Madeline McMahon jumped out of the car and crash landed on the sidewalk, slamming feet first with her brand new, boring black shoes. She said goodbye and headed up the sidewalk and up toward the school. Pilgrimage Public Elementary School was said to be a scary and wild place where every day there was a fight and everyone was loud and horrible.
Luckily for Madeline this was not Pilgrimage Public Elementary school. It was a safe and happy place, named after the nicest woman in the world and filled with the nicest students and kindest teachers. This was a place where everyone knew each other. This was a place where no one ever fought. This was a place where happiness wasn’t an act you put on when the teacher was watching. This was a place where nothing ever went wrong.
This was St. Harmony’s.
“Madeline, wait up!” a voice called after her. Madeline turned around and saw her cousin, Zoey, running after her. “Mom said we have to stick together.”
“I can take care of myself,” Madeline said as she pressed on. “You guys worry too much. This is school, not some crazy made up land where all of our lives will fall apart and we’ll end up hating each other and wearing diapers and learning lessons along the way.”
“You’re right. It’s worse,” Zoey said. “It’s the fourth grade.”
“Hi, Zoey. Hi, Madeline,” a soft whisper pulled the two away from their banter.
“Hi, Violet,” Madeline said to the freckle faced blond girl, “How was your summer?”
“Good,” Violet said. “I went to the beach and got a hermit crab. I brought it for show and tell, wanna see?” Violet held up a plastic container, but a backpack knocked it out of her hand and it fell to the ground.
“Watch where you’re going!” Katherine Lloyd said as she whipped her hair back and kept moving.
“Sorry,” Katherine’s identical twin sister, Theresa said as she followed.
“Don’t apologize to her!” Katherine snapped as the twins headed inside.
Madeline looked down at Violet, who was attending to her literally shell shocked pet.
“Well,” Zoey said, “We should get going. Bye, Violet.”
“Bye,” Madeline said as she followed her cousin to the front.
“Hey there, kids” a spunky girl said, standing near the school’s front door.
“Cassandra,” Zoey walked right passed her and into the school.
Madeline went to follow, but Cassandra put her arm out and stopped her. “Listen, Madeline, I know you’re bound to Zoey by blood, but you can do so much better than her. You should stick with us this year. We’re taking the Fourth Grade.”
“Us?” Madeline asked. She looked behind Cassandra and noticed Phoebe Chan standing behind her, giving a silent wave. “No thanks.”
“Come on, Madeline!” Zoey called.
“I’m coming!” Madeline got passed Zoey and walked right into the front door of St. Harmony’s.
***
From her seat, Madeline watched as Zoey adjusted her red pigtails and Katherine Lloyd touched up her clear lip gloss in a compact mirror. At St. Harmony’s, clear lip gloss was the only approved form of makeup, and girls had to know how to work it if they were going to standout in their standard issue uniforms.
Every girl in the lower grades at St. Harmony’s wore the same plaid, blue jumper over a yellow blouse. Starting in the fifth grade they would be able to wear a long skirt in the same pattern as their jumper, and a yellow polo to replace the childish blouse.
“How was your summer, Madeline?” Neville Thompson asked.
Sitting next to her, Neville was a boy with short brown hair, and dressed in the male equivalent of their uniform: navy blue shorts and a yellow polo. After Thanksgiving they would substitute the shorts for longer slacks. Before 8:30 AM, his had already come untucked. Madeline couldn’t help but catch a glimpse of the waistband of his underwear poking out.
“It was okay.” Madeline asked, “How was yours?”
“I mostly stayed home,” Neville said. “But then last week we-”
“Alright, class, listen up,” thier teacher interrupted all conversations. “We have a lot to talk about this first period, but first we have a new student.”
Madeline noticed for the first time that there was a girl standing at the front with the teacher. She must have been their the entire time. She wore the standard uniform, but wore her short brown hair in a style Madeline had never seen before, with one side hanging loose while the other was clipped to the side.
“Everyone,” the teacher said, “Give a warm, St. Harmony’s welcome to Josephine Shepard.”
“Please,” the girl said, “Call me Josie.”
***
Andromeda Jones was more than excited to have her new best friend in the whole wide world now going to the same school as her. She reminded her every ten minutes, all morning long, as she guided her around the school as her “New Student Escort.”
