"So you don't know anybody yet. You were over there eating alone, right?"

I looked down the table of Royal Party members-the most popular kids at school-all staring at me as though I'd done something miraculous. I really hated being the center of attention. "I haven't met too many people yet. No."

"Then consider yourself my new best friend," she said. "For a week. I can introduce you to everybody and help you fit in here. And you can sit at this table at lunch. Does that sound okay?"

I shook my head. My mouth felt dry. "Forget it. It's really not necessary."

Her eyes widened a little, possibly with surprise that I hadn't jumped on her offer right away. "Come on. One week. You have to say yes."

I had to?

I chewed my bottom lip as I considered my options. Basically, be alone and try valiantly to make friends with people who already had established cliques that year, or take Melinda up on her one-week offer of friendship and try to make the best of it.

"Okay," I finally agreed, careful not to get my hopes up too much that it would lead to a real friendship.

The other members of the Royal Party mostly ignored me or kept their distance, which was fine by me because they were kind of intimidating. But the more I hung out with Melinda as the days went by, the more I realized that she wasn't all that scary. Since I had a really hard time faking being nice-I wasn't much of an actress, I guess-I just behaved like myself. Warts and all.

I don't actually have any warts. It's just a saying.

After the week was over, I assumed that was it-I'd be on my own again. But Melinda kept chatting with me by the lockers after school like nothing had changed.

"Isn't my week up. 7 " I asked her plainly.

She looked at me with confusion for a moment. "Your week?"