It’s my favorite, chocolate with chocolate frosting. “That’s a ton!” It’s like two pieces of cake. Dad’s at work so he isn’t here to say it’s too much.
“It’s our first day too!” Tana says, but I’m the only one starting a new school tomorrow. Tana has to wait two years to get the biggest piece. Polly has to wait three.
“You are going to love middle school,” Mom says.
“No she isn’t! She’s going to hate it!”
“Tana’s just trying to make you nervous,” Mom says, and gives Tana a watch it look.
I know Tana’s right, I know I’m going to hate it. Tana says you only have four minutes between classes so I better not get lost and I better not forget my locker combination, but I can’t even practice my locker combination because we don’t get our numbers until tomorrow!
“Kelsey and Hailey will be there,” Mom says, “and all your other friends.”
Frosting comes out of Tana’s mouth when she laughs. It looks like mud. I don’t have any other friends, I know that’s why Tana’s laughing. Not really, not good friends.
“Polly, you look like you’re the one starting middle school!” Mom says, and pulls Polly’s hair back like she’s making her a ponytail.
It’s true, Polly looks scared. I’m holding my scared in so Tana won’t know, but everyone knows when Polly’s scared because she chews on her hair—even though Mom got her the special shampoo that tastes bad. Now she’s laughing, though. Now we’re all laughing, thinking about Polly already being scared about middle school, which makes me feel a little less scared, but only for a minute because as soon as we’re done laughing all the scared comes back. It’s like a balloon filling up my stomach, bigger and bigger, and I am trying so hard right now not to cry.