“Don’t talk to Tyler Shieno because he’s weird,” Andromeda would say, “Or Ben Chakland because he’s weird too.”
“Andromeda,” Josie said, “You’re weird.”
“I’m just so glad you’re here,” Andromeda said, “You’re my new best friend in the whole wide world and now you’re going to the same school as me.”
“I know,” Josie said.
“Hello there,” Josie turned around and saw the same dark haired girl standing behind her twice.
Josie looked at them both and said, “That’s a cool trick.”
“It’s not a trick,” Katherine said, “I’m Katherine and this is Theresa. We’re twins.”
“Katie and Tess. Got it.” Josie said.
“I just wanted to say, welcome to St. Harmony’s,” Katherine said, taking Josie’s hand, “If you need anything, anything at all, Just ask.”
“Okay,” Josie smirked, “Tell me this: Who is the biggest loser in the class? You know, so I can avoid them.”
“Oh that’s easy,” Katherine grimaced. “See that girl over there?” Katie pointed and all four girls turned and saw a short, blond girl stuffing an oversized bookbag into her locker. “That’s Violet Day. Last year we invited her over for a sleepover. Whatever. Our parents made us. So what? Anyway she didn’t bring a sleeping bag so Theresa offered to let her sleep in her bed. We’re nice like that.”
Josie glanced over at Theresa, who was silent throughout her twin’s story.
“Anyway the next morning, guess what happened?” Katherine knew how to build suspense. “That freckle faced loser actually PEED in my sister’s bed. Like on the sheets and everything. Soaking wet. Even got Theresa wet. Can you believe that?”
Josie thought it over for a second. She looked at Violet, then Theresa, then herself. “An eight year old in an unfamiliar place wet the bed? Hmm… Yeah. I can believe that.”
Katherine looked Josie up and down, then said. “It was disgusting. Who does that at that age? In someone else’s home?”
Josie shrugged. “Seven to ten percent of all children age eight?”
“Josie’s from Harmony Hills!” Andromeda spat out.
“Shepard, right?” Katherine asked, “As in Emma Shepard? The girl who cracked her head open on Christmas? Didn’t she go crazy after that?”
“She certainly went something,” Josie said. “Anyway, Katie, I have to get to Art. I’ll see you around.”
“It’s Katherine,” the alpha twin responded. “And I am heading to Art as well. The entire fourth grade is.”
“Really?” Josie asked. “How big is the art room? Or… how big is the fourth grade?”
“You were just there, right?” Katherine asked.
“Wait… That was it?!” Josie asked, “There were what? Twenty kids in there?”
“There used to be eighteen,” Katherine said. “You make nineteen.”
“Wow,” Josie said, “And I thought Harmony Hills was small.”
***
“I’ve decided I am going to make Violet my new best friend.”
Andromeda could not believe the words she was hearing. She looked around the art room, the two of them were in their own nook, separate enough to have a quiet conversation without anyone hearing.
“I THOUGHT I WAS YOUR BEST FRIEND?!” Andromeda whispered.
“You are!” Josie tried to shush her. “But I need more best friends. Lots. I thought I could pick the nine best girls in class but there are only nine girls in the entire Fourth Grade! So if I’m going to make all of them my best friend then I want to start with her.”
“I think you should give up on Violet though,” Andromeda said. “I mean, she peed the bed.”
“Is that a problem?” Josie asked.
“No,” Andromeda looked away. “It’s cool. I mean. You know? Like. Whatever.”
Josie nodded. “Mhmm.”
“Look, Josie. This isn’t Harmony Hills” Andromeda said. “People here aren’t going to be so cool about D-I-P-E-R-S. They’re like... Religious.”
“Then who do you think I should be friends with?” Josie asked. “Those twins give me the creeps.”
“Helllllooooo!”
Josie and Andromeda turned around and saw a girl with shortish brown hair standing behind them, with a short Chinese girl wearing glasses behind her.
“I’m Cassandra and this is Phoebe,” the girl said. “Mind if we sit with you?”
Josie grinned from ear to ear. “Oh please do,” she said, excited for their following encounter to either lead to a new friendship or a situation that was so bad it could only be amazing.
When the four were sitting around the table, working on the construction paper projects, Josie asked, “So, Kassie, what’s the gossip in this school?”
Josie’s new friend corrected her: “Cassandra.”
