Mrs. Montanna
- I have visited 39 out of 50 states.
- I was a Boy Scout Master for 12 years.
- I ski on the black diamond level mountain in Vermont every year.
Mrs. Zhang
1. I have a twin brother.
2. I have never watched a Harry Potter movie.
3. I can do Kung fu.
Mrs. Beitzinger
- I skipped a year in high school.
- I have traveled to 5/7 continents.
- I have been on a TV game show.
5 Tips: How To Effectively Study
by Alexis Cepregi
Hi! I’m in 7th grade, and I often hear people complaining about forgetting to study and getting bad grades, or not being able to find the right way to study. So, what is studying? Studying literally means “devote time and attention to acquiring knowledge on an academic subject, especially by means of books.” So, why is it so hard to study? Here are some tips that I found worked for me.
Make sure you do all the activities present on the teacher’s Schoology page. I used to do this before a test, and it included the same information! It helped me prepare so much and be more confident about the test.
Make sure to review any classwork on the topic. For example, if you have a math quiz/test coming up, make sure to save your old packets. They can be very helpful resources when trying to study. You can also go through old tests/quizzes and mark where you made mistakes. That way you won’t make the same mistakes again.
Put your phone away while you study. I know you probably want to look at your phone, but make sure to put it away to study. It is a proven fact that using a phone is distracting, causing cognitive overload, hindering the transfer of information from working memory to long-term memory. This basically means that when you use your phone, you can’t remember whatever you are studying easily.
Join or start a study group. Having other people around makes studying easier, because you are able to learn from others and make sure not to make others’ mistakes. You can also get a group of your friends and quiz each other on the topic of the test.
Make sure to get organized. If you are unorganized, you cannot study effectively. Make sure your study materials are all organized, too. You can also make sure to manage your time effectively. Don’t try to cram all your study time into one day. Instead, spread it out over a few days or however long you need to be prepared.
Finally, remember that these tips may not work for everyone, but try to find a way to study that works for you. And don’t procrastinate!
Extra Help
by Zack Stutz
Extra help is key for success and growth in classes such as math, science, English, and social studies, some may say you shouldn’t go to extra help, but there are great benefits and reasons to go such as:
Better relationship with your teacher, this shows the teacher that you are hardworking and wanting to get the best grades. If the teacher likes you, they could help you more on topics you struggle on such as equations, grammar, weather, etc.
A better alternative to tutoring, it can be good and amazing, but if you aren’t doing it with the teacher, then you won’t get all the information or curriculum that’s needed to get a passing grade in that certain subject.
Doing your homework in that class that’s related to the subject that you are doing, teachers can give help if you’re struggling with it, or can give you bonus points on tests or quizzes depending on the teacher.
Better understanding of topics, teachers can go through a deep lecture about the lesson that is going on in class, which gives you a better grip/understanding of the concepts if you were ever confused or zoned out.
Early Morning Risers
by Luci Bernstein
Berner Middle School has amazing clubs for talented singers; Select Singers for 6th graders, Vocal Points for 7th and 8th graders, and Early Morning Risers for every grade. Unlike Select Singers and Vocal Points, Early Morning Risers doesn’t require an audition. Also, Early Morning Risers meets from 7:15 AM to 7:45 AM on Thursdays unlike most clubs. Mrs. Pearsall wakes up early in the morning to teach us some amazing songs!
Early Morning Risers puts on two performances every school year. One concert is a really unique performance; singing at the Jones Beach Holiday Light Show! Everyone sings holiday songs together and it’s a really fun experience for everyone involved. The second concert is the Berner Spring Concert with other performing musical groups.
A song that Early Morning Risers has done this year for the Jones Beach Holiday Light Show was, “Holiday Road” from National Lampoon Vacation and a song that will be done this year for the Berner Spring Concert is, “I See Stars” from Mean Girls the Musical. Over the years, we’ve done some amazing songs like, “Shallow” from A Star is Born, “Marshmallow World” by Dean Martin, and much more.
I interviewed Mrs. Pearsall, the amazing conductor of Early Morning Risers, and asked her the following questions:
Question: What is your favorite song you’re teaching this year for Early Morning Risers?
Answer: My favorite song is one we’re performing this year, “Keep Holding On”. It's an amazing arrangement that allows many different students to be featured and has a beautiful message!
Question: What is your favorite part about teaching Early Morning Risers?
