Chapter Text
BZZAHH BZZAHH BZZAHH! blared my alarm. I rolled over to turn it off and leapt out of bed.
Today was the first day of sixth grade at my new middle school and I was ready. I knew it was important to make a big first impression so I threw on the clothes I’d laid out the night before: a new yellow Tommy Hilfiger polo, Levi’s 501 jeans, and Sketchers sneakers. Glancing over at my mirror, I checked my hair then grabbed my backpack and ran downstairs.
“Slow down!” cried my mom as I wolfed down a piece of toast and guzzled a glass of OJ.
“Sorry mom!” I yelled, already halfway out the door.
My first class was English with Ms. Fujihata. I strolled down the rows until I found my seat and then said hi to my friends Dylan, Owen, and Mark.
“Did you have a good summer?” I asked.
“Yeah,” they replied.
“Please settle down, class,” said Ms. Fujihata. The room fell silent.
I noticed that the desk next to mine was empty. That was weird; usually, someone sat in it.
About halfway through our lesson about participles in The Giver, Ms. Fujihata turned to us.
“Class, I have an announcement,” she told us. “We have a new student today. Please welcome V.”
We all turned to look at the door as it opened. In stepped the most beautiful girl who had ever been in the sixth grade.
She was tall, taller than most of the girls in my class. She wore a pale blue blazer and a gray scarf, wrapped twice around her neck. Her long hair was done up into a bun at the back of her head, secured into place with a black scrunchy.
Immediately, I was enraptured.
She took the seat next to mine. I guess she noticed me gawking at her because she turned.
“Hi, I’m Toby,” I said, introducing myself.
“It’s nice to meet you,” she replied. “I’m V.” I almost couldn’t believe my ears. Not only was she beautiful, but she also had a British accent.
I couldn’t help myself: “Can I ask you a question?” I asked.
“Okay,” she responded.
“Does V stand for anything?”
“Yes,” she replied but before I could ask her any more, Ms. Fujihata called the class to order.
When class was over, I turned to find V but she must have already packed her things and left.
“What’d you think of the new girl?” I asked my friends. They only nodded.
I looked for her throughout the rest of the day but we didn’t seem to have any more classes together. I even stood around at the front doors at the end of the day to see if I could see her leaving but I didn’t manage to.
Dejected, I got out my bike and mounted it, ready to ride home.
“Hey Toby!” someone called from behind me. Thinking it was V, I turned, excited.
It was just Addison, who had been in my fifth grade homeroom last year.
“What’s up, Addison?” I asked.
“I just wanted to say that I like your polo shirt. Is it a Tommy Hilfiger?”
“Yeah,” I replied.
“Nice. Hey, did you understand what Ms. Fujihata was saying about participles in The Giver? I was having trouble understanding. Maybe you could help me sometime?”
“Maybe,” I shrugged, but for now, I had other issues on my mind. Other issues like who was that mysterious girl in my English class?