“Kassie is short for Cassandra,” Josie said, scribbling it out on a piece of scratch paper. “Just like Josie is short for Josephine.”
“Why did you spell it with a K?” Cassandra asked. “My name begins with a C.”
“Oh,” Josie said. “Well,” she shrugged. “We can’t change it now.”
“Uhm… Okay,” Cassandra said. “Anyway, if you want to be popular here you need to follow one rule: Stick with us.”
Josie looked around the table. “You and Feebs over there?”
“Phoebe,” the Chinese girl corrected her. “Oh wait, I get it.”
“So you’re the queen bee of this school?” Josie asked. “Funny, Katie made it seem like she was.”
“Who is Katie?”
The bell rang.
“Guess we’ll see you two latter,” Josie said as she collected her things. “Wait, we have every class together. I forgot.”
“Actually after this is lunch and then early dismissal,” Cassandra said. “Easing into school, they call it. Plus it gives us time to get ready for for Meet the Vikings.”
“What is Meet the Vikings?” Josie asked.
***
“And a reminder to all students that Meet the Vikings is a night about fun, but that does not mean you can goof around and get into trouble. Dress warm, bring flashlights, and wait your turn on the hayride. And when you get on that hayride you sit down and stay on that hayride until it’s completed, do I make myself clear!?”
When the principle was done with her loud speaker speech, Josie turned to Andromeda and asked, “So it’s a lawless night where chaos rules?”
“Pretty much,” Andromeda smiled.
“Yes, you heard her,” the teacher addressed the class. “Same rules apply as every year. Stay out of the woods, don’t get too close to the bonfire, etc. etc.”
“So there are going to be vikings there?” Josie asked.
Andromeda shook her head, “Vikings is our mascot. The night is about introducing the fall sports teams. All us girls are either on the soccer team or cheerleading.”
“What?!” Josie asked.
“Well some do both, but it’s kinda hard,” Andromeda explained.
“Everyone?”
Andromeda nodded. “Me, Katherine, Theresa, Madeline, and Violet are cheerleaders, and Cassandra, Phoebe, and Zoey are on the soccer team with most of the boys. Hey, you should join the cheerleading squad with me.”
“I’ll pass,” Josie said.
“So you’re going to play soccer?” Andromeda asked.
“Nope.”
“Then what are you going to do after school every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday?” Andromeda asked.
“I’m gonna go home and do nothing.”
The bell rang and Josie went to grab her coat.
Andromeda was perplexed. “You’re weird, Josie.”
***
Meet the Vikings was basically every single student in a sport getting their name called one by one while everyone else stood in the cold and watched. After the second grade was announced Josie was already bored of sitting on the gress next to the one set of outdoor bleachers on the soccer field. She was starting to feel left out for being the only Fourth Grade girl not on a sport. She was also starting to feel the need to pee, but that could wait.
“Hi,” a boy with short brown hair said. He was sitting close to Josie and was the only other kid from her class not in a sport.
“Neville, right?” Josie asked.
The boy nodded. “How do you like St. Harmony’s so far?” he asked.
Josie shrugged and said. “It’s a lot like Harmony Hills but with less people and uniforms.”
“I heard you were looking for new friends,” Neville said. “Since I’m not on a sport and you’re not on a sport maybe we could be friends? I don’t really have a lot of friends in our grade.”
“If you’re not in sports and you don’t have any friends, then why are you here?” Josie asked.
“My parents make me come because all my siblings play soccer,” Neville explained. “Plus it’s kinda fun. What did you do this summer? I mostly stayed home, but last week we-”
Josie looked around and then said. “You see those?”
“You mean those pretty flowers?” Neville asked.
“Dandelions aren’t flowers,” Josie said. “But yeah, sure. If you can find me one that’s longer than my arm, I’ll do whatever you want.”
“Like be my friend?” he asked, “Or… wait. Anything?”
Josie nodded. “Anything.”
Instantly, Neville stood up and ran off.
“That’ll keep him busy for a while,” Josie thought to herself.
***
“So how did I do up there?” Andromeda asked as the two of them walked away from the concession stand..
“You certainly did stand up when they said your name,” Josie said.
“Thanks,” Andromeda said, “You want some of my orange soda?”
“No thanks,” Josie said, although she was already thirsty after a few pieces of popcorn.
