It happened at the annual gospel meeting at the Chapel Church at the Crossroads. I mean I'm sure my best friend Emma didn't actually mean to have to make the whole school have to wear uniforms. I'm just hoping not everyone hates her.

"What am I going to do Maddie? I can't show my face in public ever again!" Emma says nervously.

"Come on Emma," I say with a laugh, "Forgeta bout it. For God's sake we live in New York! You need to walk into school today and say, 'I'm Emma Wanabergh and I'm proud!'"

Emma looks in the mirror and shakes her head. "Whats so bad about the uniforms anyway?"

My mom knocks on my door. "You girls ready for your first day of tenth grade?" My mother says, with that same old sparkle in her eye. Then she yells at my brother to drive us to school.

My brother, Michael, comes out of his room and looks at Emma and I. "Bird brains!"

"Turtle breath!" Emma and I say in unison. Back in middle school, Emma, Michael, and I made a secret code. So basically bird brains means Mom is crazy and turtle breath means agreed! Did I mention we weren't very smart back then?

We finally arrive at school after waiting fifteen minutes in the Mic Donalds line just to get sweet tea. Emma and I walk into the school and bump into Paige Brenton. "More like Paige Brat." I think to myself.

"Oh look, there is Emma Wanna-Be and her little side kick." Paige says, as if it's the smartest thing in the world.

"Oh look, I guess you ran out of good comebacks so you went back to the first grade and did name calling." I can't just let her bully my best friend. I really do think she brings out the bad in me.

Her friends act surprised and say, "Whatever." They cling each others arms and as Paige steps between us she says, "Bye losers." And with a smirk, she is gone.

"Gosh, does she not know my last name? Shes so stupid! It's Wanabergh not Wanna-Be! That doesn't even make sense!"

I stare at Emma but she is as clueless as a baby. Everyone around us starts laughing so I just pull Emma away.

As the bell of the day rings, Paige and her group pulls me to their lockers.

"So Maddie," Paige says. "I hear you can do backhand springs."

Paige has never called me Maddie. It's always sidekick or Madison Tinkle. Even though my last name is Twinkle.

"Yes, I can. Why are you so desperate for me, arentcha?" It's like I can almost feel her eyes trying to burn my skin.

"Well," she says with a laugh,"you do want to be a cheer leader. Plus we don't have to wear those uniforms. Sit by us at lunch. Can't bring Emma. Bye Maddie!"

And with that the evil witch is gone, owning the hallway.

It's lunch time and I walk into the lunch room, both Emma and Paige starring at me, waving their arms.

I walk to Paige and sit down. "Well I'm here... What do you want?" I bite into my sandwich, jelly bursting out.

"Well we need a new cheerleader. So we want you to join us." Paige says.

"Why? So I can be your sidekick like Brooke, Ashley, and Bailey?" I ask, still not convinced that she is trying to be nice. I'm just waiting for the mean comeback.

"No," she says, checking her makeup." Well everyone in he school thinks the cheerleaders are dumb. Which if you join, they will know we are smart. You are an A student and everyone knows it. So what do you say?"

I hesitate, think about this for a moment, and agree.

"Yay! Okay my place after school! Bye Mad!" They all get up and leave. Emma comes and sits across from me.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

"They, um, need help with math. They want they need me, um, after school. To help them study for a test." I lie. What? Why did I say that?!

"Oh okay! We can just cancel our plans for today."

Oh no! I totally forgot about going to the children's hospital! "Yeah, um lets go to class."

The last bell rings and I speed-walk to Paiges.

When I arrive they are working on cheers.

"Hey! Okay! Line up!" I obey her and we laugh and talk for hours. It's time to go home now, which I'm surprised that I had fun.

When I get home my mom looks upset.

"What?"I say, bitting into an apple.

She explains that Emma called five times. "She was worried. Asked how your math tutor went." She says and raises her eyebrows.

I blink and swallow the chunk of apple and stutter. "I didn't mean to...I didn't know...I just...I mean..." Whats the point of lieing now? "I'm going to Emma's.. I think. Yes I am going to Emma's."

I walk to Emma's.

"Maddie, where have you been?" I've been calling you for hours." Emma says as I walk in.

"Okay I have some really crazy news that you probably won't belive but I may have joined the cheer team and I might be doing cheerleading please don't me mad."I say really fast.

She just look at me and smiles. "Of course I'm not mad. I'm happy for you! I am coming to your game tonight!"

My what? I have a cheer game?

"Oh then I gotta go. See ya!"

I go to the cheer and find Paige. "Thanks for telling me about the cheer game!" I say and roll my eyes. We get and line and she says a cheer.

"Okay! Lets gooo Dogs your the best! You amazing!" I do as told but the other cheerleaders are doing something totally different.

I see everyone laughing at me. "Wrong team Tinkle!"

I feel my glasses get foggy with my tears. So I just run. I don't care where I am going. I want to get away from the embarasment.

"Wait! Madison!" I hear a familar voice.

Emma comes running up to me and hugs me.

"I'm sorry!" I burst into tears. "I really am for lying to you! Do you forgive me?" I sob pushing my glasses back.

"Of course your my best friend. We all fall over stones but you just need to get back up! I love you Maddie!" She says pulling me into a long hug.

"Your the best friend in the world Emma." and I truely meant it."