she hung up.
Chapter 6
Markâs Locker and Markâs Homeroom
Mark Hopper and Mark Hopper both got to school early on the first day; they both wanted to make a good impression on their teachers and demonstrate that they belonged in all honors classes.
Mark packed his backpack the night before, placing six different colored binders, with matching folders, in his backpack. Each contained the note that he had printed out on labels: PROPERTY OF MARK GEOFFREY HOPPER. PRIVATE AND NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. He didnât want anyone copying his notes or stealing his homework and auctioning off the answers.
Mark also packed his backpack the night before, though its contents were only a pad of paper, a folder, a blue pen, a black pen, and two pencils. One of the pencils said PROPERTY OF MARK GEOFFREY HOPPER. Grandpa Murray had had those printed up and gave them to Mark when he started kindergarten. Mark was always lending them out, so he had only one left, and he considered it his lucky pencil. He had also written MARK HOPPER nice and big in permanent marker all over his folder. Beth had suggested he put his name on it so someone could return it to him in case it got lost. When Mark proudly showed her how heâd made his name stretch the whole folder, she stifled laughter and said that that wasnât quite what she had in mind, but it definitely could not be mistaken for anybody elseâs.
Mark Hopper got to school so early that there was hardly anybody else in the hallway. Only a few students were hanging out by the front doors, looking at their watches and checking their outfits and waiting for their friends to arrive. Mark passed a few kids he knew from elementary school on his way to his locker. âHey, Steve-o,â he said to Steve Dobbs, whom he hadnât spoken to since second grade. âDonât have time to compare schedules, but donât worry. We might be in some classes together if youâre in all honors.â He slapped Steve on the back and continued on, looking for locker 322. He found it on the first floor, right near a girlsâ bathroom. He stuck out his tongue in concentration while turning the combination. âThirty-six . . .â he mumbled. âTurn right two times . . . four . . . turn left to eighteen . . . and . . . presto!â The lock opened with a satisfying click. âBam!â Mark shouted. A girl with long black hair who was at a locker down the hall turned and gave him a strange look. âHowâs yours coming? I got mine on the first try, so if you need help just let me know,â Mark shouted down at her.
She stared at him as though he was from Neptune, then turned back to her locker.
Mark knelt down and unzipped his backpack. He took out a box that contained special locker shelves he had had his mother purchase. By the time he had fitted the shelves and placed his afternoon binders on them, a few more students were arriving and chatting. He looked around for Jasmina, who had locker 326, but didnât see her. He did see Frank Stucco, however, and he looked like heâd put on some weight over the summer. Not wanting Frank to see him, Mark closed up his locker and sauntered in the other direction. He passed the dark-haired girl, who was now leaning against a closed locker and chatting to a few other girls. âHowâd it go with your locker?â Mark asked.
All of the girls looked at him blankly.
âIâm Mark Hopper,â he said.
The girls looked at one another, each wondering which of them knew him. Finally, one of them spoke. âIâm Laurie,â she said between bites on her nails.
âDo you have homeroom now?â asked the dark-haired girl, who decided to try to be friendly.
âDuh,â Mark said. He gave her his why-would-you-bother-saying-something-so-useless expression that he practiced on his sister daily. âAre you guys in all honors classes?â
Laurie nearly choked on the fingernail she was