The room smelled of expo markers and hand sanitizer. The first month of school is said to be the easiest, but I beg to differ.  Being in 7th Grade at Creekside Middle doesn't help either. There's way too much drama.
My science teacher was on her computer, presenting a slide show and lecturing us about the cardiovascular system. It is so boring.
"Psst, Wren!" My friend Zoe whispered to me.
Zoe had been my friend since I was about two years old. We met at my old daycare, ABC's and 123's learning center. She had moved from Alabama to here in Creekside, Louisiana because her mother got a job offer. We became friends and just couldn't be without each other. Her family moved next door to us and we became as close as sisters. Wherever you'd see me, Zoe would be there too.
"What?" I whispered back.
"Are you excited for the field trip today?"
What is she talking about? Our field trip is at the end of the school year.
"What are you talking about?" I replied.
"Remember? We're going to that park across the street from CVS. The whole school is having a picnic in the field, and then we're going on a hike through the woods. Mrs. Koslowsky told us this earlier."
I don't remember anything about this, but something about it does sound familiar.
"Of course I'm excited." I replied, trying to sound casual.
"Good, because we should be leaving in just a few minutes."
Sure enough, five minutes later the bell rang and we all got up. Everyone in the class grabbed their backpacks and lunch boxes, got in a single file line, and walked out the door.
Let me just say, the bus drive there took longer than it should have. Like 30 minutes longer to be exact. What was worse is that I was sitting next to the class brainiac, Ernie, who wouldn't stop talking about quantum physics. No matter what I did to try to make him stop, he just kept blabbing away.
I had nothing to do the whole drive, so I sat there, staring at the seat. Ernie took the window seat because he said it was good to see where he was going so if he got lost, then he'd know his way home. He made up so many different ways in which he could get lost that I couldn't keep count. A wild bear could chase him, he could get separated from the group, he could get his leg bitten off by an alligator, and also, he could be attacked by a swarm of wild butterflies. When he said that I was trying so hard not to laugh, that tears were rolling down my face.
Everyone else around me, I didn't even know, so they wouldn't talk to me. Zoe got put in the back of the bus, so I couldn't talk with her. Every few minutes, Ernie would look at me and say, "Wren? Are you even listening? This is very important!" Or something like that.
The ride was so boring that I couldn't believe that I didn't fall asleep.