Anybody sitting here？？ he asked。
？Nope；？ she responded groggily； scooting over。 He threw his bag under the seat and settled in
next to Jenny。
The train groaned along at about a mile an hour。 Jenny sniffed at the stale； slightly sweaty train
car air and jiggled her foot； thinking about how she was going to be super…late for check…in at
Waverly Academy。 She would？ve been early if her dad； Rufus； had driven her up here in his blue
beater Volvo wagon？he？d practically begged Jenny to let him？but Jenny hadn？t wanted her
unshaven； peacenik father to drop her off at her brand…new； haute boarding school。 Knowing him；
he？d have tried to start up an impromptu poetry slam with her new classmates and shown off old
pictures of Jenny when she was a lame seventh grader and wore nothing but fluorescent green and
orange Old Navy fleeces。 Um； no thanks。
？Going to Waverly？？ the boy asked。 He raised his eyebrows at theWaverly Academy Guide to
Ethics that sat unopened in Jenny？s lap。
Jenny brushed a brown tendril out of her eyes。 ？Yeah；？ she answered。 ？I？m starting there this
year。？ She couldn？t hide the enthusiasm in her voice？she was so excited to start her brand…new
boarding school that she felt all jiggly inside； like she had to pee。
？Freshman？？
？Nope。 Sophomore。 I used to go to Constance Billard。 It？s in the city。？ Jenny was a little pleased
that she had a relatively chic past to refer to； or that it at least sounded that way。
？So you wanted a change of pace； or what？？ He fiddled with the strap of his worn leather
watchband。
Jenny shrugged。 This boy looked like he was her brother Dan？s age。 Dan had just taken off for
Evergreen College