“Ok bye mom,” I insisted for what must have been the 50th time.

“Alright, I love you,” my mom mumbled with longing in her voice.

“Love you too,” my sister, Kelly, and I chorused at the same time. Finally she stepped inside the doorframe and closed the door.

“Ugh, why does she do that every day?” Kelly snapped.

“You know how mom is.” Ever since she had Jessie six months ago, she’s started to walk around the house muttering something about how her curly haired, brown eyed babies had grown up so fast. Lately, she’s also been making a big deal over every time we leave for school even though it’s been in session for three months.

We live in Fannypack, Maine in a two bedroom house. I share a room with Kelly, and Jessie sleeps in our parents’ room. I’m 11, but Kelly’s only 7. We both go to Clearbrook Elementary School. Kelly likes it more than I do. I think school’s a pain; too much work.

We were almost there now, and Kelly was getting antsy. It was her turn in show and tell today, and she had prepared her collection of toenail clippings. She was exited, but I was hoping her class didn’t have weak stomachs.

“Meet you here after school.” I hadn’t even noticed that we were at the intersection where our two hallways separated.

“Okay, bye,” I answered. I was in the process of recovering my awareness.

“Hey Gabbs!” Lexi called to me.

“Hey Lex!” I replied as I hurried to catch up with her.

“We’re going to play a prank on Mrs. Sellers today,” she announced sounding thrilled, but I was worried. I didn’t like playing pranks on people. “It’s going to be great! Ok, here’s how we do it,” she began, ”We’re going to take all of the answer documents and test papers from her desk so we don’t have to take the test today.”

“But what if she catches us? Isn’t the desk locked? This is stealing. I don’t think this is right,” I tried to explain how I felt about this.

“Wow Gabby, I thought you were cooler than that,’ Lexi stuttered, surprise filling her voice.

“It’s not that, it’s just…”

“No, if you’re not in, then I don’t think I can hang out with you anymore. Bye,” she turned to leave.

“Lexi wait,” I gave in with a sigh.

“I knew you would see it my way. Ok, so Tony knows where Mrs. Sellers’ key is so he’ll unlock the drawer. Rachel and I are supposed to stall Mrs. S in the hallway until Tony’s done. So that means all that’s left is hiding the papers; that’s your job. Just hide them in your desk where she can’t see,” she finished.

“Ok, I’ll do it,” I didn’t want to lose my best friends over my cowardness so I didn’t really have a choice.

We entered the classroom and Tony was already at work. He was just taking out the last few papers when we walked in the door. He handed them to me, and they must have weighed 500lbs. I quickly hid them in my desk and sat down. My part was done, and I hoped that nothing bad happened to us.

“I never noticed this poster before.”

“Did you make this Mrs. S?” Rachel and Lexi stalled as Tony closed and locked the drawer and put the key back in place.

“Actually, I did girls. Thank you for appreciating my work.” She was close now, five…four more steps…just three to go…two measly steps…one more! She was in the classroom now. “Ok class, it’s time to take the test. Get out your pencils and put everything on the-OH! Now where are those tests? I know I put them-OH! What’s this? ‘Ha ha ha, we have the tests!’“ Nobody said anything about notes! “Tony, is this your handwriting? Yes, I believe it is. Now I want to know who helped you, and I want to know now!” She was mad to say the least,” If no one will confess then I’m doing a desk check. Stand up!” she ordered. She was almost at my desk. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t do anything because it would make me look guilty. But wait, I was guilty.

“Well I don’t believe it. Gabby just wait by the door until I’m done. I don’t believe you two did this by yourselves.” Everyone was wide-eyed, including me. I could only imagine where we were going. “Tony, you go stand by Gabby. I only have two desks left.” She was close now,” Gabby, Tony, it looks like you’re the only two,” Mrs. Sellers began.

“No, Lexi and Kalee helped too!” Tony obviously wasn’t going down without a fight.

“Is this true girls?”

“Well…”

“Um see…”

“The thing is, we-“

“That will be enough, come with us,” Mrs. Sellers was all business now.

We had gone to the principal’s office, they had called our parents, and now we had to endure our punishment: no recess for a month and once a week, we had to come in early and clean the board. Also, my parents had said no dessert for two weeks and no TV for two more. It was during one of the now silent recesses that I realized that I needed new friends. If my current friends were going to get me in trouble for them, then it wasn’t worth it. I should be able to be myself around my friends. Since then, I’ve been hanging out with Cortney and Cheyenne. I don’t feel like I have to be someone else around them. I promised myself that I would never do that again.