“Mellissa!” yelled Ashley as she got out of her car. “ I could not wait to see you. I missed you all summer. Where were you, you never answered my texts.”

“Sorry, my mom took my phone away all summer. I had to help my grandmother. She had some problems.” Mellissa replied knowing it was a total lie.

“Oh, ok. Is she all right now? Were you able to help? You know my granddad was a doctor so I could probably get him to figure out what is wrong with her if you want.”

“She is fine now.” Mellissa said wanting her to go away. “I don’t think I will need any of your help. I have to get to class now, but thanks anyway.”

“Ok bye. Well if you need anything you know who to call.” Ashley said in a disappointed tone.

As Ashley walked away Mellissa was so relieved. She thought that she would never leave. All last year, Ashley had dressed like her, talked like her, and even died her hair a dark brown to look like her. Ashley was the weirdest person in the school. Mellissa was the one every one liked. The one everyone wanted to hang out with. Then there was Ashley the weird one. The one with the nasal like voice. The one who everyone hated.

“Mellissa!” called Alyssa. “What were you doing talking to Ashley? You know her reputation. You don’t want to be like that do you? Aren’t you going to tell her that you don’t like her. She has to know where she belongs.”

“She doesn’t mean too, but I mean if you dressed and talked like that you would surely want to change. I mean it is not like she is intentionally sabotaging me. Believe me I think it is annoying to, but I mean I kind of feel bad for her.”

“There is no need to feel bad. Just get over it. She should be the one feeling bad. She has been the one annoying and bugging you. You have not done anything to her. All you have done is avoid her. You haven’t said anything mean.” Alyssa said.

“Yah, I guess your right. She does need to know where her place is. I am in my group and she is in her group. Some groups just don’t mix. Right?” Mellissa questioned.

“Exactly, who are we to worry about her. Come on,  homeroom is about to start.” Alyssa said.

Alyssa and Mellissa walked through the 6th grade hallway. They shared some of their old memories from last year. As they got to the 7^th grade hallway they both walked into Mr. Ruel’s homeroom. Mr. Ruel was known for pretty much nothing. No one knew anything special about except for the fact that he was really boring whenever he teaches. Mellissa talked with some of her old friends from last year and met some new ones. Everyone in the class liked Mellissa. Right before the bell rang Ashley came in. Ashley the most annoying person in 7^th grade in Mellissa’s homeroom. Mr. Ruel got up and checked everyone off and then said the thing that Mellissa was scared of the most.

“Now class, I know all of you probably want to sit next to your friends and talk, but in my class there are always assigned seats, always. I put all you names in a hat and then pulled them out to see which table you would be at. I am going to put the paper up and feel free to look at it. These seats will start tomorrow.” Mr. Ruel said.

Mellissa got up and went over to the bulletin board. It said…

Table 1: Allyssa, Tom, Max, Jeremy,

Table 2: Mary, Sarah, Katie, Elizabeth

Table 3: Matthew, Jackson, Mason, Maria

Table 4: Mellissa and Ashley

                        Mellissa thought that she would die. Not only was she in a table with Ashley, but that was the only other person in the group. Mellissa would be pretty much forced to talk to her. The good day turned into a horrible one for Mellissa. The rest of the day followed like homeroom. She found out that she had 4 classes with Ashley. Ashley was overjoyed by it and Mellissa tried to act that way to.

Mellissa walked home with her friend Julie. Julie was her next door neighbor that had the most annoying dogs. Julie was kind of average. She had friends, but was not really popular like Mellissa. The only time Mellissa ever talked to her was when they walked home and even then it was usually silent. As Mellissa walked home she started to get really itchy. More itchy than ever before. She started to notice on her skin little red dots.

“Oh no!” thought Mellissa, “I have the chicken pocks.”

Mellissa hurried her pace so she could get home quicker and tell her mom. Mellissa walked into her house and as usual her mom was sitting at the dinner table reading.

“Mom, I think I have the chicken pocks again.”

“Are you sure, aren’t you only supposed to get them once?” her mom got up and looked at her skin. “Oh you sure do, go ahead and lay down.”

“Ok, do I have to go to school tomorrow?” asked Mellissa hoping for a no.

“Not unless the school wants you to spread this.” Answered her mom.

That night when Mellissa went to bed she slept downstairs. Her mom told her if she slept upstairs the chicken pocks might stay up there and she might catch it again. Mellissa thought it was a silly thought, but obeyed her mom. She enjoyed sleeping downstairs because she could watch T.V. The day was a normal day except for the fact that she got the chicken pocks again. Mellissa went to sleep not knowing that what she thought was chicken pocks wasn’t really chicken pocks.

Chapter 2

Mellissa got up the next morning it seemed like a normal day. She knew something was different because her house was completely silent. Whenever she usually took a step the floor creaked, but this time she didn’t hear a sound. She picked up her pillow and threw it on the ground hoping to hear thump. Nothing happened. Mellissa yelled and she didn’t hear a sound. Apparently someone else heard her though. Her mom came running down the steps.

“What’s wrong.” Asked her mom. Her dad followed her mom with a bat in his hands. Mellissa wasn’t sure what she said, but she thought that she could figure out what she was saying.

“What’s wrong?” her mom asked again. Mellissa understood she could read her lips.

“I am fine thanku.” Mellissa replied no knowing she had slurred the word thanks and you together.

             “Ok, you probably need to get ready for school.” Her mom said.

            Mellissa nodded being clueless of what her mom said. She ran upstairs and into her room. She looked into her mirror and murmured “What is wrong with you?”

She got dressed as usual. She looked at her clock not remembering that it was 10 minutes slow. She decided she had some time to relax and just lay down. She walked to school with Julie usually. Julie usually came to her house and then they would walk to school from there. Mellissa was happy that her little red dots were gone and that she was not itchy anymore. Julie ran into her room and startled her. The Mellissa remembered that her clock was slow and that Julie usually called her name from the bottom of the steps.

            “Why didn’t you come when I called?” asked Julie.

            Mellissa had no idea what to say. She had not gotten used to reading people’s mouths. She was about to tell about her hearing, but figured it would just go away. Her mom appeared behind Julie.

            “Oh, sorry Julie I forgot to tell you Mellissa has the chicken pocks. She isn’t going to go to school today.” Her mom explained.

            “Oh, ok. I hope she gets better!”

            Mellissa watched Julie go and figured her mom had told her that she had the chicken pocks. She was afraid that her mom would notice that she didn’t have the chicken pocks and send her to school, but luckily she didn’t. Her mom said goodbye to her and went to work like usual. Right after her mom left she went over to her computer and started to search for rare diseases. She saw something about strange bumps, but it did not seem to match her symptoms. She did not see anything about strange bumps and then lose of hearing though. All Mellissa could do right now was cross her fingers and hope. 

            Later that day Mellissa went outside to go get the mail. Each month on the second Tuesday people came to clean up their yard. Mellissa ignored like always, but it was a lot easier then normal. She didn’t notice that as she was getting out the mail someone was talking to her. She finally noticed the construction worker talking and just nodded.