Click Here (to find out how i survived seventh grade) by Denise Vega Page B

shots. Then I’ll put a row of numbers under each of them with a list of their ‘crimes.’ That would be like their classes and stuff.” We turned and headed toward homeroom. “Are you even listening to me?”
    “Sorry,” Mark said. “I’m a little distracted. Great idea. Mrs. Porter can be the warden.”
    I laughed at the image.
    “Hey, that reminds me,” Mark said as we sat down in our seats for homeroom.
    “What? You forgot how to create frames on a page?”
    “No.” He seemed nervous again.
    I leaned forward. “So?”
    “I’ve been meaning to ask,” Mark whispered, avoiding my eyes. “That girl you were with at the Halloween party? You know.” He made a gesture in front of his chest to indicate her boobs. “Are you two, like, good friends?”
    My heart sank to the rubber tips of my Chucks.
    Erin P. Swift, You Fell for It!
    Big time.

Monday, November 4
    My life has ended. MARK LIKES JILLY. I can’t even believe I was able to type those words. Stab me to death, why don’t you? God, I can’t believe Serena was right, which is another thing that totally stinks. If something happens with Mark and Jilly, Serena will be in my face about it every day. I’m going to have to transfer schools.
    But I should have known. The whole conversation, maybe even our whole friendship, was all a big cover-up for what he really wanted—info about Jilly. Well, I decided right away that if he wanted information, he’d have to fight for it. And of course, he did, which was really annoying.
    After he asked the Question That Ruined My Life in homeroom, I tried to avoid him. But he kept asking every time he had a chance. I even had to hide out in the bathroom to get rid of him. Gee. I never thought I’d write something like that…getting rid of Mark Sacks. Anyway, he stopped me AGAIN in front of the gym and I told him it was against my religion to talk to a boy without a female relative present…no idea where that came from… maybe a movie or something, but it confused him enough that I could take off B4 he tried again.
    My luck ran out in English when of course he asked again and I pretended I didn’t know what girl he was talking about. Then he’s like, you know, that girl at the party, the 1 with—and he did that stupid gesture in front of his chest again. Well, I was getting pissed so I’m like, some girl at the Halloween party with—and then I imitated the gesture, hoping he’d see how stupid it was. How stupid HE was. How could he like her? After all the time we’d spent together?
    Then he gave me this look, so I’m like, ok, fine. We’re friends. What else do you want to know? She has 2 older sisters, Becca and Molly, she goes to Maine every summer to visit her relatives, she likes drama and hates homework. I gave him my biggest, meanest glare and asked him if I missed anything. Know what he said? “Her shoe size.” Excuse me? It wasn’t enough that he liked my best friend, who he has only seen and never talked to, but he has to start ragging on my feet? He could tell I was mad and said it was just a joke and what was I so bent about. I considered giving him a nose to match Serena’s, so it was a good thing the teacher interrupted.
    I’m so mad and sad and frustrated, I could scream.
    Will I ever know a kiss that doesn’t taste like a pillowcase?
    MBMS STINKS.

chapter 15
    DEFCON 1
    “What are you doing in there?” Chris stood with his arms across his chest. I was huddled in my sleeping bag in the basement guest room closet. It seemed smaller than I remembered, with my back shoved up against the back wall and my feet practically sticking out the door, even though I had my knees tucked against me inside the sleeping bag.
    “None of your business,” I said, my voice cracking. Shifting in my sleeping bag, I reached to close the door.
    “Okay.” Chris’s voice was softer. I looked at him suspiciously. He wasn’t looking at me. He was looking at the closet. “This was the DEFCON 4 spot,