“Well do you want to go on the hayride and jump off halfway through?” Andromed asked. “Or just hang out by the bonfire? We can kick soccer balls into it. We’re not supposed to, but we can do it anyway.”
Josie was about to take Andromeda up on the offer, but felt an ache in her stomach and said, “I’ll be right back.”
Just as she was about to reach the bathrooms behind the concession stand, Josie heard someone whisper her name. She turned around and saw Neville standing behind a trio of large trees. He waved her over, holding a two foot long dandelion in his hand.
Josie smiled. “No shit.”
She walked over to him and asked, “You did it, but why are you over here by these trees?”
“This way no one can see us. You said you’d do anything I wanted, right?” Neville asked.
“Fine, I’ll be your friend,” Josie said, “Now can I go?”
“That’s not what I want,” Neville said. “I want something else.”
“Fine. Whatever,” she said. “What is it? You want like a kiss on the cheek or something? Is that why we’re back here? Let’s just make it quick.”
“I want to see… You know,” Neville blushed and looked down. “Could you maybe… Pull down your sweat pants? Just for a second?”
“That’s what you want me to do?” Josie asked. “How old are you?”
“Nine,” Nevile said. “I mean like I know what’s there, you know. I have a little sister. But she’s my sister. You can keep your underwear on. I just want to-”
“Okay,” Josie said.
“Really?” Neville asked, surprised.
“You said you don’t have any friends,” Josie said, “So you have no one to tell. Plus no one would even believe you. No offense.”
“They might believe me,” Neville said.
“I doubt that,” Josie said, lowering her sweatpants to halfway down her thighs.
Neville could not believe his eyes. Where he expected to see a pair of thin cotton panties with flowers or butterflies on them, he instead saw a disposable Pull-Up diaper, lavender in color with an image of Doc McStuffins smiling back at him.
He gulped.
Josie let out a sigh, and Doc McStuffins started to expand. The big flower in the center began to dilute and fade.
“You’re right,” Neville said. “No one is going to believe this.”
“Of course not,” Josie said. “And even if you did tell them, I’d break your legs.”
“Uhm… Okay,” Neville said as he handed her the dandelion and backed away. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
For a moment, Josie stood there like that, then began to pull up her sweats. Just as they were above her waist, she turned and saw someone watching her.
Josie froze. A blood girl was staring in her direction. She recognized her from her class. Josie panicked for a moment. She certainly didn’t care who saw her Pull-Ups, but preferred it if it was on her own terms. But it was dark, so the girl may not have seen anything.
She waddled over, still warm between her legs, and greated her visitor. “Madeline, right?”
The girl nodded.
“Mind if I call you Maddie?” Josie asked.
“Sure,” the girl said.
“There you are Madeline!”
Zoey, a redhead with pigtails, approached and grabbed Madeline by the arm and pulled her away.
Josie relaxed, her heartbeat slowed, her Pull-Up began to chill in the air of a late August in Pennsylvania. Her eyes began to water, but it was probably just the weather.
***
Andromeda’s mother dropped Josie off at her house, where she called, “I’m home,” to her dad. When he arrived he was surprised but relieved to not find her covered in mud or burns. After talking to the other parents he had grown concerned and told her all afternoon to be careful.
“Did you have fun?” he asked.
Josie nodded, but remained silent.
“And did you.. You know?”
She looked away, ashamed, and nodded. “I almost made it.”
“That’s okay, sweetie,” her father told her. “Accidents happen. That’s why we took precautions, right? Now go upstairs and change. I’ll run you a bath.”
***
As Josie soaked in the tub, she contemplated her situation. She had, more or less, survived her first day at St. Harmony’s. However she had to readjust her plan. If she was going to create the perfect group of friends, she would need to not only befriend every girl in her class, but make them all be friends as well. That was not an easy job.
After getting ready for bed, Josie stared at her new cell phone on her end table. Feeling a bit sad, she picked it up and called the one person in the world who could truly make her happy.
It rang for a minute, and then a prerecorded message began: "Hey, this is Emma! Leave a message and I'll-"
Josie hung up.
As she lay in bed that night, cuddling the stuffed Monster Story character that her sister bought her before she moved, relaxing in a fresh Pull-Up, Josie looked to the following year with an optimistic attitude and a bright outlook. She knew this year was going to be great and her plan couldn’t possibly fail.
