Ivy introduced herself. “And don’t worry about the Beasts,” she said. “They’re harmless. They act all grave, but they’re not nearly as scary as they smell.”
“You sure seem to know how to handle them,” Olivia remarked.
“Yeah, well, I’d better,” Ivy said. “I’m going to have to put up with them forever.”
Olivia laughed. “Anyway, thank you for the second time today, Ivy Vega. I’m really grateful.”
That strange feeling rushed back over Ivy with a force so powerful she nearly stumbled. All at once, she realized why the new girl looked so familiar. She looks a lot like me, Ivy thought. More than a lot—she looks almost exactly like me!
A wave of nausea hit her, and her knees trembled. She was either going to throw up or faint right in the middle of the hall. Brendan would see her splayed out on the linoleum floor, her face whiter than bone, her black-stockinged legs twisted like a doll’s.
Olivia was still talking, but the roar in Ivy’s head was too loud for her to hear.
“Later,” Ivy croaked. And, quick as a bat, she flew into the girls’ bathroom.
Chapter 2
Oh great, Olivia thought, I overdid it. Why did she always have to come on so strong when she met new people? Here was this girl, Ivy, clearly trying to be nice, and Olivia immediately started talking her ear off. The poor girl had looked like she was about to puke.
Still, Olivia couldn’t help wondering why Ivy Vega had gone out of her way to help her. After all, Ivy was ultra Goth. For someone like her to be friendly to someone like Olivia twice in one morning was unusual to say the least.
Whatever. Olivia had gym next, and she needed to find the locker room and change as fast as she could. The principal had said that Ms. Barnett, her PE teacher, was also the cheerleading coach, and Olivia wanted to make a stellar first impression.
“You’re not wearing socks, Miss Abbott,” Ms. Barnett said sternly less than seven minutes later. Olivia had barely had a chance to introduce herself. “This is a physical education class, young lady. How can you receive a physical education if your feet are not properly attired?”
Olivia made sure she kept smiling, which wasn’t easy considering she was also trying to nod seriously. “I completely agree,” she said sincerely. “I’ve been cheerleading since I was eight, and I fully understand the dangers of painful blisters and unwanted foot fungus. I promise not to forget my socks again, ma’am.”
Ms. Barnett nodded with begrudging respect.
There isn’t a female gym teacher on earth who doesn’t love being called Ma’am, thought Olivia.
After Ms. Barnett had given her the details of the squad tryouts coming up in three weeks, she led Olivia across the gym to where three girls were taking turns doing handsprings. She gestured to one with a blond ponytail, who bounced right over.
“Charlotte Brown, this is Olivia Abbott. She’s also interested in trying out for the squad.”
“You’re the new girl!” Charlotte cried. “Welcome to Fraaaaaaaanklin”—she rolled her hands like a motor and threw her arms in the air—“GROVE!”
Olivia smiled. “Nice to meet you.”
“Come on,” said Charlotte. “I’m just about to teach Katie and Allison this unbelievably awesome cheer!”
For the first time all morning, Olivia let herself relax. She’d found the cheerleaders. Unlike the other students in gym class, all three girls wore matching short pink shorts and tight gray Franklin Devils T-shirts. Olivia just knew she’d be having sleepovers and talking about boys in the locker room with them before long.
Olivia watched Charlotte run through the routine. The girl clearly knew her stuff. She had good energy, sharp moves, nice tumbling. It was completely possible that Charlotte Brown was going to be her new best friend.
“That was great, Charlotte!” Olivia said. Except, she thought, “devil” doesn’t really rhyme with “bubble,” but, whatever. “We used to do a cheer a lot like that at my old school.”
“I wrote it myself.” Charlotte beamed.
The routine had some complicated parts but nothing too difficult. Olivia got it in no time. After a few run-throughs, she even tried some new lines, shouting, “You know you’re a Devil when you raise the noise level!” instead of Charlotte’s words.
“Sorry, Olivia,” Charlotte said, running over from where she was working with Katie and Allison on the handclaps. “I think you got the words wrong. We’d better do it again.” Which was fine. After all, it was Charlotte’s cheer.
Olivia was just relieved to feel that she fit in. In fact, at the end of class, she was on her way to the locker room when Ms. Barnett actually smiled at her.
“Nice cheering, Olivia,” said the gym teacher. Olivia could have done a flip on the spot!
“Ms. Barnett says that to everyone,” Charlotte said, as she pushed open the door to the locker room.
Olivia shrugged. “Hey, this morning I was no one. ‘Everyone’ is a step up!”
It sure didn’t feel that way at lunch, though. Looking out at the cafeteria, Olivia felt like no one again. She had no idea where to sit. She wished she were back at her old school, with Kara and Mimi waving at her from their table by the window.
Finally, Olivia spotted Camilla sitting by herself in the corner, devouring her sci-fi epic along with her lunch. Olivia almost took off running, she was so happy to see her.
She was almost at Camilla’s table when Charlotte Brown appeared, wearing a pink sweater. Behind her stood Katie and Allison, their smiles shining like white billboards above their trays.
“Come sit with us!” Charlotte said. Olivia glanced over at Camilla, whose nose was still buried in her book. For some reason, Olivia’s stomach sank. “Okay.”
“This is the popular table,” Katie told her as they sat down.
“We sit here every day,” said Allison.
“Great.” Olivia smiled, silently noting that they were the only people at the table.
“Girls,” Charlotte said. “First things first. I think it’s our duty to tell Olivia the rules.”
“Which rules?” Olivia asked.
“Duh.” Katie rolled her eyes. “Charlotte’s rules.”
“No, Katie.” Charlotte looked annoyed. “The rules of Franklin Grove Middle School.” She straightened her back and took a deep breath. “Rule number one,” Charlotte announced. She reached over to Olivia’s tray and gingerly picked up a piece of garlic bread with two fingers. She looked completely grossed out, as if she were holding a dead bird. “Never order garlic bread. It totally kills . . .”