I told myself I didn’t care, but who doesn’t want to make new friends? Before the day ended, I saw Sydney Woods talking to some of the girls in PE and obviously imitating my limp as she recited my now-famous line: “I don’t know the other rich families.”
New girls are a threat, I thought—not that I saw myself as prettier or smarter or even simply nicer than the girls in my class. For a while, at least, I was a bit of a mystery to them and the boys. It was practically impossible for me to enter any room or even walk down the hallway to class without being watched and studied. I was even more self-conscious of my limping, and by the time the bell rang to indicate that the last class was over, I felt like a clam that had crawled completely into its shell.
Apparently, Lisa had decided that she would be better off not clinging so closely to me after that day.
“I guess you can get around yourself now, huh?” she asked as we headed toward the parking lot.
I had books in my new book bag and carried my clarinet in my other hand. Mr. Denacio had given me instructions on what to do. He said I had to practice every night for an hour at least and added that he would know if I hadn’t.
“Yes, thank you for helping me today,” I told Lisa.
She flashed a smile and then hurried to catch up with the other girls. They all laughed as they exited the school. Before I got to the door, Dr. Steiner called to me from the doorway of the principal’s office.
“I hear you had a good first day,” she said.
I thought, Yes, I wasn’t stoned to death. I simply looked at her.
“That’s what your teachers have been telling me. I didn’t speak to Mr. Cohen yet, your history teacher, since you just finished the class, but all of the others think you’ll do just fine, and Mr. Denacio is quite impressed. Did you enjoy the day? Was Lisa a good big sister?”
I tried to sound enthusiastic, but I could almost see her brain clicking.
“It’s not easy for anyone to start somewhere new,” she said, lowering her voice a bit, “but it has to be especially difficult for you, Sasha. I understand, and I’m confident you’ll blend in well here. Concentrate on the schoolwork. Everything else will come in due time.”
I thanked her and walked out. A few of the girls in my class had been watching us through the door. They rushed to catch up with Lisa and the others. Everyone turned to look my way. Did they think I had complained about them? They weren’t laughing. They looked like a coven of witches mumbling curses in my direction. I watched them continue to their cars. Mothers waited in most of the cars, but I saw a few fathers. Grover stood by the limousine waiting for me, so I hurried toward him.
Before I reached him, Kiera caught up with me. Her girlfriend Deidre was with her, as well as one of the boys I had seen at the pool. Kiera deliberately bumped into me, and I turned.
“Oh, sorry, coz,” she said. “So how did your day go? Feel like a little fool yet?” She walked off laughing. The boy smiled but turned to see my reaction. I lowered my head and continued to the limousine. Suddenly, it had become my cocoon, and I couldn’t wait to be shut away inside.
Mrs. March was waiting for me when we drove up. She came toward us so fast that for a moment, I thought she was going to be the one to open my door and not Grover.
“I couldn’t wait to hear how it went,” she said when I got out. “I spoke with Dr. Steiner. I was so happy with the good reports about you. Did you like the school, your teachers? Isn’t it wonderful?”
“Yes,” I said. Anything else might have caused an earthquake. “But you didn’t tell me you had brought this clarinet for me.”
“Oh. Didn’t I mention that? I thought I had. Apparently, Mr. Denacio thinks you could be a natural. I’m so happy for you. I bet you can’t wait to go up to start your homework. Alena was like that. Kiera couldn’t stand it. No matter what Kiera did or said, she couldn’t get Alena to put off her work. She was such a responsible little girl, as I’m sure you are.”
For a moment, I wanted to do something that would change her mind about me, even though she was right. I did want to get right to my homework. I was so happy to have it. After all, it had been a year since I had been asked to do anything for school.
“Did you make any nice friends?” she asked as we entered the house.
“Not yet,” I said.
“Oh, I’m sure you will. Mr. March will be calling soon. He was anxious to hear about you, too.”
“Was he?”
“Why, of course, Sasha. That school was his precious other child. He takes personal interest in it.”
“Oh,” I said. I thought he wasn’t so interested in me, per se. He wanted to be sure the school lived up
to its reputation for excellence. Mrs. March didn’t realize the difference, I thought, and I went up to my room, where I did go right at my assignments.
I was so involved in it all that I didn’t realize how much time passed. Mrs. March came in to tell me that we would be having dinner soon, but that wasn’t the main reason she had come.
“Did you see Kiera at all today?” she asked.
“Yes, at the end of the day.”