For some reason I felt really tired this morning as if I didn't get the right amount of sleep, although I thought that I did. I can't recall tossing and turning with dreams within the night. I had jumped out of bed when the alarm went off and took a shower. I got dressed and by that time Brooke was waiting for me downstairs. She was grabbing a slice of toast with jelly on it. My Grandmother stopped me as I was getting ready to walk out the door.

"Shayla you need to eat something before you go, after all breakfast is the most important meal of the day." She said smiling at me. She handed me a homemade biscuit with a slice of sausage inside and a glass of orange juice. I wrapped it up in a paper towel to carry it outside, but before I could get out the door she stopped me again. "You're not getting off that easy now. You have a few minutes to spare; sit down and eat with us." So that's what I did. I took big bites though and guzzled the juice down so that we could get out of there, watching her with wide eyes. I knew what she was doing; she wanted to make sure that I did in fact eat every bit of it as if I was a little kid, even licking ever smidge of jelly on my fingers. I also knew that Dr. Givens would want to weigh me tomorrow to see if I gained any. Everyone is so worried that I'm going to shriek up and die, just wither away.

As we got into the car Brooke looked over at me and smiled. "I see Grandma is still trying to make you eat. She must be so worried about you."

I pulled down the sun visor, looking to see if any of my lipstick had come off. "She has no reason to be; I'll be all right."

"So I hear you are going on a date with the psychopath."

"He's not a psychopath and besides we have all ready been out together."

"So you already know him. How? And does Grandma and Grandpa know about him?"

"Brooke it's really none of your business, but if you must know I met him at one of my therapy sessions and yes they know about it. He had asked Grandpa if it was alright if we went to a movie and so we went out." She looked at me confused. "Yes I had fun and no he is not crazy." I said for reassurance.

"So you say. If that is the case then why was he in therapy with you?"

"I didn't ask and he didn't tell but I can tell you he is a nice guy. Those kids at school don't know him. They spread rumors and they get all twisted and demeaning. It's repulsive the way people can just destroy someone by the way they gossip about things they have no clue about. I'm surprised they are not already talking about me."

"Actually," she started to say, but then changed her mind, "Never mind."

"What Brooke? What are they saying about me?" I scolded.

"It's just that you wear only black, like all the time. I don't know how it got out but they know you were in an accident with your family and they think the only reason that you did not die is because you are like some kind of witch. You have like these magical powers. Either that or you have some kind of evil spirit that has a hold of your soul."

"Are you serious?" I watched as she shook her head. I wanted to defend myself. But another part of me said that's all right let them think that and maybe they would just leave me alone. I did know that I was not going to change for them and that was a fact.

When we got to school, Brooke went her way and I went mine. I tried not to notice that some of the kids were looking at me and I overheard a few of the comments. I ignored them or at least I tried too. English and Calculus went by quickly. By the time I got into Physics I was drained by all the nasty stares. A part of me wanted to leash out on them. I tried to think that I was chained like a dog and if that chain just happened to break then so help them. First of all they had no clue who I was and they never asked. They didn't want to know they just wanted to make things up. After all I was new here; it gave them something new to talk about. Maybe I could come up with a magic spell or two.

Mr. Dawson decided to give us a test today just to see if we actually knew the material. He said that we would take the test again next week, but if you got an A on this one you wouldn't have to take it again. My so to speak partner was a joke. First of all he was a football player with a brain the size of a peanut. He thought he was all that and a bag of chips; I wonder what flavor he would be. Dill Pickle, stale. The past few days I had let him do all the work, while it's not that I just let him, he just took over thinking that I couldn't do any of it. Mr. Dawson was walking around each table to see if we got the problems correct and when he looked at ours he said he was going to give us a 'c' which is fine I guess but just as he walked away I spoke aloud.

"Excuse me, Mr. Dawson, I know that we are supposed to work as a team and we are to get the same grade and all but," I tilted my head towards the absent minded Dill Pickle, "the jerk here just assumes that I don't know anything. You see I'm a girl. Not only am I a girl but apparently a very dumb one considering I'm not able to help put with any of the work." Brad looked at me as if I had to be kidding right.

"Excuse me but this will have to wait till after the class, Ms. Farris." Mr. Dawson acted very rudely towards me, turning his back on me as he walked back up to the front room.

