fresh Meat

Chapter Two: The Pact

"Never leave a friend behind. Friends are all we have to get us through this life - and they are the only things from this world that we could hope to see in the next."
- Dean Kantz, Feat Nothing

DAISY

Later that night, the twelve of us were sitting around the couch in the living room, huddled together as we watched a movie. Specifically, Freaky Friday, a classic sleepover movie. I always thought it would be weird if I suddenly switched places with my parents. Waking halfway around the world would be horrifying.

"Can you imagine switching places with one of your parents?" I asked as I stuffed a handful of popcorn into my mouth.

"I don't think it would be any different for me," Amy said. "We're basically the same."

"Yeah, well, you're an exception, you're basically a carbon copy of your mom."

"I wouldn't be able to handle it," Lola said. "I don't know how to direct movies or design clothes."

"I would be horrified," Phoebe said. "Can you imagine my uncle in my body? Walking around and talking like himself?"

"What do you mean?" Connor said. "Your uncle's the coolest?"

"He might be cool, but he's also embarrassing," Phoebe said. "Imagine if he went to our high school and started saying what he usually says. I would crawl under my bed and stay there forever."

"Speaking of high school..." I piped up loudly. Everyone turned to look at me. "Are you excited to start it! Can you believe it?! We officially start high school in two weeks!"

"I know! It's exciting!" Mindy squealed.

"We're all grown up now," Ethan said, looking up at the ceiling with a wistful look in his eyes. "Remember how young we used to be? That was so long ago."

"It wasn't really that long," Lewis said. "Stop talking like an old man. And besides, it's not really that exciting. It's just high school."

Connor groaned from where he was sitting. He had been watching the movie in an upside down position, and as he groaned, he slowly slid off the couch onto the floor. I was glad; I kept worrying about the blood rushing to his head.

"Do you have to be so negative all the time? Is that your job?"

"If I did have a job, it would be to bring some reality into this fantasy you all have. High school isn't a musical."

Ethan huffed, offended. "Obviously! But it's the next chapter of our lives! We have to make it memorable!"

A light bulb popped up in my head. "That's it!" I ran out of the living room and into my bedroom, where I scrumaged around in my desk drawers for some paper and something to write with. I came back a few minutes later a large poster board and some pencils, pens, and markers.

Phoebe perked up at the sight of paper and art supplies. "What's all this for, Daisy?"

Instead of answering her, I laid the poster board onto the floor and starting writing in big uppercase letters:

GOALS FOR HIGH SCHOOL THIS YEAR

I looked at Phoebe and mentioned for her get closer. When she did, I handed her some markers. "Come make this title look nice!"