Loud laughter made me glance up. A small group of teenagers were prowling the streets, teasing each other the way only high school friends can. I recognized them as my ex-best friend Amelia, the class clown Todd, my crush to end all crushes Bryan, and a couple extra girls they were obviously trying to impress with our small town’s quaintness. My recently becoming homeschooled immediately categorized me as an outcast. Sitting in front of a closed and dusty old book store did not help that image, but it was too late to do anything about it. Besides, Bryan still made my knees weak and my tongue tied.

“Who’s she?” A girl snapped her gum and gestured at me. I wanted Bryan to stand up for me, proudly proclaiming “That’s Callie. She’s homeschooled, but really smart. It’s cool.” Instead my ex-best friend Amelia answered.

“She’s just a homeschooled freak! Come on Bryan, let’s show our guests the old well.” The group giggled in a chorus and frolicked off in that boisterous way a herd of teenagers does.