We Are All Made of Molecules Read Online Free PDF Page A

Borden Secondary, which is only five blocks from our new house. We had driven past a couple of times, so I knew it was ten times bigger than Little Genius Academy, but when we arrived on foot, my bowels twisted into knots.
    “I need to go back home,” I said to Dad. “It’s urgent.”
    Dad understood then, because I never poop in public bathrooms. It is just one of those things I am particular about. So we walked back home at a good clip.
    “Back already?” asked Caroline as I tore up the stairs, clutching my stomach. I have never been so grateful for my own bathroom.
    Luckily, we’d given ourselves a lot of time, so we were still at school well before the first bell rang. Dad came in with me because we had an appointment with the school counselor. Over the entrance, engraved in the stone, were the words BORDEN SECONDARY SCHOOL, EST. 1927 .
    The first thing I noticed when we walked through the front doors was the noise. The halls were filled with teenagers, and most of them towered over me. The second thing I noticed was the aroma. It smelled like a mixture of BO and French fries. I cannot tell a lie. I felt terrified.
    We found the counselor’s office. Her name is Ms. Woodbridge, but she insisted we call her Sylvia. She has a nice smile and very red lipstick. She had seen my school records from Little Genius Academy.
    “Based on your academic performance, I’ve bumped you into ninth-grade courses, to keep you intellectually stimulated,” she said. “Unfortunately, it means I’ve had to put you into ninth-grade phys ed as well because it’s the only way I could make the schedule work.”
    “That’s okay,” I said.
    It was a quick meeting; I got the sense she was a very busy lady. “If you have any problems, or if you just need to talk,” she said as she led us back out into the hallway, “my door is always open.”
    Then she went back inside and closed the door, which I found kind of ironic.
    “Do you want me to walk you to your first class?” Dadasked. Even though he was using his cheerful voice, I could see the little creases of worry in his forehead.
    “No, I’m okay.” I looked at my schedule. “It should be just down the hall.”
    “Call me at work when you get home,” he said. “I want to hear all about your first day.”
    “I will.” I shook his hand. Then I started the long walk down the corridor toward Room 203. When I reached the door, I looked back. Dad was still standing there. I gave him a little wave. Then I took a deep breath and walked into the room.
    At Little Genius Academy, we never had more than twenty students per class. I did a quick tally and counted thirty-three kids.
    One of them was Ashley.

WHEN I SAW THE midget freakazoid walk into my classroom, I honestly thought he was lost. I was at my desk and Lauren was sitting beside me, telling me about her weekend.
    “So Claudia texted Amira, then Amira texted Lindsay, who texted Yoko, who texted me, and we all met up downtown on Saturday night to see a movie.”
    “How come you didn’t text
me
?” I asked.
    She got all shifty-eyed. “Oh. Well. I thought you’d be busy. With your new, you know, brother.” She gave me a smug little grin.
    “Lauren, if you call him my brother one more time, I’ll tell everyone you stuff your bra.”
    That wiped the smile off her face.
    Claudia described Lauren best when she said to me lastyear, “Lauren is like the poor man’s version of you.” I didn’t understand what she meant, till she continued. “You know, not quite as pretty, not quite as well-dressed, not quite as popular.”
    If I am being totally one hundred percent honest, I would have to say that Claudia hit the snail on the head. My eyes are set perfectly apart; Lauren’s are set just a tad too close together. Mine are a piercing blue; hers are mud-brown. My lips are naturally plump; hers are thin. Even though we both have long hair, mine is luxuriant and thick and chestnut brown, while hers is sandy and fine with