#5 Not What I Expected Read Online Free Page A

not like everybody knows me yet. But I really want to do this. Even if I don’t win, I’ll meet a lot of people.” She paused for me to take in her reasoning. “There’s a meeting next week for anyone who wants to run. I’m going to sign up. I think it’s a good idea.”
    â€œMe too,” I said encouragingly. Sophie should try if that’s what she wants to do. She’s new and that makes her a long shot to win, although if anyone can do it, she can.
    But as Sophie chatted on, I couldn’t help thinking about what Brynn’s reaction will be when she hears Sophie is doing the same thing as Billy. She should be cool with it, but she’s weirdly territorial about Billy. It shouldn’t be a big deal.
    I don’t think it will be. Unless Sophie wins.
    Tuesday, September 2, 7:09 p.m.
    Tonight when I was walking Gilligan, I saw Matt walking Matilda. “What’s up?” he asked as he walked toward me.
    How was I supposed to answer that question? I hadn’t spoken to him since late July, when we broke up. “Not much.” I hoped my voice sounded neutral.
    He ran a hand through his hair. “How do you like high school?”
    â€œGood.” I appreciated that he was asking, but mostly, I just wanted to go back into my house.
    â€œHow’s dance?” Three questions. For Matt, that was a record.
    I told him that our first competition was at the end of the month, and then we were performing at Homecoming in October and had the dance show in November.
    â€œCool,” he said when I finished. Then he laughed, at what I don’t know. I didn’t think anything I’d just told him was humorous.
    Maybe he was stalling, waiting for me to ask how he was doing, but I didn’t. The words just wouldn’t come out of my mouth.
    â€œSee ya,” he said, like bumping into each other was no big deal.
    â€œSee ya,” I said like it was no big deal for me either. And surprisingly, it wasn’t. I thought it would be weird or uncomfortable seeing him, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. End of story.
    I don’t even know why I’m writing about it.

You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view …. Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.
    â€”Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
    Thursday, September 11, 7:45 p.m.
    I hate politics
    Everyone I know is obsessed with the SGA race. The elections are tomorrow, and it’s pretty much the only thing anyone has been talking about all week. At least the people I know.
    Sophie has been talking about it nonstop. Ever since she signed up to run, she’s been on a campaign to meet everyone in our class, which isn’t an easy thing to do since there are 337 freshman. All week long she has been passing out campaign stickers that look like lottery tickets with the slogan: Take a chance on the new girl.
    Today was the first time all week she stopped to eat lunch instead of just grabbing a snack on her way to fifth period. “What do you think my chances are?” she asked Katia, Harry, and me as she sat down at the table with us.
    â€œYou’re gonna win,” said Katia. I’m not surprised she said that. She and Sophie are in art together, and they have a whole group of friends who already promised they’d vote for Sophie.
    Harry agreed. “Most of the kids who are running are losers or freaks.”
    Sophie laughed. “You hardly know them.”
    â€œI don’t want to know them,” said Harry.
    Sophie ignored Harry’s cynicism and looked at me. “April, what do you think?”
    The truth was that there was no way to know who would win. Billy would definitely get one spot, but there are six kids running for two spots. I’d like to believe a girl would get the other spot, and since three are running, I think Sophie’s chances are probably equal to theirs. “You could