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was relieved to find that Station 3 was quick and painless, and that the next stop was a classroom where I could sit down.  The classroom was a brightly lit computer lab, and it was already half full of students.  I walked in and the instructor at the front told me to sit wherever I wanted, so I went straight to the empty row in the back.  A few students glanced at me, but most of them were already engrossed in their computers, web browsing, and checking e-mail.  A few of them had headphones on.  They seem to take their technology very seriously around here , I thought, feeling even more like a fish out of water.  After all, it was just last year that I’d gotten my very first computer.
                  I chose a computer and sat down, taking out my notebook and glasses.  I didn’t really like them, but they made me look smarter.  At least if I felt nervous or confused, I wouldn’t look like I was.   I glanced to the front of the room and noticed the login and password was written on the board.  I pulled out the keyboard, ready to key in the login information, but the system had already logged me in.  Oh well, I thought, maybe someone already logged this one in and then moved to another seat.
                  A few more students trickled in, and finally, the instructor stood up and instructed everyone to log on, that we would begin in five minutes.  But I wasn’t paying much attention to her; I was busy watching the guy who’d just dashed in the door and was making his way toward me.  The first thing I noticed was how tall he was, and then I started to get nervous because I thought he was going to sit right next to me and start talking to me, and I really did not want to talk to anybody—especially not a cute guy who looked like he might actually be taller than me.  I stared at my blank computer screen―looking up just in time to see him flash a smile.
    I smiled back, nodded, and opened my mouth to say hello when all of a sudden, he looked over and recognized another friend two rows over … a cute girl with short, stylish hair and a strappy tank top.  Figures . 
                  The girl waved him over, patting the empty chair next to her.  I was staring at my computer screen, trying to seem uninterested.  When I glanced up, the girl was twirling her hair, her mouth drawn up in a mock pout.  She waved him over again.
                  He looked at me briefly, shrugged apologetically, and dashed over next to the girl when the instructor’s back was turned.  I watched them chat quietly, heads close, and sighed.  I was actually glad he hadn’t sat down by me after all.  What the heck would I have said to him anyway? 
                  Just then, a girl with a long brown ponytail and glasses sat down next to me.
                  “Hi, I’m Christy.  Christy Barnes.  Remember?”
    She sort of looked familiar, but I couldn’t say for sure.  “We sat next to each other in second grade.  I remember you.”
    “Oh yeah,” I lied.  “Christy.  How’s it going?”
    “Everyone calls me Cricket,” she said, holding out her hand.
                  “Hi Cricket,” I said, shaking her extended hand.
                  “Nice to meet you—again,” she said with a broad smile.  “It won’t take long for you to find your way around,” she said, eyeing me up and down with a quick appraisal.  “Ooh, love your shoes! Way cool.”
                  A picture of Dani, running up to me, her hair in ponytails, shorter than me.  I love your shoes, she’d said.
                  And just like that, I’d made a friend.  The same way I’d met Dani.  It was a good sign.  I smiled.  “Thanks!”

 
    A Dream
    After orientation, Cricket and I stood on the front steps to the school, waiting for our parents.  We watched as most of our classmates went straight for the parking lot to get in