• Chapter 1: Me

    My name is Ingrid Brown and I have no friends. No best friends or true friends. Never had one since a humiliating incident in second grade. And I'm not ever talking about it, okay?
    I do have two companions. They aren't really my friends since they are only new students. I'm their guide. I don't like either of them much. Their names are Becky Chan and Phil Smith Jr. Oh right, I'm being rude. Let's start again. Here we go.
    My name is Ingrid Grapper and I'm in the fifth grade, but I'm 12. Yeah, that's so right. I flunked. Ever since the Incident, I've been sad, unpopular and friendless. Hardly anyone but my family talks to me. Except teachers to teach and bullies to tease.
    What's wrong with me besides the Incident, you ask? A lot. First of all, I'm ugly. My hair is rust-colored, straight and really short and messy. Bad haircuts. My eyes are okay. So are my ears. My face is literally square and blotchy-my whole body is blotcy. My lips are dry, pale and thin. I'm real skinny, too.
    Second, I'm clumsy. You could never leave a glass of water in my hand for ten minutes without hearing a crash. I trip over my own feet and because of that I can't run fast. Third, my soft, raspy voice which scares people. Fourth, I've got no fashion sense. I just dress simple as possible. I might seem really, really negative and stuff, so time to get positive. Which I can't do.

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    "Ingrid, wake up! Time for school!"
    That was my mother. I had to get into the hallway and yell back. "OK! I'm up now."
    I went over to my closet. I pulled out a yellow hairband that had a rose in the middle. Then, I dressed in a gray CAMP WILLOW T-shirt and black pants. I looked in the mirror. Maybe change hair band. I got out a really simple black one. Much better, I thought.
    I walked over to the dining room and tripped over my blue backpack on the way. Our house is one floor plus a basement, FYI. I ate my breakfast, which was two pancakes and some eggs and milk. I didn't talk to my mom, dad, or older sister Esther at all. I was in a rush. I needed a good seat on the bus.
    After getting ready, I got my backpack and slipped on my black UGG boots. I ran to the bus stop and tripped over my feet and rocks along the way. Just in time. I found a seat way in the back and took my backpack off and put it on my lap. So heavy. ater, a few more kids and Esther got and off we went to the next stop.