by Jennifer Fleming

Created on: January 04, 2009

"I can't believe I'm leaving tomorrow. I'm so excited and a little nervous." Jaime thought that Katie didn't look nervous. She never looked nervous. Although Katie was from a less privileged background, Jaime often found herself envious of her friend. She was incredibly smart and funny. Everyone seemed to like her, adults and kids alike. It seemed there were no strangers in Katie's world.

"What are you nervous about? When I finally get to leave here I won't be nervous and I won't be coming back here. Ever". Jaime moved to Clinton toward the end of her 8th grade year and the girls had been instant friends. They went to the same church and met during summer youth group activities. From the moment they met they had been virtually inseparable.

To an outsider, indeed to many of their mutual friends, they seemed to have very little in common. Jaime was a prissy girl from a privileged background. She had moved around a couple of times before her father's company sent them to Clinton. Much to her surprise and chagrin, they stayed until after she graduated.

Katie's immediate family had moved to Clinton when she was in the 7th grade. She too had hated it at first. Her grandparents had lived here as long as she could remember. Her great-great- grandfather moved to Van Buren County before Arkansas was a state! Her family wasn't poor, at least she had never thought of them that way. They were a lot like most of the families that lived in the area. Jaime's family was the exception, not the rule. Consequently many of the kids didn't like Jaime and couldn't understand why Katie wanted to be friends with her. Sometimes Katie wondered the same thing.

"I don't know it's just so different. I mean, you won't be there and I won't have any friends. I'll probably fail."

"That is so ridiculous. First of all, you can email me and we'll chat all the time. I plan to come up and party with you every chance I get. You will only be a couple hours away. And as for failing, well, that's just silly. You are way too smart to fail!"

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It had been over a month since Katie had seen Jaime and she was really excited that Jaime was coming to visit for the weekend. She had planned for them to go to an awesome party Friday night and then just hang out in her room on Saturday, catching up.

Jaime arrived earlier than what Katie had anticipated, only an hour and a half late. Everyone who had spent even an ounce of time

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