Answer: My favorite part of teaching Early Morning Risers is always the students! Knowing that everyone in front of me on Thursday mornings is there simply because they love to sing makes it the best! This year we have our biggest group with 56 students!
Question: Why did you start Early Morning Risers?
Answer: I started Early Morning Risers because when I was in middle school, I played flute in band and was lucky enough to have a group like Early Morning Risers in my middle school. Being in that group helped me to realize how much I also loved singing and to shape me into being a chorus teacher today!
If you have an interest in singing, on behalf of Early Morning Risers, we encourage you to join next year! We do some really amazing things every year and we hope you can join us. If you would like to see how well we perform, come to Berner Middle School on April 7th, 2025 at 7 PM. We will be performing some amazing songs for all of you!
Interviewing Dr. Johnson, the School Psychologist
by Ryder Domina
Hello Berner Middle School! Meet Dr. Johnson, one of the school psychologists. She’s really nice, caring, sociable, and understanding! She works at the PPS office near the library, and you can go to her whenever you feel sad, anxious, or just want someone to talk to! She loves working with kids and other people, and some might not know too much about who she is or come to see her often. So I interviewed her to help people get to know a little more about her personality and what she loves most about her job. I asked her a few questions, and what were some of her favorite things.
Ryder: What do you love most about Berner?
Dr. Johnson: I love watching students grow through the years from 6th to 8th grade.
Ryder: How long have you been a psychologist?
Dr. Johnson: 23 years
Ryder: What do you love most about your job?
Dr. Johnson: I love getting to know kids and their families, and my co-workers too!
Ryder: If you could have another job, what would it be?
Dr. Johnson: Broadcast journalism. It was my major.
Ryder: Last question: What advice do you have for kids coming into Berner next year?
Dr. Johnson: The advice I would give would be to ask questions, seek out support when needed, and try to find a club you're interested in.
Good to know! Also, she loves cats other than llamas! So Berner Middle students and future 6th graders if you are reading this article, if you feel sad, anxious, worried, had a worse-than-good day, or anything else, come down to Dr. Johnson’s office! It’s never too late! “Therapy is a journey of understanding one's experiences, in order to take control and achieve one's goals,” she has said. Sometimes we all need someone to talk to!
Get to know Mrs. Johnson's favorite things!
Animal: llama
Food: peanut butter
TV show: Succession
Drink: coffee
Color: forest green
Hobby: working out/ exercise
Algebra
by Zack Stutz
Algebra is one of the hardest courses of math you’ll take during your middle school and high school career so here are some tips for algebra!
Go to extra help every week: Ask about a new topic, ask your teacher for help if you don’t understand the concept.
Pay attention at all times, if you miss a few minutes of class, you can miss a whole concept or lesson that is essential for passing the test/quiz.
Do not doodle, we all have doodled before and zoned out, this isn’t a good class to do this in because there are multiple equations and formulas that are needed to pass.
Do your homework, you must do it on time or they will deduct/penalize points depending on the day of submission.
Study, teachers give you reviews, for example, DeltaMath, which helps and enhances your grade and can give you extra help if you need it, and use all study material to your advantage.
Always do the extra credit or extra review because it could get you a better grade, but also show your teacher that you are determined.
If you average is below an 85, ask your teacher what you got wrong on the test, and make sure you study that lesson/unit that you didn't get a good grade in, so then when it’s time to study for the regions, you know what to focus on more.
Interviews: 6th Grade Blue House Core Teachers
by Makaela Cortese
English/social studies teacher: Mrs. Martelli
Question: When did you start teaching in Berner?
Answer: I started teaching Berner in 2017 but I started in Unqua before and I started in 1994.
Question: What do you like about teaching English?
Answer: It's an amazing subject and literature is a way for students to learn about other people, cultures, and places. Students can relate to characters that might be going through what they are. They can make connections and get lost in a good book.
Question: What do you like about teaching social studies?
Answer: It is fun to teach. Ancient civilizations are fascinating. We are still learning about new discoveries every day. It is always exciting to uncover how people lived and developed a complex civilization.
Question: What made you teach English and social studies?
Answer: I taught many grades in my career. I started in Kindergarten, taught 1st grade, then 2nd, and 4th grade. I decided to go to 6th when a position opened up in ELA
at Unqua. From there, we moved over to Berner, and I was given the spot for ELA and SS.
Question: Do you like teaching 2 subjects to the same kids?
