Chapter 1

Everyone tumbled into their seats, wondering what torture Miss. Price would give us willingly.  I bit my nails, in worry of what would happen. Miss. Price walked into the room with an icy stare.  "We will be doing these packets for an hour.  Start working, now," Miss. Price said with a cold voice.  Miss. Price placed the packet on my desk. I picked it up, examining it like any kid would.  The packet was so thick it was probably 69 pages long.  I groaned, getting out a HB 2 pencil, I wondered why Miss. Price always gave us all these treacherous things and why she chose us out of millions, no, billions of people to torture for fun.  I wished I was still in 4th grade, when the teachers were nice.  I sighed, counting down the minutes till one hour passed.  Only 1 minute. 

I glanced at Andromeda, my best friend.  She put her own head on her desk and just stayed like that.  I sighed, desperately wishing in my mind,"Please let this end, please."  Sitting with an empty page without any work, Miss. Price spotted me procrastinating.  "Hope," she said to me in front of everyone, "do your work."  Everyone looked at me and snickered. My face turned red as an overripe tomato.  You see, Miss. Price has some specific hatred for me instead of, well, anybody else, so I decided to hate her back even though everyone taught me that two wrongs don't make it right, well, this was a different story.  "But you... You didn't..."  I tried making a full sentence but I failed.  "Do. Your. Work."  she stared at me, with one of those cold teacher stares to make children like me shut up. I gave up and started my work.

                                            Chapter 2

"Miss. Price hates me the most!" I said to Andromeda.  I clenched my fist so hard that my nails dug into my skin. Andromeda frowned.  "She doesn't hate you! ...Okay, yeah, maybe she hates you..." Andromeda said, not reassuring me. We were in Art Class and we were working on a Faith Ringgold Project. I looked at her and blurted, "You could have at least said, 'It's okay!' or 'You can do it!' But it is true. Miss. Price hates me most," I said, looking down at my shoes. "Miss Price is the worst teacher...ever!"  Andromeda exclaimed. I sighed and colored my drawing. I thought, "Will anyone ever understand me?" You see, I'm... different. Something about me just doesn't fit in with the rest.  All my teachers tell me, "You need to focus more and try harder." But I am. 

  Andromeda and the others are all focused and can do things quicker than me.  I know how to do everything.  It's just that I can't focus like the others.  "Hope, I know it can be hard when Miss. Price picks on you but stop being such a pill!  She just wants you to get better at things," Andromeda explained. I scoffed.  "Easy for you to say. You don't know anything about what it' s like being... me," I said.  "Hope..." Andromeda said, moping. 

                                        Chapter 3

It was now lunch and recess.  I sat by myself and ate.  Tears welled up my eyes and I cried.  I just cried, letting go of all the stresses Miss. Price put on me.  I tried to keep myself together, but I couldn't.  I wish I wasn't in middle school.  I wish I was in 4th grade, where all the teachers were nice and it didn't matter if you messed up, you could try again.  But here in 6th grade, it's different.  In 4th grade if you cried, the other kids would ask if you're okay.  But in 6th grade, they would laugh.  I just sat there with my body trembling with fear.  I never understood why my parents named me Hope.  There's nothing to hope for me.

                                           Chapter 4

Andromeda came over.  "What happened?" she asked. I looked away, afraid of getting laughed at.  "You can look at me.  I won't laugh, I promise," she said, in a calming voice.  I turned slowly to look at her. She handed me a tissue.  I took it and began to explain what happened.  Andromeda listened and nodded.  This is what I like about her.  She's a good listener.  After I finished my explanation, Andromeda studied my face.  She looked at me with her 'I know something else is bothering you' eyes.  "I'll walk home with you today," she said deciding that's the best thing she can do for me.  Her mom is a therapist so she knew how to calm my feelings.  "Okay," I said, smiling. "Thanks." 

                                          Chapter 5

"Ugh, homework is the worst thing in the world!" Andromeda screeched.  I took out my backpack and stuffed the homework page in the front pocket of my backpack.  "So what do you think the homework is? Write a 12 paged essay on the 13 colonies or work on 6 algebra questions?" I asked, trying to fill the silence.  Andromeda shrugged, "Probably both!" she exclaimed with a 'super bummed out' face.  "Oh! Do you want to stop by the Just A Doughnut Place shop? I can get you a Frosty The Snowman Frost Glaze one! On me!" I exclaimed.  Andromeda's eyes sparkled and her mouth slightly watered.  "Must...Have...DOUGHNUT!!!" She yelled while everyone on the street was thinking she was crazy.  I looked at her, "Umm, okay..." I said, walking.