Unfortunately for Josie, this was not the Harmony Hills she knew.
This was St. Harmony’s. And this year, everything was going to be different.
Luckily for Madeline this was not Pilgrimage Public Elementary school. It was a safe and happy place, named after the nicest woman in the world and filled with the nicest students and kindest teachers. This was a place where everyone knew each other. This was a place where no one ever fought. This was a place where happiness wasn’t an act you put on when the teacher was watching. This was a place where nothing ever went wrong.
This was St. Harmony’s.
“Madeline, wait up!” a voice called after her. Madeline turned around and saw her cousin, Zoey, running after her. “Mom said we have to stick together.”
“I can take care of myself,” Madeline said as she pressed on. “You guys worry too much. This is school, not some crazy made up land where all of our lives will fall apart and we’ll end up hating each other and wearing diapers and learning lessons along the way.”
“You’re right. It’s worse,” Zoey said. “It’s the fourth grade.”
“Hi, Zoey. Hi, Madeline,” a soft whisper pulled the two away from their banter.
“Hi, Violet,” Madeline said to the freckle faced blond girl, “How was your summer?”
“Good,” Violet said. “I went to the beach and got a hermit crab. I brought it for show and tell, wanna see?” Violet held up a plastic container, but a backpack knocked it out of her hand and it fell to the ground.
“Watch where you’re going!” Katherine Lloyd said as she whipped her hair back and kept moving.
“Sorry,” Katherine’s identical twin sister, Theresa said as she followed.
“Don’t apologize to her!” Katherine snapped as the twins headed inside.
Madeline looked down at Violet, who was attending to her literally shell shocked pet.
“Well,” Zoey said, “We should get going. Bye, Violet.”
“Bye,” Madeline said as she followed her cousin to the front.
“Hey there, kids” a spunky girl said, standing near the school’s front door.
“Cassandra,” Zoey walked right passed her and into the school.
Madeline went to follow, but Cassandra put her arm out and stopped her. “Listen, Madeline, I know you’re bound to Zoey by blood, but you can do so much better than her. You should stick with us this year. We’re taking the Fourth Grade.”
“Us?” Madeline asked. She looked behind Cassandra and noticed Phoebe Chan standing behind her, giving a silent wave. “No thanks.”
“Come on, Madeline!” Zoey called.
“I’m coming!” Madeline got passed Zoey and walked right into the front door of St. Harmony’s.
***
From her seat, Madeline watched as Zoey adjusted her red pigtails and Katherine Lloyd touched up her clear lip gloss in a compact mirror. At St. Harmony’s, clear lip gloss was the only approved form of makeup, and girls had to know how to work it if they were going to standout in their standard issue uniforms.
Every girl in the lower grades at St. Harmony’s wore the same plaid, blue jumper over a yellow blouse. Starting in the fifth grade they would be able to wear a long skirt in the same pattern as their jumper, and a yellow polo to replace the childish blouse.
“How was your summer, Madeline?” Neville Thompson asked.
Sitting next to her, Neville was a boy with short brown hair, and dressed in the male equivalent of their uniform: navy blue shorts and a yellow polo. After Thanksgiving they would substitute the shorts for longer slacks. Before 8:30 AM, his had already come untucked. Madeline couldn’t help but catch a glimpse of the waistband of his underwear poking out.
“It was okay.” Madeline asked, “How was yours?”
“I mostly stayed home,” Neville said. “But then last week we-”
“Alright, class, listen up,” thier teacher interrupted all conversations. “We have a lot to talk about this first period, but first we have a new student.”
Madeline noticed for the first time that there was a girl standing at the front with the teacher. She must have been their the entire time. She wore the standard uniform, but wore her short brown hair in a style Madeline had never seen before, with one side hanging loose while the other was clipped to the side.
“Everyone,” the teacher said, “Give a warm, St. Harmony’s welcome to Josephine Shepard.”
“Please,” the girl said, “Call me Josie.”
***
Andromeda Jones was more than excited to have her new best friend in the whole wide world now going to the same school as her. She reminded her every ten minutes, all morning long, as she guided her around the school as her “New Student Escort.”
“Don’t talk to Tyler Shieno because he’s weird,” Andromeda would say, “Or Ben Chakland because he’s weird too.”
“Andromeda,” Josie said, “You’re weird.”