"That's just it," I blurted out. "You see I have worked out the problems as well and even though we are a team, the jerk here refuses to let me do anything so I would like for you to look over my work and give me a grade separately," I demanded.

"But this is a team effort here. You and Brad have to work together." He held up both hands and with his index and middle finger he motioned them as if putting quotation marks in the air. Get the picture.

No I don't get the picture. Why should I get a 'C' when I deserve to have an 'A'. "Like I said, he refuses to let me do anything because he is a big headed jerk who thinks he knows everything. So if you could just look over my paper." I shot back a glare.

He jerked the paper from my hands, looking it over then handed it right back to me. "Meet with me after class."

"What?" I smarted off. You got to be kidding me.

"Just stay after class Ms. Farris." He refused to look at me again as he walked to his desk.

Great! As I waited for the bell to ring I overheard a few of the girls in the front talking. Apparently Mr. Dawson never keeps anyone after class not in less they are in serious trouble. I waited for the class to leave and then walked up to his desk. He turned around with an austere look on his face.

"Whose paper did you look off? Do you have a cheat sheet or something?" he accused me.

"Excuse me." Yeah right, I have a cheat sheet in the back of my brain it's hidden between the smart files and the idiot files. No I don't have a cheat sheet; I wanted to scream.

"Where's is at?" He grabbed my notebook. "Where did you get the answers from?" He flipped through the pages, just hoping to find something, anything to verify that I was cheating.

"Are you serious?" I said in shock. "This is easy crap anyone with a brain could solve these."

"For starters I have seniors that can't figure out the last problem; how did you do it?" He grabbed my arm looking at the palms of my hand and then pulling up my sleeve to look at my arm hoping to find the answers somewhere but had no luck.

I jerked away from him. "My father was good in science; he always said that I took after him. Look I didn't cheat. I have never cheated a day in my life. If you don't believe me give me some other problems and watch me if you wish. I promise you I did not cheat."

Apparently he wasn't convinced; he wrote out three problems on the board and wanted me to solve them right then. Two of the problems we had done in the class, the other was on a different level but I sat down and done the problems and handed him the paper to look over. He watched me the whole time like a fly on the wall, trying to figure out how I did it. He was amazed at the work.

"This is very detailed. You have explained how you got the answer and all. This is very highly intelligent work here." He put the paper on his desk. "You know we have a team here that goes around competing with other schools how would you like to join?"

I thought for a moment to myself, fist of all you accuse me of cheating, then you act just like everyone else, out for the kill, the win. I shook my head. "I don't know; I've never been on any science team. Besides they might think that I have cheated." I gave him the overall attitude smile.

"I think you would like it."

"I don't think so. Look all I am asking for is an A on the test!"

"Well this year has already started so I hope you think about joining the team next year. And I guess I could give you that A."

"Thanks, now I am late Mr. Dawson I got to get to Drama."

He took out a piece of paper and wrote me an excuse for the next class.

By the time I got into Drama, Mr. Foster looked at me as if 'no I didn't just walk in to his class late.' I handed him the note and he crumbled it up. "Well, I'm glad you could make it to class. Have you practiced for a part?"

"A little." I said squeamishly.

"Well let's see what you got."

I went up onto the stage with no script to go by. I have seen this movie several times and once when they played it at the Performing Art Center my mom had taken me to see it. Even though I knew that Mr. Foster had changed several of the parts and added a few of his own for the school production, it would still be good. I loved the way Maria was so in love with Tony. Anyway I got up there and showed what I had. I picked out the part where Maria is on the roof of her apartment and she stretches out her arms and then starts to do a ballet. I was a little nervous at first, but as I went on with the scene I didn't notice how I got so into it and everyone in the theater stopped to look at me. They weren't really looking at me, but they were looking at the character that I was betraying. I took over the whole stage dancing and then I stopped and acted like I was so upset because I just found out that my brother died; Tony had killed him. I started yelling, "you're lying."And then I was on the far side of the stage kneeling and praying that Tony did not do it. "Don't make it true. Make me die...." I felt different up there on the stage. Just like Kylie had said earlier that week. She wanted to be different; she wanted to be like the others here. She wanted to feel like she was someone. With me it was like I was not me at all, I was someone else, I was inspired for the moment and it made me feel alive. Even if it was just for a moment.

I heard a loud clap in the audience. "Well done Ms. Farris. I do believe you got the part. Just make sure your on time for now on."

