There was also an exit door at the end of the long hallway, right across from the band room doors.

All clear.

I glanced to my right. To my right were rows and rows of lockers, broken up only by intermittent classroom doorways.

Also clear.

Careful now.

Not too obvious.

Covertly, I look forward. In front of me are two wide glass exit doors. Beyond the doors, is a grassy area with benches.

Shoot!!

The cliquey’s are milling about in their usual herd of nastiness.

The really great thing about the cliquey’s, is that they are way too self absorbed to notice anything outside the realm of THEM, when they have, in their direct field of vision, rows and rows and rows of windows to the cafeteria. They are temporarily blinded and entranced by visions of their own beauty reflected by the sterile wall of glass.

“I’m still okay,” I was thinking.

Now, one final glance behind me reveals a long hallway. The main foyer of the school intersects this particular hallway. There is an atrium, rows of glass trophy cases, benches, and the main restrooms.

Clear.

With stealth, I quickly knelt to retrieve the precious book bags. They were placed neatly, lovingly together almost as if the bagmen had tucked them in for a nap.

I gathered The Phat Times 20 book bags gingerly, trying to be as absolutely nonchalant as possible.

I can’t believe I am actually breaking out in a sweat!

There is literally a film of sweat on my upper lip.

This is going to be good.

With another glance in all directions, the cliquey’s are still mesmerized by their beauty and, therefore, totally unaware of my subterfuge, I dart quickly towards the restrooms.

Almost there, almost there, almost…THERE!

Whew!

I’m in the clear.

Now what?

I looked for hiding place. Quick, quick…someone could see me at any second! Where, where…I look furtively around.

THERE!

The trash can!

It is the perfect hiding place.

In they go, quickly now.

Out, out, have to get out…. taking a seat…looking innocent…now, to sit back and watch the show!

Only a few minutes to the bell…should be interesting.

You’d think an abduction had taken place!

The place went into an uproar.

The bell rang.

Kids started meandering out of the double doors from the cafeteria. Some were laughing, others were talking, some were alone, and they just kept pouring out.

I waited with baited breath.

I didn’t want to look like I was looking.

Oh, but the suspense!

Can you just FEEL it?

At first the bagmen strolled out as usual. The swaggers, the jostling, the goofing around, and then stunned silence ensued.

Sam and Lane were, of course, in front of the others. As they came to an abrupt halt, the others stumbled into them. The bagmen in back grumbled a bit.

It only took a moment for them all to stop and stare incredulously. Their mouths dropped open and their eyes bulged. No one could believe it. The precious bags were GONE!

Mayhem ensued.

The yelling, the running, the howls of despair and agony, I tell you it was awesome! This ranked right up there with they day I found out about Katie’s head lice!

Then came the accusations. They snatched up anyone and everyone around them accusing, questioning, threatening.

“Who took our bags?” they yelled.

“Did you?”

“Was it you?”

“Not funny man.”

“Really man, not funny at all.”

It went on and on. As the bell rang, I quietly strolled towards class.

“No need to ease their pain yet,” I thought to myself.

After they’d suffered sufficiently, I’d just leave a note suggesting where to look. My fun was spoiled, by a sixth grade girl, who exited the bathroom with one lonely backpack held up in her hand and a confused look on her face.

She found the stash, and wondered why anyone was throwing away such nice backpacks!

Oh well. For a brief, but fleeting moment it had been great!

Chapter Three

Here we are.

It doesn’t look all that intimidating.

It is just your everyday, average brick school building. But for some reason, just walking in makes me feel like throwing up. I have never noticed anyone else looking nauseous.

I guess it’s just me.

“Hey Laurie. Did you get your Algebra done?” I asked.

“Yeah, it wasn’t bad,” she answered.

Laurie is the resident genius girl in our class. We went to a small country school together when we were younger. Laurie and I live on farms that are only about a mile from each other. Laurie and her cousin Kylie were the only other two kids in my grade. Laurie and I didn’t like each other much when we were younger.

Laurie was actually the one who broke my foot in sixth grade. She won’t admit that she broke it, but she did.

As I mentioned, Laurie and I were none too fond of each other when we were young. I thought she was stuck up, and she thought…well, I guess I’m not really sure what her problem was.

Anyway, since we lived out on a farm near each other, and we went to the same church, and we were the same ages, our parents thought we should be friends.

We had sleepovers, which we were forced to endure, as well as other gatherings. The first time I was forced to suffer through a sleep over with Laurie, I made her sleep on the floor on a mattress.

You see I have bunk beds.

I have perfectly good bunk beds.

I have an upper bed and a lower bed. Either of which would have been quite satisfactory, for a friend sleeping over, to sleep in.

I, however, did not want Laurie to have the comfort of my bunk beds.

I wanted her to sleep on a mattress on the floor.

We had a mattress standing on end, tucked behind our couch in the basement. My bedroom is in the basement, along with my brother’s bedroom.

My sister, Lee, and I used to share a room, but she announced that I was too messy and moved her self out several years ago.

I think my sister has issues.

I was standing on the couch, reaching and pulling up on the mattress, trying to free it from behind the couch. Laurie decided to “help me.” Laurie’s idea of “helping me” was to pull the sheet on the mattress up and over my head, knocking me to the side.

I stepped blindly off the couch and my foot landed sideways on a sleeping bag, which was rolled up next to the couch.

SNAP!

My foot actually snapped in half!