“I’m just so glad you’re here,” Andromeda said, “You’re my new best friend in the whole wide world and now you’re going to the same school as me.”
“I know,” Josie said.
“Hello there,” Josie turned around and saw the same dark haired girl standing behind her twice.
Josie looked at them both and said, “That’s a cool trick.”
“It’s not a trick,” Katherine said, “I’m Katherine and this is Theresa. We’re twins.”
“Katie and Tess. Got it.” Josie said.
“I just wanted to say, welcome to St. Harmony’s,” Katherine said, taking Josie’s hand, “If you need anything, anything at all, Just ask.”
“Okay,” Josie smirked, “Tell me this: Who is the biggest loser in the class? You know, so I can avoid them.”
“Oh that’s easy,” Katherine grimaced. “See that girl over there?” Katie pointed and all four girls turned and saw a short, blond girl stuffing an oversized bookbag into her locker. “That’s Violet Day. Last year we invited her over for a sleepover. Whatever. Our parents made us. So what? Anyway she didn’t bring a sleeping bag so Theresa offered to let her sleep in her bed. We’re nice like that.”
Josie glanced over at Theresa, who was silent throughout her twin’s story.
“Anyway the next morning, guess what happened?” Katherine knew how to build suspense. “That freckle faced loser actually PEED in my sister’s bed. Like on the sheets and everything. Soaking wet. Even got Theresa wet. Can you believe that?”
Josie thought it over for a second. She looked at Violet, then Theresa, then herself. “An eight year old in an unfamiliar place wet the bed? Hmm… Yeah. I can believe that.”
Katherine looked Josie up and down, then said. “It was disgusting. Who does that at that age? In someone else’s home?”
Josie shrugged. “Seven to ten percent of all children age eight?”
“Josie’s from Harmony Hills!” Andromeda spat out.
“Shepard, right?” Katherine asked, “As in Emma Shepard? The girl who cracked her head open on Christmas? Didn’t she go crazy after that?”
“She certainly went something,” Josie said. “Anyway, Katie, I have to get to Art. I’ll see you around.”
“It’s Katherine,” the alpha twin responded. “And I am heading to Art as well. The entire fourth grade is.”
“Really?” Josie asked. “How big is the art room? Or… how big is the fourth grade?”
“You were just there, right?” Katherine asked.
“Wait… That was it?!” Josie asked, “There were what? Twenty kids in there?”
“There used to be eighteen,” Katherine said. “You make nineteen.”
“Wow,” Josie said, “And I thought Harmony Hills was small.”
***
“I’ve decided I am going to make Violet my new best friend.”
Andromeda could not believe the words she was hearing. She looked around the art room, the two of them were in their own nook, separate enough to have a quiet conversation without anyone hearing.
“I THOUGHT I WAS YOUR BEST FRIEND?!” Andromeda whispered.
“You are!” Josie tried to shush her. “But I need more best friends. Lots. I thought I could pick the nine best girls in class but there are only nine girls in the entire Fourth Grade! So if I’m going to make all of them my best friend then I want to start with her.”
“I think you should give up on Violet though,” Andromeda said. “I mean, she peed the bed.”
“Is that a problem?” Josie asked.
“No,” Andromeda looked away. “It’s cool. I mean. You know? Like. Whatever.”
Josie nodded. “Mhmm.”
“Look, Josie. This isn’t Harmony Hills” Andromeda said. “People here aren’t going to be so cool about D-I-P-E-R-S. They’re like... Religious.”
“Then who do you think I should be friends with?” Josie asked. “Those twins give me the creeps.”
“Helllllooooo!”
Josie and Andromeda turned around and saw a girl with shortish brown hair standing behind them, with a short Chinese girl wearing glasses behind her.
“I’m Cassandra and this is Phoebe,” the girl said. “Mind if we sit with you?”
Josie grinned from ear to ear. “Oh please do,” she said, excited for their following encounter to either lead to a new friendship or a situation that was so bad it could only be amazing.
When the four were sitting around the table, working on the construction paper projects, Josie asked, “So, Kassie, what’s the gossip in this school?”
Josie’s new friend corrected her: “Cassandra.”
“Kassie is short for Cassandra,” Josie said, scribbling it out on a piece of scratch paper. “Just like Josie is short for Josephine.”
