The Pal List

Chapter 18

Monday, November 26th

Tanner, Ben, Kaisey and I all walk into school ten minutes before the first bell, and all eyes are on us. We walk up the center of the main hallway, and people stop talking or start whispering as we walk by. Kaisey's loving the attention, walking like she's a model on the catwalk. Tanner seems confused, and Ben just seems angry.

"Why is everyone staring?" Tanner asks.

"You didn't hear?" I say, quiet enough so as to not make Ben even more angry. Tanner's silence indicates that he definitely didn't hear the news.

"Jude is back." I say. Tanner's jaw drops open. Today is the first day of school since he came back since we had the end of the week off for Thanksgiving. Although, I assumed Tanner knew because it seems the whole rest of the school does.

"What?" he says. Ben and Kaisey are a few steps ahead of us now, almost to Ben's locker.

"Yeah," I say, not even trying to contain my smile. "He came back Wednesday. It's a long story." Tanner understands, and his smile matches mine.

"Well I'm assuming it's a good one. That's great, Halle. I'm glad he's home."

"Yeah, me too," I say. We finally reach Ben's locker, and he's already shutting it with his Calculus textbook in his hand.

"All set?" I say. Ben gives me a nod, and Kaisey bends down to tie her shoe.

"Well, I'll see you in History, Halle. I've got to run to the computer lab quick." Tanner says. "I'll catch you guys later!"

"Bye Tanner!" Kaisey says. She's finished lacing up her grey converse and is back on her feet.

"So Mr. Shepard's calling hours are tomorrow after school, do you guys want to come with me?" I ask. I'm really hoping one of them agrees because I don't want to go alone, and I don't want to ask Jude because he doesn't even know the Shepards.

"Shoot, I can't. I told my mom I'd watch the twins." Kaisey says.

"That's okay!" I turn to Ben.

"I'll go with you," he says. "What time?"

"They start at two o'clock. So we can go right after school," I say. Ben nods, and the three of us make our way to our classes.

In English class, I sit at my normal desk and take out my notebook. The class gets uncomfortably quiet for a few seconds, but then goes back to its normal loud nature before the bell rings. As I'm writing today's date on top of the next clean page in my notebook, I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn around and am greeted by Andy Beckett's smiling face.

"Hey, Andy!" I say.

"If you don't mind me asking, is Jude really back?" he says.

"Yeah, he is."

"Wow," Andy says. "I thought it was just a rumor."

Before I get the chance to say anything, Mr. Olander walks in the classroom and shuts the door behind him. Mr. Tom Olander is perhaps the best English teacher in the entire world. He has a never-ending supply of energy and makes writing creative nonfiction way more fun than any of us anticipated.

"Let's talk after class," I say to Andy. He nods in agreement before I turn around and face the board.

"Alrighty folks and folkettes, I graded your papers over the weekend and I must say, I was very impressed for the most part. For the other part though, two pages is not equal to five pages. If you need help with math, you can get that on the other side of the hallway." He begins to hand out the papers, and I get a brief glimpse of the grade on Reese Asner's paper: A+. That kid may be a jerk, but he's got brains.