Chapter 43

First Hour

History was always my least favorite class. It wasn't so much that I hated the class though, I hated the people in the class. It was first period, so nobody was ever awake enough to do anything. The teacher was okay but I didn't learn much. It was also the only class besides Geometry that I had with both Mia and Candace, which used to be a bad thing. Now that Candace had officially joined our friend group, however, it was the only good thing about that class.

Candace was always recognizable as the only one who seemed awake at seven o' clock in the morning, probably because of the half-finished iced coffee on her desk. She grinned at me and motioned for me to sit next to her.

"Hey Isabelle," she said. Candace grinned. "Your sister plays badminton, right?"

"No actually," I corrected her. "She quit."

"Really?" Candace said, shocked. She quickly glanced at Mia, who was sitting on the other side of the room. "I...didn't think she would," Candace whispered. "She's too good."

"Well, she quit last night. I think my parents are being too hard on her. Where were you going with this?"

"I was thinking we could do a bake sale if there was a tournament coming up, but I don't think that's going to happen," Candace said.

"Is that a good idea?" I asked the Magic 8 Ball.

Don't count on it.

"I don't think it's going to work either," I said to Candace.

"I think we should give it a shot though."

"Why? We won't even be able to get in since Olivia quit."

Candace shook her head. "I still can't believe Olivia quit. Anyways, if we explain it's for a good cause, I would think they'd let us do it."

"It's too much work and it would be even less profitable than the car wash."

"The car wash was SO successful!" Candace exclaimed. "Come on Isabelle, you're being a total pessimist. You don't think anything will work!"

"And you think everything will work," I said.

"This is useless fighting about," Candace said as she sipped her coffee. She glanced at her nails. "I really need another manicure."

"Apparently," I said. I personally thought Candace was being a bit superficial, but I wasn't one to judge.

"You know, Isabelle, Mia would've never let me do this," Candace said.

I shrugged. "Mia can't control you."

"In a way, she can. She has a way of making sure you do what she wants. Think about it, who doesn't want a little of Mia's popularity?"

"Me!" I exclaimed. "Why did you stay friends with her for so long then?"

"She wasn't that mean!" Candace said defensively.

"Like spreading nasty rumors about everyone who isn't in her clique isn't mean?" I said, remembering the time back in sixth grade when Mia told everyone that this boy that she hated and I were dating.

Candace didn't respond. She just stared out the window and kept drinking her coffee.

A few minutes later, we listened to the announcements, said the Pledge of Allegiance, and started class. I actually tried to pay attention for once, but as usual, the class was boring and uneventful. I knew most of the matierial already, so I really had no need to pay attention, especially this early in the morning. Whatever. Maybe I needed to stop at Starbucks every morning like Candace so I was awake.

Did anything matter anymore? I wasn't sure. Everything was just bricks in the wall.