“Why did you spell it with a K?” Cassandra asked. “My name begins with a C.”
“Oh,” Josie said. “Well,” she shrugged. “We can’t change it now.”
“Uhm… Okay,” Cassandra said. “Anyway, if you want to be popular here you need to follow one rule: Stick with us.”
Josie looked around the table. “You and Feebs over there?”
“Phoebe,” the Chinese girl corrected her. “Oh wait, I get it.”
“So you’re the queen bee of this school?” Josie asked. “Funny, Katie made it seem like she was.”
“Who is Katie?”
The bell rang.
“Guess we’ll see you two latter,” Josie said as she collected her things. “Wait, we have every class together. I forgot.”
“Actually after this is lunch and then early dismissal,” Cassandra said. “Easing into school, they call it. Plus it gives us time to get ready for for Meet the Vikings.”
“What is Meet the Vikings?” Josie asked.
***
“And a reminder to all students that Meet the Vikings is a night about fun, but that does not mean you can goof around and get into trouble. Dress warm, bring flashlights, and wait your turn on the hayride. And when you get on that hayride you sit down and stay on that hayride until it’s completed, do I make myself clear!?”
When the principle was done with her loud speaker speech, Josie turned to Andromeda and asked, “So it’s a lawless night where chaos rules?”
“Pretty much,” Andromeda smiled.
“Yes, you heard her,” the teacher addressed the class. “Same rules apply as every year. Stay out of the woods, don’t get too close to the bonfire, etc. etc.”
“So there are going to be vikings there?” Josie asked.
Andromeda shook her head, “Vikings is our mascot. The night is about introducing the fall sports teams. All us girls are either on the soccer team or cheerleading.”
“What?!” Josie asked.
“Well some do both, but it’s kinda hard,” Andromeda explained.
“Everyone?”
Andromeda nodded. “Me, Katherine, Theresa, Madeline, and Violet are cheerleaders, and Cassandra, Phoebe, and Zoey are on the soccer team with most of the boys. Hey, you should join the cheerleading squad with me.”
“I’ll pass,” Josie said.
“So you’re going to play soccer?” Andromeda asked.
“Nope.”
“Then what are you going to do after school every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday?” Andromeda asked.
“I’m gonna go home and do nothing.”
The bell rang and Josie went to grab her coat.
Andromeda was perplexed. “You’re weird, Josie.”
***
Meet the Vikings was basically every single student in a sport getting their name called one by one while everyone else stood in the cold and watched. After the second grade was announced Josie was already bored of sitting on the gress next to the one set of outdoor bleachers on the soccer field. She was starting to feel left out for being the only Fourth Grade girl not on a sport. She was also starting to feel the need to pee, but that could wait.
“Hi,” a boy with short brown hair said. He was sitting close to Josie and was the only other kid from her class not in a sport.
“Neville, right?” Josie asked.
The boy nodded. “How do you like St. Harmony’s so far?” he asked.
Josie shrugged and said. “It’s a lot like Harmony Hills but with less people and uniforms.”
“I heard you were looking for new friends,” Neville said. “Since I’m not on a sport and you’re not on a sport maybe we could be friends? I don’t really have a lot of friends in our grade.”
“If you’re not in sports and you don’t have any friends, then why are you here?” Josie asked.
“My parents make me come because all my siblings play soccer,” Neville explained. “Plus it’s kinda fun. What did you do this summer? I mostly stayed home, but last week we-”
Josie looked around and then said. “You see those?”
“You mean those pretty flowers?” Neville asked.
“Dandelions aren’t flowers,” Josie said. “But yeah, sure. If you can find me one that’s longer than my arm, I’ll do whatever you want.”
“Like be my friend?” he asked, “Or… wait. Anything?”
Josie nodded. “Anything.”
Instantly, Neville stood up and ran off.
“That’ll keep him busy for a while,” Josie thought to herself.
***
“So how did I do up there?” Andromeda asked as the two of them walked away from the concession stand..
“You certainly did stand up when they said your name,” Josie said.
“Thanks,” Andromeda said, “You want some of my orange soda?”
“No thanks,” Josie said, although she was already thirsty after a few pieces of popcorn.
“Well do you want to go on the hayride and jump off halfway through?” Andromed asked. “Or just hang out by the bonfire? We can kick soccer balls into it. We’re not supposed to, but we can do it anyway.”
