Hi! I'm Mallory. I'm like an average girl. I live with my mom and dad. I'm an only child. Back in New York I had tons of friends and I was like one of the most popular girls in school. But here in Rosebud, friends don't come like so easily on the first day of school, like O my god I was so disappointed that not one person wanted to be my friend! I mean, I wear like all the latest fashions and do all the coolest things but no one seemed to notice. Then, I met Ashley, Brittney and Monica.

Let me tell you a little about Ashley, Brittney and Monica. They are like the most popular girls in school and they are the group who start the latest fashions and do the coolest of the coolest things. They were my direct path into popularity and friends.

It all started the second day of school when I was walking to math and Ashley (the leader of the group) said, "Hey new girl. I love your shirt, can I borrow it?" Yes!! I thought, the most popular girl in the school wants to borrow my shirt. Of course, I said she could borrow it any time and next thing I know she invited me to her house to watch some movies with some other really popular people. I assured her I would be there! As I continued into math class I kept saying Oh my God Oh my God over and over in my head. I couldn't wait until tonight to hang out with my NEW FRIENDS!

As I was on the bus on my way home from school I thought how devastating it would be if my mom said I couldn't go. But I tried not to think negatively. When I got home my mom had a little snack on the table for me. She loves doing things like that, treating me like a kid. Well I asked my mom if I could go. She said in her high pitched voice, "I haven't heard many nice things about this Ashley girl, but I guess you can go; just be home by 10:30!"

"10:30, that's like so early. I know eight-year olders who can stay out later than that "I whined to my mom.

But all she said was,"10:30 or don't go. Take your choice." So I went to Ashley's!

There where A LOT of like really important people there like Bryan, Jessica, Alex, Adam, Amanda, and Jeff. Jeff is so hot, but I don't think he will ever be interested in me. Well we watched Scary Movie and Charlie's Angels and then we decided to play Truth or Dare. At first, I was a little hesitant to play. But like then I thought, what the heck I have nothing to lose.

So we played for a little while and nothing really bad happened. It was Ashley's turn and she asked me, "Truth or dare?"
I said, "Dare, I guess."
So she said, "I dare you to take off your shirt and run down the street."

I was like, "No way! Why don't you?!"
She said, "Because you have to."
I was like so surprised that she would want me to do something like this, especially if she calls me her friend. She started calling me a chicken and so did every one else. They all screamed "CHICKEN, CHICKEN, CHICKEN!

I cried and ran and cried some more until I reached my house and I ran to my room and cried some more. I ran to my room and cried some more. As I was lying in my bed I kept hearing "CHICKEN, CHICKEN, CHICKEN over and over. I was like totally freaking out over this!

I am definitely not going to school tomorrow!

"Time for School" my mom yelled. Awww, man I can't believe this. How am I going to show my face at school? I couldn't fake being sick because I am like really bad at lying so the only thing I could do was suck it up and go to school.

As I was walking to my bus stop I kept thinking about how this day would be. Terrible! On the bus there were no more empty seats left so I had to sit next to someone I didn't know. When I sat down I gave a friendly hello! She said "hi" with her head down. She had bangs that covered her eyes and scars all over her legs. They looked like a result of over scratched mosquito bites. She looked like a nice girl so I asked what her name was and again with her down she said dryly "Sarah."

We talked for a little while and it turns out she has 3 classes with me and she lives like on my block. I didn't like ever remember seeing her or maybe I just didn't pay attention. Sarah was like really, really nice but she was so shy and like totally a tomboy. Not to be mean, but I could definitely not be seen with her.

The school day was going fine until 3rd period. It was math class and I was sitting there talking to Sarah before class started. Ashley and about 5 other people came up to me and yelled, "Chicken, chicken, chicken, chicken, chicken!"

I didn't know whether to like run or to say something. So I just sat there and stared at them. Sarah was like white she was so scared! Then Ashley said, "Even though you are like totally a chicken, you're still cool I guess. So you want to come to the Arcade today for Maniac Wednesday?"

I had never been to the arcade or heard of Maniac Wednesday before but I said OK! I couldn't believe I agreed to hang out with people who called me chicken and made me cry. I guess I was just really, really desperate for friends. But as class started I remembered Sarah had invited me to her house to swim in her backyard. I'm so stupid I probably like totally hurt Sarah's feelings.

I was going to my locker after 5th period with Sarah on my side. For some reason she didn't really care that I totally forgot about our plans for that night. I had to stop by the restroom and Sarah hates being late to class so she went to class without me. Then Ashley came out of the stall as I walked in. She was actually alone, but that didn't change how she acted. She said, "Hey chicken!"

I was like totally fed up with all this chicken stuff, but of course I couldn't show that before. I was about to leave when she said, "Wait! I have to talk to you about something. You know a girl named Sarah Goolstreng."

I didn't really know her last name but I said, "Yeah, why?"
Then she said in an angry voice, "If I ever see you with her again you won't be able to go anywhere with me and I will have everybody on the whole school calling you a chicken and believe me I can do that."

The rest of the day I didn't really pay any attention to Ashley's stupid threat. It would be like totally wrong for me to stop being Sarah's friend just because Ashley told me to. When I got home from school, I decided that I would go to Sarah's house because after all Ashley doesn't treat me like a real friend. My mom agreed to let me go to Sarah's and I told myself I wouldn't think about Ashley and her stupid crew. We had a good time swimming. I left Sarah's house at like 9:00 PM.

When I got home, Ashley was standing like right in front of my house and she said in her stuck up voice, "Mallory, you made a really big mistake. You are definitely not popular material."

That really hurt. But after I thought about it later that night, popular was not what I really wanted to be. I really just wanted friends.

The next day at school I found a chickens picture like taped to my locker, but I didn't get all freaked out. I just snatched it off an kept right on walking to my class with Sarah by my side. Nothing could ruin my mood now because I had a real friend.