M is for Middle Grade

Hope everyone had a great weekend! Middle Grade is one of my favorite genres to write in. I love slipping back into the mind of a middle grader. Although some would argue my mind has never really matured beyond that place, lol. Here's  the first (rough) 250 from my middle grade WIP, "Phony Bologna Mahoney" Hope you like it :) 

     Stomp! Stomp! Stomp! I stomped the entire way to the front of the class, making sure my second-hand combat boots made the loudest noise possible for my grand entrance. It's the first day of school. Again.

     The teacher says, "Class, we have a new student, Samantha Abigail Mahoney. Samantha, why don't you stand in front of the class and tell us something about yourself." Blah, blah, blah. I've been through this dozens of times before. Being the new kid is never easy. Because of my Dad's job I get to be the new kid every six months. Lucky me.

     Mumbling through the required intro takes me less than fifteen seconds; I've got it down to a science. Then, with every eyeball glued on me, I start to stomp my way spectacularly down the row of seats, heading towards the back of the classroom. Even I have to admit, I'm quite a sight. I've out done myself with this first day of school outfit; it's something of a masterpiece. 

     The boys were already whispering to each other about me. One decided to try and trip me while  I stomped on by. Another pretended to be coughing, but instead yelled, “Freak!” into his hand. A few of the girls shrank back when I passed by their desks, like they were scared or might catch something funky from me. I thought one kid's eyes were going to pop right out of his head. As I passed Pop-eye, he made the sign of the cross. Wow. I figured the kids in this town would react pretty strong to my goth fashion choices, but I never expected this!

     This reaction was going to make a sweet addition to my journal. I couldn't wait to go home and record it. I love to see what kind of reaction I can stir up on my first day.  Why do I do it, if I know all the kids are just gonna  make fun of me?

     Having to pick up and move every six months is tough. You try making new friends over and over again, only to have them drop you like a cheesy Hot Pocket a few months later. It's torture. So I  stopped trying. Instead, I choose to reinvent myself on the first day at every new school I attend. I can be anyone I want to be, as long as it's not me. And if the stupid kids at my new school laugh or call me names, who cares? It wasn't like they were laughing at the “real” Samantha Mahoney. Because the real Sam was hidden away, safe from anyone ever getting to know her. Well, everyone except for Gran.

     Gran Mahoney is the coolest human being on the face of the earth. I could tell Gran anything. Like the time I “borrowed” Dad's brand new Smartphone and brought it with me to sit outside by the pool. But then the ice cream truck came and I put it in my pocket and forgot all about it. Until a little later, when the ice cream melted and chocolate dripped all over my shorts and got them all sticky and I had the brilliant idea to jump in the pool, shorts and all.  Yeah, well.

     Some good did come out of that whole mess. I learned a few things (1) Never jump in the pool with your Dad's brand new Smartphone in your pocket (2) Gran could keep a secret locked up tighter than the CIA. (3) If I ever get myself  in a jam, there is only one person in this entire world I can count on and that's Gran. I sure as heck could never count on Mom. And ever since she took off, I certainly couldn't count on Dad, either.