CHAPTER ONE TO THE PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE

 

   

  Have you ever been called to the principal’s office? Everything about it is terrifying!

  First you have to hear your name called over the loudspeaker inside every classroom. And it is really LOUD, isn’t it?

  “ANDRES MIEDOSO, PLEASE REPORT TO THE PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE!”

  And then all the kids in the class turn to look at you, and you hear their ooooohs as you walk out of the classroom to your doom!

   

  Walking down the hallway to the principal’s office is the worst. Kids in other classrooms watch you go by, and you can see them whispering about you.

  The closer you get to the office, the more you start to sweat. And once you arrive, you always need to wait to see the principal. It’s like they want you to sit there and think about whatever it was you did wrong!

   

  Of course, it’s not always a bad thing to go to the principal’s office. One time a kid was called because he was getting a very big award for never being late to class!

   

  Cool, right? Except that visiting the principal’s office made him late to class, so that poor kid had to give that award right back. Ugh.

   

   

  Another time, the principal wanted to see Julia Smith, but there were two kids named Julia Smith. Only one of them was in trouble, but the principal didn’t know which one, so she gave them both detention!

  Now that I think about it, maybe going to the principal’s office is always a bad thing. Well, at least it’s always an interesting time.

  Like, for example, the time when Desmond and I went to the principal’s office together. Let’s just say, it was a, uh, magical experience.

  An experience that involved me, Andres Miedoso, tripping over balls and getting tangled up in a bunch of jump ropes.

  And my best friend, Desmond Cole, dodging balls and twirling a Hula-Hoop at the same time.

   

  I bet you’re wondering about the shadow that was reaching out for us. I can shine some light on that, but I’d better start this story way back at the very beginning.