I didn't say anything as I sat back down to watch a few others try out. After class I went up to Mr. Foster. "Mr. Foster, I wasn't planning on being in the play."

"But you have to be you're in the lead role." He smiled.

"I just feel that I am too emotional right now. I don't think that I can give it my all."

"Yes you can and you will." He patted me on the back.

"But."

"No buts, no go on before you are late to your next class." He smiled.

More rumors had spread throughout lunch time. I heard all kinds of things. I never knew that I could be a witch and could cast spells to make good grades and be so talented. Cool. If I only knew how to make real magic, I wouldn't be here. I would be back home with my friend, Andrea; and curled up in Jake's arms in the front seat of his car. I was so busy thinking of them that I didn't notice that Isaiah sat down beside me.

His tray tinged as it hit the table. "I hear that you're the talk of the school."

"What?" I asked, looking at him, confused.

"Like you haven't heard them talking. How did you manage to get the lead role in the play? Apparently that was Julie's part and you swept in and took it away from her. By the way she is one of the top popular girls here. She will probably go whine to mommy and daddy, so don't get your hopes up on keeping the part."

"I didn't want the part to begin with. Mr. Foster assumes that I do. He made me try out for the play; I didn't expect to get the part, any part for that matter." As I talked, I took a sip of my Coke and then snatched one of his fries.

"FYI you might want to watch your back, she's a sneaky brat who will ruin your life."

"Your funny considering I don't have a life to begin with, what can she possibly do?" I batted my eyes.

"Everything."

We walked to the gym together for the pep rally. Comes to find out Julie was the head cheerleader. What is it with me and the head cheerleaders? She was also the girl who I had asked the first day of school where the bathroom was. So I knew she was a plastic for sure.

The rally was alright but I have seen a lot better and actually have been in a lot better. Apparently city schools are totally different from country schools. How sad it must be to live this way.

After school Brooke wanted to stop by the local café to meet up with some of her friends. They were going to get ready for the football game. JOY! I just went along for the ride. I had no intensions on going to the game. Her friends are so weird, ok, not like weird weird, but not anyone that I would care to hang out with. Before leaving for the game, she dropped me back off at home.

The Saturday session started at one o'clock and ended at three. The chairs were already placed in the circle for all of us to sit down. There were finger foods on the side table piled up high. I still haven't figured out why some people eat when they are stressed out, unlike myself, food is the last thing on my mind. I took a seat and a few minutes later Isaiah came into the room. He sat across from me. Maybe he wanted to be able to look at me, who knows. Anyway the session started out with all of us saying our names as usual. Then Dr. Givens asked about our first week back in school after the long holiday break. She wanted to know how everyone was doing. Were we all staying out of trouble and so forth? By the time she got around to me, I had nearly fallen asleep.

"Shayla how was your week at the new school?"

I came back to life when I heard my name. "It's going." I looked up over at Isaiah for a second and then back down.

"Do you care to elaborate?"

Did she really want to know; fine let's give her the rundown. "Well let's see. Apparently I'm just a dump girl who doesn't know jack. Yet considering I already had Mythology I should have an easy A. Everyone in my Calculus class thinks I don't belong there. Mr. Dawson, my Physics teacher accused me of cheating and made me stay after class to do more problems to prove that I didn't cheat and then assumes that I want to be on some kinda team for the school. As if. Then there is Mr. Foster, the Drama teacher, who made me try out for a play that I didn't want to do to begin with and gives me the lead, but apparently the role was already given to a plastic little brat which by the way is fine with me because I could care less about being in the play. Art and Music is alright and then I have Spanish, who the teacher expects everyone to speak only Spanish in her class which is fine with me. If they only knew that I lived with a maid who was Hispanic. If you want to know if I made friends with anyone then yes I guess I could consider Kylie as a friend as for the rest in that school they are all back stabbers who like to gossip and spread rumors about you that they have no idea about."

"So you would say the week went by all right?"

"Whatever." I paused and she went on to the next person. Although I wasn't finished and butted in. "It's just that I have never considered myself as a witch or a creature from another planet. I don't know how to make spells and magic and if I did wouldn't I have done so already. Do you really think I would be here if I could do that? And if something did take over my body or if I was cloned wouldn't I notice."

"So the rumors are bothering you?" she asked.