We walked into Just A Doughnut Place and sniffed the wonderful smell the bakery made. "Ahhh...." we said in relief.  We came up to the counter.  "Hi little sis'!" my sister said to me.  I groaned.   "Hi Amber..." I murmured under my breath, looking at my shoes.  My sister works here so she always picks on me in public. Andromeda stayed quieter than usual.  She didn't say a word.  Whenever any family member of somebody else's family came by, she just looked at a nearby pigeon and just stared at it.  "Yeah, umm, we want the Frosty The Snowman   one and the Strawberry Wonder," I said, looking at my sister in an uncomfortable way.  My sister rubbed my head and said, "You look like an angry chipmunk!!! Hah! Okay, okay, I will make you some doughnuts!" she said, chuckling.  I turned to Andromeda. "Do I look like a chipmunk?" 

                                           Chapter 6

After a few minutes, my sister came with our doughnuts. "Thanks..." Andromeda mumbled under her breath, quietly as she took the doughnut.  As we walked out, I asked her something.  "How come whenever a family member visits, you get awkward and sweaty?"  I asked, taking a bite out of my doughnut. She looked over at me. She was silent for a moment but then she spoke. "My grandfather died last week..." she mumbled, looking at her shoes.  Sorrow filled her eyes. "Are you... okay?" I asked, not knowing what to say.  She went home without saying anything else.  I knew something was wrong.  I sighed, and walked to my apartment building.  When I got in, I just went to my room.  I slammed the door shut, leaving a thunderous boom. 

I flopped on my bed and thought how things went so bad.  I sighed as I picked out a photo of me and Andromeda as 3rd graders.  I shut my eyes as the wave of darkness surrounded me.  Suddenly, I appeared in my classroom.  "No one likes you..." said a voice.  "You'll always fail because you're a DUMB GIRL!" said another voice.  I looked around frantically.  I saw Andromeda.  "Oh! Andromeda! Help me!" I said. Andromeda turned to face me.  "I thought you were my friend. Turns out you never were. I'm done with you. I'm never talking to you again." Andromeda walked away from me as she left me to face all the others. Everyone cackled at me, called me names, threw things at me and told me mean stuff.  I covered my ears and curled up into a ball.  Suddenly I jolted up.  I sighed.  It was only a dream.

I checked the time.  It was 6:34 pm. Everyone would be eating by now.  I got up and went out of my room.  "Hi Hope, you are 30 minutes late. We're having spaghetti and meatballs, your favorite!" my mom said.  I groaned, pulling out my chair slowly as I got in.  My dad turned to face me, "How was school today?" he asked.  I looked down at my plate and fiddled with noodles.  "Good," I said, like I always did.  You see, whenever my parents ask me how school was, I just say, "Good" so they don't get involved or worried.  My sister snickered at me, seeing that I was sad...ish.  "The spaghetti tastes wonderful, mom!" my sister said, now mocking me with her joy.  "Thank you Amber!" my mom said, smiling so much I could probably put a million smiles on a million faces. "How's Andromeda?" My mom asked, looking at me.  Suddenly, I jolted. 

I chewed my nails for a moment and thought of what to say.  Sweat beaded my face as I mumbled, "Er...Umm...She...They..."  "Well, how is she? Tell us!" my dad said, with an annoyed face.  Under panic, I suddenly jerked out of my seat, slammed the table and yelled, "I need to use the bathroom!!!"  "Huh. Must have stomach problems or something..." my mom mumbled, twirling her fork with spaghetti.  I rushed to the bathroom, slammed the door and sighed of relief.  I walked to the mirror and looked at myself. "What's wrong with you?"  I asked myself, under my breath.  I sat on the toilet and thought. 

                                             Chapter 7

My eyes crept open slowly.  At the sight of the light, I checked the time, 7:45 AM.  I yawned as I shuffled out of my bed, crinkling the soft blanket.  Will Andromeda still like me? I asked myself, silently.  I didn't respond to that answer because the answer was clear.  Of course she still does! I got on my T-shirt and pants and opened my door.  I went to the living room.  My mom was there.  She was drinking her  morning chamomile tea.  She stared out the window, spacing out.  "Hmm?" she said, turning around to see me.  "Oh, you startled me dear! Please, grab some cereal," she said, startled.  I thought as I ate. Andromeda wasn't really hanging out with me these days.  I tossed the thought away.  She's my friend.  She's good.

