" I hate my life", Debi sighed. " I hear ya", agreed Mira. Lis and Vicki both nodded. Debi (short for Deborah), Mira (short for Miranda), Lis (short for Melissa), and Vicki (short for Victoria) always ate lunch together, at the same table every day. "So", said Vicki, changing the subject, "I hear we're going to have a field trip to an archaeological dig." "Thrillsville", muttered Lis. "Hey, it might be fun! We might 'dig up' some cute guys!", joked Mira. "That was pretty awful, Mira, even for you", groaned Debi. The bell rang. They all grabbed their stuff and began to leave. "Bye guys! See ya later!", Debi waved.
          In third period (history, blegh), Mrs. Ruen passed out the permission slips for the field trip. Vicki was right. They were going to a dig in two days. After Mrs. Reun passed out the slips and collected homework (Debi actually did her work this time), she surprised the class with a pop quiz. #3.Who started the antidisestablishmentarianistic war? Who cares?!, yelled Debi mentally. She muddled her way through the rest of the questions, resigned to failing. My parents are going to spaz when they see the grade on this, she frowned. She passed the paper up to the front, and opened her notebook for another hour of taking notes on people, places, and things she didn't give a damn about. Before long, she was lost in a beautiful daydream. In it, she was floating in the Caribbean aboard a luxurious yacht with Taylor, her current crush. She jumped into the clear turquoise water with him and-- was jolted back to reality by Mrs. Reun asking her to start reading. She opened her eyes and saw the whole class looking expectantly in her direction. She hastily opened her book, hoping the teacher wouldn't notice. Mrs. Reun said," What did I say would happen to anyone who didn't know where we are?" Oh, shit. Now I've got a detention. My parents are going to just love this, thought Debi. After the bell rang, Mrs. Reun called her over and said," Young lady, you shouldn't be off in la-la land in my class." "But--", began Debi. "No buts", interrupted Mrs. Reun, handing her a slip," Thursday afternoon at 3:15 in Mr. Patrick's room. Don't be late. Now get to fourth period." Debi trudged out of the room thinking, I'm dead. After fourth period, which was, thankfully, Art Appreciation, she ran to her locker and got her stuff. She was halfway to the bus when she realized she had forgotten her calculator in Ms. Allson's trailer. She ran back as fast as she could, hoping that by some miracle the bus wouldn't leave. When she got back, she rushed inside, stopping short when she saw the group of teachers sitting at a table. Oh no, she berated herself, I've interrupted a conference. "What are you doing in here?", demanded one of the teachers. " I-I'm getting my calculator", she stammered. "Well get it and get out!" Debi ran over to the cabinet the calculators were held in and pulled on the drawer so hard that it came out . She glanced at her watch. 3:21. The bus had left for sure. After she escaped out the door, she yelled "Why do you hate me, god??" up to the sky.

