At Promise Middle School there was no surprise about which students would be in Kaden’s classes. The same eighteen students all started kindergarten together and would be together until they graduated from eighth grade. Then they would go to Hill County Regional High School, which combined students from Promise, Thredt, and several other small towns in the area.
Likewise, there would be no surprise about who his teachers would be. Every year, the same three teachers shared sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Mr. Herd always taught math and science. Mr. Clary taught reading and English, and Ms. Ales taught a class of history to each middle-school grade, then spent the rest of the day as the librarian for both elementary and middle school. The art, music, and PE teachers also taught both elementary and middle-school classes.
Entering the school, most of the kids turned down the back hallway toward the cafeteria. Some would eat breakfast, others just hung out for the seventeen minutes until first bell. But Kaden hurried straight ahead to Ms. Ales’s room. Much to his surprise, there was a kid already in there. Kaden had never seen him before and he was sitting at Kaden’s desk. Every year his classroom had four rows of desks, with five desks in each. Kaden always sat at the same desk. The desk in the back corner by the window. And ever since first grade, no kids ever sat in the desk next to his or in front of it.
Kaden liked being isolated in the back corner and wasn’t happy a new kid was taking his spot. Someone like Luke would just walk up and demand that the new kid move. But Kaden didn’t like confrontation. Without looking at the kid, Kaden walked across the room and dumped his backpack on the desk in front of him.
“Hi,” the boy said cheerfully.
“Hi,” Kaden replied unenthusiastically. He slid into the seat and busied himself with opening his backpack. He didn’t say another word and was glad the new kid didn’t either.
First bell rang. Other students came into the room in groups and clusters, all laughing and talking with each other. They immediately noticed the new kid but no one spoke to him. Nobody chose the seat next to him either, but the whispering started almost instantly. Kaden saw Luke say something to Elana behind his hand. Elana looked back toward Kaden and the new boy. The new boy waved at Elana and she turned quickly back around. Luke said something else and laughed. Others around him laughed, too, but Elana gave only a halfhearted smile.
Ms. Ales came into the room talking with a woman. Kaden had never seen her before either. Several students whispered, “Who’s that?”
When second bell rang, Ms. Ales picked up a small brass bell on her desk and rang it. Everyone had heard Ms. Ales’s little bell in library since kindergarten and all knew to quiet down.
“Welcome to middle school, A-Team,” Ms. Ales said to the class. She used the same nickname with every class, every year. “I hope you all had a great summer. You should have your schedules. They were mailed to you along with the middle-school handbook. Some of the rules are different from elementary, so I suggest you read it. Now I want to introduce a couple people. I’m sure you noticed we have a new student.”
The new kid gave a big grin and a little wave. Then leaning across his desk, he whispered over Kaden’s shoulder, “Here it comes.”
Kaden had no idea what he was talking about.
“Our new student’s name is Yo-Yo Strokowski,” Ms. Ales stated, as if there were nothing at all unusual about his name.
“Yo-Yo? You gotta be kidding!” Luke called out. Most of the class giggled. Kaden sat there, glad the negative attention was on someone else for a change.
“A-Team!” Ms. Ales said sternly. “We will have none of that. Yes, he has an unusual name.” Ms. Ales looked at Yo-Yo, gave a big smile, and continued. “Welcome to our school, Yo-Yo. I’m sure you’ll make a wonderful addition to the A-Team.”
Yo-Yo grinned at Ms. Ales, then leaned forward again and whispered to Kaden, “That wasn’t too bad. I’ve had it worse. Sometimes even the teacher laughs or has a smart comment. Believe me, I’ve heard them all.”
Ms. Ales turned back to the class. “We also have a new teacher. This is Mrs. Strokowski, Yo-Yo’s mom. She’s the new music teacher.”
Mrs. Strokowski stepped forward. “I’m glad to meet the A-Team,” she said. Kaden wondered how long it would take her to realize Ms. Ales had nine A-Teams, one for each grade. “I look forward to having you in music class every Tuesday. And if you decide to join band, you’ll be with me after lunch on Tuesday and Thursday, too, instead of study hall.”
“Next comes the explanation,” Yo-Yo whispered.
“I’m sure you noticed my son has an unusual name. He shares it with one of the most talented musicians of our time, Yo-Yo Ma. Has anyone ever heard of Yo-Yo Ma?”
No one raised their hand. Mrs. Strokowski stared toward her son, and he unenthusiastically raised his hand to shoulder height.
When his mom’s attention turned back toward the rest of the class, Yo-Yo leaned forward and whispered again. “Now for the assignment,” he said.
“Well, that will be our first assignment, then,” Mrs. Strokowski stated. “Tomorrow, when you come to music, I want you to know what instrument Yo-Yo Ma plays. But this won’t be hard. It just so happens he’s playing tonight on public television at seven o’clock.”
“That leaves Kaden out. His family doesn’t have a TV,” Luke blurted.
“Really?” Yo-Yo asked Kaden.
Kaden slouched down in his seat, wishing he could become invisible behind the backpack on his desk.
“Maybe his dad can steal one for him,” Luke said.
“That’s enough, Luke!” Ms. Ales snapped. She turned to Mrs. Strokowski, and in a nicer voice said, “I’m sure Kaden will come up with the answer without a television.”
After first period, Kaden stopped briefly at his locker. When he entered Mr. Herd’s science classroom, the new kid was already sitting in the back corner. As much as Kaden hurried after each bell, Yo-Yo beat him to the back corner seat all morning. Kaden ignored the comments the short boy with dark hair and blue eyes constantly whispered to him from behind. At lunch, however, Kaden was surprised to see that his corner spot in the cafeteria remained empty. Yo-Yo was in the middle of the cafeteria, surrounded by Luke, Elana, and several others.
I was wondering how long it would take Luke to recruit the new kid, Kaden thought. But, after lunch, Yo-Yo was back in the corner in what was becoming Yo-Yo’s seat, and Kaden had no option but to sit in front of the new boy.