The sun was like a fireball in the sky. While the rest of us fanned ourselves with notebooks, the girls who sat in the middle of the school bus were making a list. The prettiest girl. The bossiest girl. The girl with the best hair. And of course, the girl with the worst hair. I was not surprised to hear my name mentioned when that category was made. Jane and her evil clan giggled to themselves as they glanced at me with my big, bouncy curls sitting a few seats behind them. As the bus pulled up in front of the school, the girls made sure that I saw them flinching away from me when I walked past their seats. Jane and her gang of thin, neat, ponytail-wearing sidekicks had never failed to make my day miserable since we were eight. If I were to lay low and avoid crossing their paths, I might just survive today. Maybe, if I were lucky enough, there might just be a new student they could turn their attention to instead. Someone with the same thick, complicated curls on her head. "Fuzz ball Incoming! Run, before those curls explode on you!" one of Jane's minions mocked when I sat behind her in the assembly hall. I could feel my tears threatening to roll down, but I blinked them back. Instead, I shrugged and took a book out of my bag to read. I just wanted them to stop teasing me. I did what I thought was the best solution. Keep my head down and be invisible. I had sought my brother's advice one day after school last year, it was the first day they called me fuzz ball. I did not dare tell my parents, but I needed help from someone older. George was the only one I could go to. His face turned red when he heard what happened. He told me to stand up to them and not let them make me feel miserable. He even suggested I speak with my teacher about the girls taunting me daily. However, I did not have the courage to act on my brother's advice. "That's not very nice, I would not say that if I were you," a strong, firm voice startled us all. It was not someone I was familiar with. I turned around to see a tall, slender girl - with, you guessed it, a full head of thick curls. Just as I hoped for! Yet, something told me that she was not as invisible as I was all these years. She continued to glare at Jane and her minions, who were now as silent as mice, as she sat down behind me. "Hi! I am Pamela! What beautiful curls you have there, I wished mine had the same shine," she said cheerfully, extending her hand to shake mine. My first day might not be so bad after all.