          Her parents had not taken it well. They had lectured her loudly about how they were trying to raise her well for her own good, and also how they would be extremely inconvenienced to have to drive all the way to the school to pick her up after detention. Then they had gone on to say that at this rate, she would never get a scholarship, and she would have to work like a dog to put herself through college, and even then a mediocre one. They asked her why before she had always gotten A's, and now got B's and C's. She yelled at them that high school was harder than middle or elementary, and that tons of parents would love to have a kid who got as good grades as she did. They responded by grounding her for three months, with no going out of the house except for school, work, and parent's gatherings. They also told her that she could not go on the computer except to work, that she could not use the phone, and could only watch an hour of TV a week. She then stormed up to her room and slammed the door. her parents yelled that if she kept slamming the door like that, they would take the door off. She muttered something back about being adopted. Back in her room, she had written a hate-filled diary entry about how horrible her parents were. She ended it by saying that she wanted her life to disappear. She closed her diary and hid it. She turned up her radio and sat down on her bed to let her temper simmer down. After a while, her mother called for her to come down to dinner. Debi didn't really want to, but the rumble in her stomach reminded her that she had to eat. She ran downstairs and sat down at the table. Throughout the meal, her little brother was teasing her about being grounded. "After I eat dinner, I'm going to watch TV and after that, I'm going outside to play with my friends." When she snapped at him, her parents told her to not 'use that tone of voice with your brother'. She finished her dinner quickly and was about to run upstairs when her dad asked, "Exactly where do you think you're going, Debra Waite? You have to wash the dishes, young lady." She made a face and turned around. She walked to the sink and started scrubbing.
          The next morning, she dragged herself out of bed and prepared for another grueling day. As she was walking out of the door, she remembered the permission slip for the field trip. She had forgotten to let her parents sign it. As she walked to the bus stop, she thought, oh shit. I seem to be thinking that particular phrase alot. She got on the bus and sat down next to Lis.
"Jeez, Debi--you look like you could kill someone�", noted her seatmate.
"You have NO idea, Lis. This has been one of the shittiest 24 hours of my life."
"Oh, really. Tell me about it", said Lis cheerfully.
"Okay," Debi began, "first off, that evil bitch-troll Mrs. Reun gave me a detention for 'being off in la-la land', then I forgot my calculator in Mrs. Allson's trailer and had to go back for it. I was in such a hurry that I barged right into a teacher's conference to get it, and you know how they took THAT. Of course, I missed the bus. You know the driver would decide to be on time yesterday! When I got home, I was greeted by my wonderful family. 'Nuff said on them� This morning as I walked out the door I realized I had forgotten my permission slip in my haze of rage, too. Yep� lots of fun."
"Wow� talk about bad luck. I have the deepest sympathy for you. Maybe they'll let you bring the slip in tomorrow morning, since you know they do that for a lot of kids."
"You know Mrs. Reun hates my guts. I think that she would take any opportunity to screw my life up, especially one as easy as putting me in the equivalent of ISS for a day while you guys have your field trip."
"Don't talk to Mrs. Reun. Talk to Mrs. Eunice instead, she likes you. If she decides to let you, what is evil bitch-troll going to do???"
"Okay. I guess that works�"
          The bus pulled into the parking lot and opened its doors. Everyone got up, fumbled for their things, and tried to get out faster than everyone else.

"Mrs. Eunice??? I forgot my permission slip at home, but I can bring it in tomorrow and give it to you then. Would that be okay??? I really want to go on the trip."
"Okay, but if you don't get it in to me before 8:00 tomorrow, I can't help you," was the reply.

"See??? I told you it would work," smiled Lis as she, Debi, Mira, and Vicki got on the bus for the dig trip.
"Okay, I admit it. You were right. So, what kind of stuff are they digging up at this dig??? Anyone know???", asked Debi.
"I think they're digging up Mayan artifacts," offered Vicki.
"Mayan artifacts??? As far north as we are??? Get real," scoffed Mira.
"No, the Mayans actually migrated down to Mexico from where we are right now," countered Lis.
"Thanks for the history lesson, Lis," mocked Debi playfully, "now I know, and knowing is half the battle!"
Lis threw a pretzel in Debi's general direction. Debi, always the coordinated one, reached out to catch it and missed by a mile. The pretzel bounced off her shoulder and into Mira's lap.
"Hey you guys, cut it out!," scolded Mira, "you know I'm trying to limit my intake of nasty stale snack foods!!!"
They laughed and Lis kicked the unfortunate pretzel towards the front of the bus.
"Wow�this is really boring," commented Debi, stating the obvious.
"You said it-how long is this bus ride gonna be?" wondered Mira aloud.
The guy sitting in front of the little group turned around and answered "It's pretty far away�it might be like an hour or so".
"Thanks, Taylor," chirped Debi, grimacing at the length of time she'd have to spend on the bus, "Imagine, a whole hour stuck in a gross public school-owned vehicle with YOU guys�"
"Hey, it could be worse-we could be riding in a Mira-owned vehicle driven by Mira!" cracked Lis.
"I resent that," protested Mira, "see if I ever drive you losers off to Taco Bell ever again."
"That's not fair-Lis said it-she should be the one banned from the heaven-on-earth of your transportation!" argued Vicki, "and anyway, she DOES have a point."
Mira stuck out her tongue at Vicki and pretended to sulk. Vicki and Debi, in return, began to mock-whisper things at each other, casting evil glances at Mira.
"Alright, you three, break it up!" scolded Lis cheerfully. The four of them kept up a conversation rather like this until the bus pulled into the dusty clearing that served as a parking lot. As they filed obediently out the door, Debi could swear that Mrs. Ruen was giving her the evil eye. She mentally crossed herself and stepped out onto the dry dirt.