Today's the last day of school before Thanksgiving break. There was excitement around the halls. It's getting closer to the end of the year which meant a two-week holiday vacation in December. Unfortunately, it's still November.

"Vanessa."

When Ms.Slater called my name I was startled. Then, I became nervous because I realized why she said my name. We were in the middle of sharing one of our Reading responses.

"Why don't you share what you wrote?" Ms.Slater asked. I just nodded my head, knowing that my face was already turning red.

I tend to get red whenever I have to talk to any type of audience. For example, last year, when I had to read one of my short stories to two authors that came to our school. At least I wasn't stuttering in front of them. I'm usually a stuttering mess in front of an audience.

Even though I have talked to almost everyone in this class I still get very nervous when I have to present something. You can say that it's my nature to get nervous.

The weird part is that I've talked to a lot of the people in this class before. There's Zoey, Emily, Aurore, Diego, Lizbeth, Lindy, Paisley, Tyler....and the list goes on. I've socialized with most of the class.

As I read my response I was doing okay until I started stuttering. After that, the whole talking in front of everyone became more of me stuttering than talking. When I finished I looked at Zoey (who was on the other side of the classroom) to confirm what I already knew. Her confirmation was he nodding her head. I am redder than the reddest tomato ever.

I shrank back in my seat and looked at Paisley who was sitting right beside me. She was looking at Ms.Slater who was about to pick who was going to read their response next. I then looked at Emily who gave me an encouraging smile that clearly said that she knew I tried my best.

"Diego read me your response," Ms.Slater said.

"Sure," he said. It's so easy for him to speak in front of the whole class. I mean he is very talkative and is always raising his hand to answer a question. I swear that one day he's going to get in trouble for talking too much.

*****

"Who's ready for a week of no school? I am!" Lindy screamed as we were walking towards the orchestra room to leave. We were just a couple feet away from the room.

I turned my attention to Lizbeth who is by the room's door. She already had her violin on her shoulder thanks to the backpack straps that the cases have and is currently talking to Tyler. Then, they hugged and she kissed him on the cheek. They both went separate directions after that.

"Are Lizbeth and Tyler dating?" I asked Lindy.

"Yeah," she said. "He asked her out during lunch."

"Wait, they're dating? I didn't even know that Tyler liked her back," Zoey said.

"I didn't either, but apparently he does," Lindy said.

"I knew," I shyly said.

"YOU WHAT!"

"Since when did you know?" Zoey asked.

"Since the Lock-In," I said even though it sounded more like a question than a statement. "Diego told me that Tyler liked Lizbeth."

"You do know the Lock-In was in October, right?" Zoey asked me. I nodded. "You know that this is November, not October, right?" Once again, I nodded. "THEN WHY THE HELL DID YOU NOT TELL ME!"

"Uh... I forgot?"

Both Zoey and Lindy gave me a look that clearly said they didn't believe me. We entered the orchestra room and got our instruments, and continued our conversation.

"What's the real reason that you didn't tell us?" Lindy asked.

"Nothing big," I said. "Diego just asked me not to tell anyone the day after the Lock-In."

"You do know that Diego hardly ever asks anyone to do anything, right?" Zoey asked. I nodded. "You know like favors and he technically asked you to do a favor for him, right?" I nodded again. "SO HOW IS IT NOTHING BIG!"

"IT JUST IS!" I screamed back.

"WHY ARE YOU SCREAMING!" Lindy screamed.

"I DON'T KNOW!" I yelled back.

"WHY ARE WE STILL SCREAMING!" Zoey shouted.

"I STILL DON'T KNOW!" I screamed again.

After a couple minutes, we finally stopped screaming and headed outside to wait for our cars. We were talking with Addison, Diego, Bianca, and Austin. Then, Zoey's mom showed up and Zoey had to leave.

"Goodbye everybody," Zoey said in a dramatic tone. That's how she earned her role as Drama Queen. "Have a good Thanksgiving," she told me and hugged me. She then turned to Lindy and hugged her. "You too." Then, she hugged Addison and Bianca saying the same thing that she told Lindy again.

When she reached Austin, she gave him a professional handshake saying, "You too." Then she turned to Diego and said, "Not you."

Before she left she told him, "I hope you have the worst Thanksgiving ever!"