Chapter 3

     I roll my eyes at Cynthia and look back at Ethan pointedly look at my arms laying at my side then Ethan's still clutching me. "Looks like Ethan is holding onto me not the other way around."

     "Don't get your hopes up Ivy. He just feels sorry for you. Since your parents never gave you hugs he figured he should make up for it."

     "You bi-"

     "Cynthia, leave her alone" Ethan interrupts me.

"Baby, are you really taking her side?" she says sending a glare my way.

     "I'm not taking anybodies side. Let's just drop it and get to class." He grabs my hand and starts to pull me towards English. I can hear Cynthia huff and walk off in the opposite direction to wreak havoc on helpless souls. Suddenly I thought of something.

     "Ethan, how did you know what class I have? And will you please let go of my hand?"

     "What? Oh um, I'm sorry again." He says looking down at his hand like he would look at a puppy who chewed on his shoes.

     "How do you know I have English first?"

     "Tiffany told me your schedule. We have everything except for Spanish and Chemistry together."

     "Great." I mumble with sarcasm coating my voice.

     "Am I really that bad Ivy?" he asks with a hurt look on his face making me feel horrible.

     "No Ethan, but how many classes do I have with Cruella de Vil and her posse?"

     "Come on be nice she isn't really that bad and she only has 2nd, 3rd, and 4th with you."

     "Fantastic, she's in half my day."

     "Hey I'm in half to that should make it better." He says getting his confident smirk onto his face. I grimace at him ignoring the comment seeing as it is irrelevant. We enter the class just as the bell rings and I look around for a seat.

     "Ivy, Ivy! Over here." Tiffany screams, while bouncing up and down in a seat in the back. I make my way over there thanking God for giving me such a great friend. "Oh Ethan you too, I saved you a seat too." I take back that statement. The rest of class is filled with Tiffany talking about a boy she met earlier. His name is Jake and apparently he is 'to die for hot'. Finally the bell rings and I grab all my stuff heading out the door with Tiffany and Ethan. I turn to Tiffany and say, "You have Algebra with us right?"

     "Yeah, wait who is us?" She asks widening her eyes trying to look innocent.

     "Come on Tiff I already know, but do you know who else has that class?"

     "Don't tell me The Queen of the Damned?" I laugh looking at Ethan with an 'I told you so' expression on my face. He just rolls his eyes with a slight smile on his lips.

     "Yep and her minions." The conversation ends with that as we quickly walk towards Algebra, not wanting to be late seeing as Mrs. Ferguson is known to be a stickler for rules. As soon as we walk in I can hear giggling and whispering. I look to the source and guess who it is. Ding! Ding! Ding! We got a winner. Yep your right it's Cynthia and her crew. I just ignore them and make my way to the opposite side of the classroom.

     "Holy cow! What is that?" Tiffany screams.

     "What is what?" I ask looking over at her to see her pointing at Cynthia with a shocked look on her face. I just give her a confused look.

     "Exactly, that's exactly what I want to know what that is?" I giggle at her while everyone else looks at her like she is stupid. See Tiffany just claimed social suicide by openly saying something bad about the schools 'it' girl. If being friends with me wasn't bad enough she just put the cherry on top of the sundae.

     "I don't think staring at it will make a difference just slowly walk away and hope it doesn't charge at you." I say putting a frightened look on my face and start walking slowly backwards with Tiffany right beside me. I get to my seat and sit down.

     Tiffany looks over at me and wipes her forehead, "Phew that was a close one."

     I burst out laughing and ignore all the looks were getting from the classmates. They already think I'm weird nothing will change that. I hear the desk beside me creak. I look over and groan.

     "Ethan, why don't you sit by your girlfriend?"

     "She didn't save me a seat." He says flatly looking miffed. I look over at Cynthia and low and behold all the seats around her are filed with members of the Slut Squad. I like to think of them in numbers of ranking, Cynthia is the leader. Then to her left is Jackie, number 1. To her right is Morgan, number 2. In front of her is number 3 better known as Samantha. Then last but not least is Karrie. Here's the thing about Karrie, she is actually pretty cool. Now we won't go around talking to each other, but we have a mutual understanding. I might go as far as saying were acquaintances. She doesn't mess with me and I don't mess with her.

     I slowly start to doze off as Mrs. Ferguson starts reviewing Algebra 1 stuff that we have already learned. I prop my head onto my hand and put my elbow on the desk.  My eyelids droop and I snap them open trying to stay awake. The next thing I know I face plant into the desk. I keep my head down hearing everyone around me laughing including Tiffany and Ethan. My face is red with embarrassment.

     "Now Ivy seeing as you humiliated yourself in front of the whole class I won't give you detention this time but next time you fall asleep in my class I will. Now put your head up."

     "Yes, Mrs. Ferguson" I mumble lifting my head from the desk but keep my eyes on the ground. The bell rings signaling my escape from more humiliation. I quickly dash out ignoring Tiffany calling my name behind me. I reach the Chemistry lab. I love this class. Chemistry is one of those subjects that come naturally to me, and Mrs. Kennedy is the coolest teacher in the world.

     "Hey, Ivy take the lab table in the back corner. We have a new student transferring in, but he won't be here for a couple days. I trust you to be able to work by yourself for the time being." says Mrs. Kennedy as soon as I walked in.

     "Gotcha, Mrs. K." I take my seat and watch as the students pile in taking their assigned seats.

     Sitting at my table in Chemistry, I can hear Cynthia talking about me.

     "God do you see her clothes? I know her family left her but that's no excuse to look like that!"

     "I know oh my god and did you see how she threw herself at Ethan." Jackie says.

     "I like totally felt bad for him having to shower before class in the locker room to get her stench off of him." says Cynthia snickering.

     I stare at the back of her head wishing her long black hair would catch on fire. I can imagine the flame starting at the tips and spreading upwards. I look down and concentrate on the safety procedures we have to take a quiz on, when I hear one girl shriek and another scream, "Stop, drop and roll. Stop, drop, and roll!"

     I look up and the bottom of Cynthia's hair is on fire. She is running around the room screaming while Jackie, a.k.a. Slut 1, is trying to pat it out with a towel. I grab a beaker fill it with water, walk up to her and happily fling it on her. She looks up sputtering with water running down her face smearing her make-up. "You, you, you, foster trash!"

     "Look I don't know who you think you are, but I just saved half of your hair. You should be thankful I'm not like Slut 1 screaming 'Stop, drop, roll' and actually did something."

     "I am not a slut."

     "Keep telling yourself that doll it won't change a thing." I tell her absentmindedly.

     "You're just jealous."

     "Yeah I'm jealous the guys don't pass me around like a hacky sack."

     "Girls! That is enough get back to your seats unless you want detention, and say you're sorry." Mrs. Kennedy screams with an amused expression on her face.

      I look over struggling to get the words out of my mouth, "I'm sorry, and I hope you get chicken pocks." I say angrily pointing at Jackie. With that I turn back and take my seat. The rest of the class was boring and it was finally time for one of my favorite times of the day, lunch.