I walked to school.  I looked down, not revealing my face and put my hoodie up.  No one from school needs to notice me.  "And then I said, 'No your dumb!' and he just went!" said a voice I knew.  It was Scarlet, my worst enemy.  She was the number 1 mean kid and always bullied me.  I looked over to confirm it was her.  I looked back down.  Please don't notice please... I pleaded in my mind, clamming up.  She noticed me.  "Hey! Hope! Girl Anger! Hey! Come over here!" she yelled, waving her arms in big circles.  No, no, no, no.... I thought, still looking down.  Girl Anger was her nickname for me. I never knew why though. She kept yelling at me, until it finally reached a point.  I was tearing, hiding my tears by cowering away.  It was too much.  "Argh! Will you shut up?!?" I yelled, showing the river of tears flowing down my cheeks.

I gasped, covered my mouth and ran. I ran until Scarlet was just a blip of dust.  I went to school, late.  When I gave Miss. Price my late pass, Scarlet smiled a mile wide.  She snickered and whispered to her friend something. I sat down in my seat, frowning in embarrassment.  I turned to Andromeda but she didn't look at me.  "Hi Andromeda!" I said, cheerfully. She didn't reply. She sat on her seat, looking forward stone hard.  Could this day get any worse? Yes. Yes it could. Miss. Price stared at us.  "Take out your textbooks and turn to page 189." she said with a harsh voice.  I got out the big bulky textbook and skimmed the pages.  Great! It was math work - my least favorite subject. I was horrible at it.  Everyone would be awesome at it and I would get an F.  I was surprised that I got into a good middle school like this.

I scanned the worksheet.  Practically 50 questions and problems.  I got out a pencil, and filled out my answers.  I didn't care if I got anything wrong.  I just didn't want to do this. 

                                       Chapter 8

As I finished my lunch, I was going to hang out with Andromeda but she was hanging out with... Scarlet.  Andromeda seemed so happy with Scarlet.  "Hey! Andromeda! Wanna hang out?" I yelled, ignoring the fact that Scarlet was listening.  Andromeda looked at me. She hesitated and opened her mouth but nothing came out.  Scarlet peered over. "She wants to be with me, not ... you!" Scarlet said, looking at me in disgust. "..."  Andromeda looked at Scarlet and me.

Andromeda sighed.  I looked at her in the eyes.  We're friends... Right? I asked her silently.  She looked away, walking away with Scarlet.  I sighed.  Now I have no one as a friend and everyone hates me.  Great.  I sat down on the rough pavement.  Why did things have to be like this? I asked myself.  I looked up to see Andromeda with Scarlet.  I frowned, thinking, Was I even a good friend?  When Andromeda and I were little, we used to always play tag.  One time, I scraped my knee and she helped me.  She was always there for me but now she... Hates me.  I didn't do anything... did I?  Scarlet always bullied me and one time, she pushed me onto the trash and yelled, "Hey! Look! It's a trash girl!"  I cried but Andromeda helped me.  Things... changed.  "Hey, you okay?" said someone. "Aak!" I yelled, in surprise. It was Max.

                                           Chapter 9

"Why are you here, Max?" I asked, surprised.  Max shrugged, her glasses reflecting the sunlight.  "I have nothing to do and I saw you moping so I decided to come over.  How come Andromeda's not with you?" Max asked, pushing her glasses up her nose bridge.  I frowned , clearly annoyed by Max.  "Go away dude," I said, gesturing with a sweeping motion.  She frowned.  "I'm just trying to cheer you up!" she exclaimed. I bit my lip.  "You're doing the opposite, now scram!" I yelled, furrowing my eyebrows.  Max ran away, while saying, "This is for your own good!" No way I was going to be friends with History Kid. No way that I'd be friends with her, no way Jose. 

Back at class, Miss. Price called me to speak with her privately. Whenever a teacher asks you to talk privately, the feeling is just awkward, and in your mind you'd think, Oh, no what did I do now? I got up and walked to her desk. "Yes, Miss. Price?" I asked, trying to sound like an angel that I definitely was not. "Hope, I have found this," said Miss. Price, sliding a flier on the table towards me. I scanned the flier. It said, "Design your own future city, Contest held at National Science Center, Work as a team to build your own city and make it to withstand all types of natural disasters, Hurricanes, Floods, Earthquakes, you name it! Contest winners get to have a scholarship, get $200, and a VR video game of Microbes and Fungi. Join Now! The entry fee is $100." I frowned. "Why do I need to do this?" I asked.