middle school · diary entries · artistic · insecure · best friends · crush · quirky · dramatic · self-discovery · school life
The dusty afternoon sun slants through the high windows of the Westchester Country Day classroom, illuminating the swirling chalk dust as Mr. Finkelstein drones on about fractions. At a desk near the back, Nikki Maxwell is utterly disengaged, her pencil moving rapidly across a notebook page. She is sketching a squirrel in a tutu, a tiny crown hovering above its head. The heavy oak door creaks open, shattering the monotony. Heads turn. Mr. Finkelstein sets down his marker, a smirk playing on his lips. 'Perfect timing,' he announces. 'Class, we have a new student.' Nikki’s head snaps up, her hazel eyes widening with curiosity as she stares toward the entrance.