Chapter 1

         Haley giggled next to me. “He is so cute.” She fluttered her eyelashes, exaggerating. Her short blonde hair whip lashed as she made a very dramatic hair flip. “I might just date him.” She shrugged.
“He’s dead!” I told her in a mildly sarcastic tone. Haley giggled again. Mrs. Keehfus , our teacher stomped her foot and glared at us. We both rolled our eyes. At least we were talking about the stupid exhibit. It was the least anyone could do since I had to wake up an hour earlier to get at school. We were ushered closer by the kids in the back. I peeked at several kids texting. What would be their excuse? Maybe texting about the Museum? Yeah right!
I turned my attention back to the guide. “This is a digitally made picture of what Historians would assume Pharaoh Ahkmenrah. He was 16 when he assumed the throne and 19 when he died.” The Guide told us in a monotone voice. I gasped. Was he like murdered or something? Haley gasped and put her hand at her throat. I tried not to laugh. I didn’t want to come home with a detention slip.
The dead guy was kind of cute. He definitely wasn’t ugly I mean. Though the picture was just so… fake looking. He looked like some early CGI character. It would have been better just to draw a picture of him, that way he would look half-way human. His eyes were outlined in mascara. Once again I tried not to laugh. A boy wearing makeup? Maybe the Pharaoh guy was Goth.
The class was ushered around the priceless artifacts to a dark tunnel. I stepped lowly my feet already hurting. I dodged a cracked clay vase when someone pushed me near it. The tunnel was completely black and echoed our footsteps, hurting my ears.
We emerged into a large bright courtyard. I shielded my eyes. It was very nice of the Museum to have a dark mysterious exhibit then lead us out in the bright sunshine to be blinded. The glare was too hard to see much of anything but I made out several clay shacks and several men and women strolling around in white cotton tunics. Some of the men were even shirtless and wearing skirts but looked like they had never stepped outdoors in their life.
I walked following the guide on uneven ground. I lifted my silk dress up so hopefully no dust would get it dirty. Then being totally clumsy I tripped on a rock. Haley caught my arm in time. “I told you that dress would be the death of you. Those heels too!” I looked pitifully at my gladiator sandals with the small ¾ heel.
“Maybe your right but the fieldtrip paper clearly said ‘Dress Formal’.” I tried to argue.
“People never read those things!” Haley hissed back as Mrs. Keehfus gave us the eye.
“Wooonderful.” Haley whispered sarcastically. I nodded my head in agreement. A bunch of flabby middle aged men walking around shirtless was not my idea of a field trip. Mrs. Keehfus walked over to one of the flabby men. Was she? Oh, Yes she was! She was totally flirting with him. She fluttered her eyelashes and started to say how she had won some kind of award. I thumped Haley on the arm and pointed to where she was standing. Haley started to gag. I bit my lip and covered my mouth.
Another girl saw what we were looking at. She whispered and pointed at Mrs. Keehfus. Then the girls stated to whisper to some boys. Before we knew it the whole class was laughing and making kisses noises at them. The entire class was watching them! The guide was stunned not knowing what to do. Should he go and tap them or yell at the class to quite down. He just stood there his eyes the size of saucers with his spine stiff.
After about ten minutes Mrs. Keehfus finally realized what was happening. She stopped over to us. The class was silenced. You could see the craziness in her eyes. If Mrs. Keehfus could set students on fire with her eyes, she would be doing that exactly right now.
“Who started this?” She screamed. The class whispered and huddled closer. “WHO STARTED THIS?” She demanded making all the birds and people in a hundred yards scatter. Haley and I huddled together trying to look innocent. “Was it you? Was it you? Was it YOU???” She asked over and over again picking out random people. “Fine then! If no one is going to fess up the whole class has detention for a week.” Moans and groans scattered throughout the crowd.
I could see it happening. One little book-worm kid was standing up. In almost slow motion he half whispered, “Max did it!”. There goes that no detention for a month and get a hundred dollars deal with my parents.
Oh god! What a tattle tale! I thought as the Mrs. Keehfus turned toward me. Her eyes were pretty much searing me. She moved closer prowling around like a granny shark. My first instinct was to run but that would probably just get me in more trouble. I cowered down. The crowd of kids parted leaving me in a small bubble alone. Haley smiled at me apologetically and mouthed the words good luck. She knew I would need them. Then she started glaring at Mrs. Keehfus. That’s Haley I thought sadly and prayed that she didn’t get in trouble as well.
“You are in an immense amount of trouble young lady!” Mrs. Keehfus croaked. I knew not to object. “Let’s see…One Week of detentions.” I gasped. I shouldn’t have done that. I gulped waiting for my next punishment. “Well does that not seem enough yet? I will see to it that you will sit in the Bus for the rest of the trip.” By now my eyes were rimmed in tears. I glared at the guy who ratted me out (I really hadn’t done anything wrong anyways!). Hurrying away I didn’t steal another glance back.