Josie was about to take Andromeda up on the offer, but felt an ache in her stomach and said, “I’ll be right back.”
Just as she was about to reach the bathrooms behind the concession stand, Josie heard someone whisper her name. She turned around and saw Neville standing behind a trio of large trees. He waved her over, holding a two foot long dandelion in his hand.
Josie smiled. “No shit.”
She walked over to him and asked, “You did it, but why are you over here by these trees?”
“This way no one can see us. You said you’d do anything I wanted, right?” Neville asked.
“Fine, I’ll be your friend,” Josie said, “Now can I go?”
“That’s not what I want,” Neville said. “I want something else.”
“Fine. Whatever,” she said. “What is it? You want like a kiss on the cheek or something? Is that why we’re back here? Let’s just make it quick.”
“I want to see… You know,” Neville blushed and looked down. “Could you maybe… Pull down your sweat pants? Just for a second?”
“That’s what you want me to do?” Josie asked. “How old are you?”
“Nine,” Nevile said. “I mean like I know what’s there, you know. I have a little sister. But she’s my sister. You can keep your underwear on. I just want to-”
“Okay,” Josie said.
“Really?” Neville asked, surprised.
“You said you don’t have any friends,” Josie said, “So you have no one to tell. Plus no one would even believe you. No offense.”
“They might believe me,” Neville said.
“I doubt that,” Josie said, lowering her sweatpants to halfway down her thighs.
Neville could not believe his eyes. Where he expected to see a pair of thin cotton panties with flowers or butterflies on them, he instead saw a disposable Pull-Up diaper, lavender in color with an image of Doc McStuffins smiling back at him.
He gulped.
Josie let out a sigh, and Doc McStuffins started to expand. The big flower in the center began to dilute and fade.
“You’re right,” Neville said. “No one is going to believe this.”
“Of course not,” Josie said. “And even if you did tell them, I’d break your legs.”
“Uhm… Okay,” Neville said as he handed her the dandelion and backed away. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
For a moment, Josie stood there like that, then began to pull up her sweats. Just as they were above her waist, she turned and saw someone watching her.
Josie froze. A blood girl was staring in her direction. She recognized her from her class. Josie panicked for a moment. She certainly didn’t care who saw her Pull-Ups, but preferred it if it was on her own terms. But it was dark, so the girl may not have seen anything.
She waddled over, still warm between her legs, and greated her visitor. “Madeline, right?”
The girl nodded.
“Mind if I call you Maddie?” Josie asked.
“Sure,” the girl said.
“There you are Madeline!”
Zoey, a redhead with pigtails, approached and grabbed Madeline by the arm and pulled her away.
Josie relaxed, her heartbeat slowed, her Pull-Up began to chill in the air of a late August in Pennsylvania. Her eyes began to water, but it was probably just the weather.
***
Andromeda’s mother dropped Josie off at her house, where she called, “I’m home,” to her dad. When he arrived he was surprised but relieved to not find her covered in mud or burns. After talking to the other parents he had grown concerned and told her all afternoon to be careful.
“Did you have fun?” he asked.
Josie nodded, but remained silent.
“And did you.. You know?”
She looked away, ashamed, and nodded. “I almost made it.”
“That’s okay, sweetie,” her father told her. “Accidents happen. That’s why we took precautions, right? Now go upstairs and change. I’ll run you a bath.”
***
As Josie soaked in the tub, she contemplated her situation. She had, more or less, survived her first day at St. Harmony’s. However she had to readjust her plan. If she was going to create the perfect group of friends, she would need to not only befriend every girl in her class, but make them all be friends as well. That was not an easy job.
After getting ready for bed, Josie stared at her new cell phone on her end table. Feeling a bit sad, she picked it up and called the one person in the world who could truly make her happy.
It rang for a minute, and then a prerecorded message began: "Hey, this is Emma! Leave a message and I'll-"
Josie hung up.
As she lay in bed that night, cuddling the stuffed Monster Story character that her sister bought her before she moved, relaxing in a fresh Pull-Up, Josie looked to the following year with an optimistic attitude and a bright outlook. She knew this year was going to be great and her plan couldn’t possibly fail.
Unfortunately for Josie, this was not the Harmony Hills she knew.
This was St. Harmony’s. And this year, everything was going to be different.