The New Girl Read Online Free PDF Page A

as it’s on white bread and not whole wheat. Grilled cheese on whole wheat bread is gross. That’s a rule). “I’ll meet you outside to walk back to school together after lunch, though.”
    Erica said okay and went on to her house. I followed Kevin inside and wasn’t too cheered up when Mom greeted us in the kitchen with a happy announcement: “I found the cereal bowls! No more popcorn for breakfast!”
    “Did you find my leggings?” I wanted to know.
    “Not yet,” she said, her head popping up from the box she was digging through. “But I made huge amounts of progress here in the kitchen while you kids were gone this morning. I found all the pots and pans. Now all we need is the stove, and we’ll be set!”
    “What I really need is my leggings,” I said.
    “I know, honey,” Mom said. “I’m sure they’re around here somewhere. I’ll probably stumble across them this afternoon. In the meantime, I’ve got your favorite for lunch—Hot Pockets! Now why don’t you sit down and eat before they get cold. Mark’s already finished half of his. I can’t wait to hear how your first day is going so far.”
    But I could hardly get a word in about my day what with my brothers going on and on about their days. Neither of them had gotten in trouble (three times) for chitchatting with his neighbor. Neither of them had gotten made fun of for wearing a skirt with jeans. Neither of them had a girl like Rosemary in his class.
    By the time Kevin finally got done going on and on about how cute everyone thought he was and how fantastic his macaroni-and-glue masterpiece had turned out, and Mark had finished gushing over how his new teacher, Mr. Manx, had let him feed the class newts, and his new friend, Jeff, had given him a ride on the handlebars of his dirt bike (which earned him a lecture from Mom since Mark hadn’t been wearing his helmet), I didn’t even feel like talking. I just wanted to go upstairs, take off my skirt, and go back to school to start my first day over.
    “And how’s your day going so far, Allie?” Mom wanted to know.
    “Fine,” I said.
    “That’s it?” Mom asked. “Just fine? How do you like Mrs. Hunter? Who do you get to sit by? Is it as hard asyour old school, or is it easier? Have you made any new friends?”
    “Fine, I told you; I get to sit by Erica; it’s the same; I’m friends with Caroline and Sophie. Can I go now?”
    Mom stared at me. She had on her oldest clothes because she’d taken time off from her job and had been busy all morning unpacking. Her T-shirt said pearl jam, which is an old band that Dad likes.
    “You may go, after you finish your milk,” Mom said. “Allie, are you sure everything is all right? You seem upset about something.”
    “Well, I’m not,” I said. “Except that some people should realize Halloween was last month.”
    Kevin looked at me and smiled. “You know what? I’m going to help Mom look for your leggings while you’re at school this afternoon, Allie.”
    “Oh,” Mom said, smiling at him. “Isn’t that nice of Kevin, Allie?”
    I glared at him. Little brothers can be such total phonies sometimes.
    That’s a rule. No, that’s not even a rule. That’s a fact.
    During lunch recess, Erica and I met Caroline and Sophie back on the playground, and we went to the secret spot behind the bushes where, the first day I met them, we’d played a game called queens. That’s where all of us pretend to be queens doing battle with an evil warlord who wants to marry Sophie, only she doesn’t want to marry him because he’s evil, and also because she gave her heart to another. I asked Sophie who she gave her heart to, and she said she gave it to Peter Jacobs, and when I asked who that was, she showed me through the bushes. He was a fourth-grader in Mrs. Danielson’s class who happened to be playing kick ball with my brother. He was taller than all the other fourth-grade boys, and also taller than Rosemary. I noticed that he seemed to be kind to