"It's just that why would one talk about another if they had no inkling about their life. When a few of the girls asked if I was going out with Isaiah this weekend I told them maybe and they told me not to that he was a psychopath. How do they know anything about him? Have they ever bothered to find out the truth, maybe get to know him to start with or is everything at this school built on a bunch of lies and rumors." I looked up at Isaiah who now had his hand covering part of his face looking down. "Isaiah.....I'm sorry I didn't mean..." I tried to apologize to him right there on the spot but the words just wouldn't come out right at the moment.

He cut me off, "No Shayla I haven't been honest with you. I have been coming here for years. I'm better now. I can live a normal life now. When I was ten I came home from school and found my mother in the bathtub. The tub was filled with blood. I had rushed over to her to drain all the water out. I don't know what happened after that. The next thing I know the police are there and I'm in handcuffs. They thought that I had killed my mother."

"Why would they think that?"

"Because I had found the razor and when they got there I had held it so tightly in my hand that it cut into my skin as well. I didn't want them to see it. My mother was all that I had and now she was taken away from me in a black body bag. I was taken to the police station to wait for my father. They had asked me several questions but when he got there he grabbed me up and took me home. The court later decided that I needed Dr. Givens. She has turned my life around. The rumors don't bother me as much as they use to. I block it all out, think of other things. I should have told you. I'm sorry."

"Thanks for letting me know. Isaiah you are a good friend. It just hurt me the way they were slashing you. And then they all started to talk about me. How do I tell them about the accident? I knew it was going to happen. I knew they were going to be taken away from me and I didn't do a thing about it. Maybe I have some kind of power that I don't know about. Maybe I had everything to do with it. It's all my fault that they are gone."

"No it's not," Dr. Givens interrupted. "Things happen for weird reason; reasons that no one can explain. Shayla you just happened to survive the accident."

I sat there for a few seconds and then Dr. Given went around the room to the others that had not had the opportunity to talk. After an hour she stopped the session for a break. During the break she called a few of us out to weigh us.

"Shayla you haven't lost any weight this week and you haven't gained any either. Looks good but I would like for you to gain a few extra pounds alright."

"Alright." Really I don't know what the big deal is, one hundred and two pounds was fine with me.

When I got back into the room Isaiah was by the table with the food. He had a plate and was picking through some of it. I went over to him and stood behind him. I wanted to put my hand on his back but then drew my hand away. I turned to go sit back down. Just as I was walking away I heard him call me.

"Shayla, where are you going?"

I jumped, startled that he could tell that I was there. "How did you know I was behind you?"

"I smelled you." He laughed it off and then stated, "O.K. I can feel you when you are around me."

"Seriously." I raised my arm to sniff it and then my shirt. O.K. so he must have some kind of special sense to smell.

"Yeah. I know when you're next to me. I should have told you about me the other night. I'm sorry if I led you on or made you think differently of me."

"It's all right. I'm just losing my mind that's all. It really hurt for me to hear them talk about you that way."

"Are you getting attached to me Shayla? Are you starting to have feelings for me?" He smiled and elbowed me in the arm.

"I like you Isaiah; you already know that." But did I like him enough as a boyfriend or just a regular friend just to hang out with.

"I know; I was just wondering if you wanted to be more than just friends."

"Not just yet; I told you I need time."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." He smiled. "Are we still going out tonight?"

"If you still want to."

"Yeah I do." He grinned.

After class I went off with Isaiah. Grandpa said it would be fine as long as I was back before ten. It had been a calm day, though it was a little chilly outside we decided to go for a walk. We just walked for a while not saying a word. We came to a clearing where an old tree had fallen. He sat down and motioned for me to sit by him.

"So you are going to be in the school play?"

"Maybe." Didn't we already talk about this at school; I wanted to ask him.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were so talented?" He grasped a lose strand of my hair and tucked it behind my ear. His hand touched my cheek softly.

"I didn't know that I was."

"Yeah o.k. whatever. So what do you feel like doing tonight." His eyes sparkled as he now moved his hand to my knee.

"How about the movies?" I reached for his hand to take it off of my knee.

"We could if that's what you want." He looked away for a few seconds and then back at me.

I could tell that he must have had something else on his mind. "What do you want to do?" I was hoping he wasn't thinking about what I thought he was thinking about.

"Nothing....let's go see what's playing?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, let's go."

And that's what we did.