Answer: Yes, It keeps me on my toes. Having the same students is really important. I feel like I get to know everyone very well. Having a solid relationship with my students is very important to me.
Question: What do you look forward to when you retire?
Answer: There are so many things that I look forward to in my retirement next year in 2026. The first is being in the water with my fellow mermaids riding waves every day. The second is traveling and spending time with my family. I enjoy cooking for a crowd and making memories with people that I love.
Question: What is 1 fun fact about yourself?
Answer: I spent a college semester in Kenya studying the culture, traveling the country, and meeting all the different tribes.
Math/science teacher: Mrs.Brady
Question: When did you start teaching in Berner?
Answer: I started teaching at Berner in 2017. That was the first year that sixth grade came here. Before Berner, I taught 5th grade at Unqua.
Question: What do you like about teaching Math?
Answer: I like teaching math because it was my favorite subject in school. Math isn't an easy subject for everyone. My goal is to teach my students to persevere through the difficult concepts and appreciate the fact that math is a really useful tool in life!
Question: What do you like about teaching Science?
Answer: Science is a fun subject to teach because kids get to wonder and explore things that are happening around them every day. In sixth grade we learn about chemical reactions, light and sound and the forces that we encounter every day.
Question: What do you like teaching both subjects to the same kids?
Answer: I enjoy having my students for both subjects. It gives me a chance to know my students better, while at the same time they get to move around to different classes and teachers during the day.
Question: What is one fun fact about yourself?
Answer: One fun fact about myself is that I was in the school newspaper when I was in high school. I was in charge of the current events. It was a great experience for me.
Question: What do you do to value time with your family?
Answer: My favorite holiday is Christmas because I always host it at my house and my whole family is together. I have 3 brothers and a sister and we all have grown children now. I love watching all nine cousins laugh and spend time with each other.
60 Things To Do In The Spring
by Angelina Miata
Have you ever been bored out of your mind on Spring Break? Do you want to know the cure to boredom? Well, this might help you! Down below is a list of 60 activities to do in spring. 30 activities involve family/friends and 30 activities are things to do alone.
THINGS TO DO WITH FAMILY/FRIENDS:
Have a picnic
Visit a farmer's market
Go bike riding
Explore museums
Have fun at Adventureland!
Grow a garden
Have a family/friends game night!
Go strawberry picking
Watch the sunset
Go camping
Go to a sports game
Go for a hike
Make an ice cream sundae
Try a new recipe
Visit N.Y.C
Go to the Zoo
Make bracelets
Go to the mall
Take a road trip
Have a movie night
Make a lemonade stand
Create arts and crafts
Go on vacation
Have a beach day
Go to the park
Go rock climbing
Plant flowers
Play mini golf
Paint with friends
Cook a fancy dinner
THINGS TO DO BY YOURSELF:
Create a new music playlist
Organize your bedroom
Do some yoga
Pick flowers
Paint rocks
Read a book
Start a journal
Make a bird feeder
Visit a farm
Start a new art project
Visit the beach
Take a walk in the park
Go to the aquarium
Try new foods
Learn a new language
Ride your bike
Go fishing
Color with chalk
Garden
Start a new show
Take a walk in the preserve
Make a bird feeder
Fly a kite
Go to a bakery
Catch butterflies
Make s'mores
Grow strawberries
Go spring shopping
Try to cook something new
Create different arts and crafts
Planning a Spring Bucket List!
by Violet Focarazzo
When deciding what to do over spring break, ideas can come flowing really quickly, so writing them down to make a bucket list can be helpful so that you remember all those good ideas. Here are some ideas to put on your bucket list! And remember, if you don’t do everything on your list, there’s always summer!
1. Make your own bird feeder
2. Plant flowers or fruits
3. Go flower shopping
4. Bike in the preserve
5. Watch a sunrise/sunset
6. Catch fireflies at night (let them go after!)
7. Do a scavenger hunt
8. Do a backyard campout with friends
9. Make a rock garden
10. Go to a park and play dodgeball
11. Make your own movie
12. Backyard movie night
13. Camp out in your backyard
14. Create a dance to your favorite song
15. Go indoor rock climbing
16. Go indoor skydiving
17. Go to Adventureland
18. Try a pottery class
19. Take a day trip to a lake
20. Go to a concert at Jones Beach
Bump, Set, Spike!
by Eleni Diakoumakis
Bump, set, spike! Those are the most common three words you hear in volleyball. Most people just think of volleyball as hitting a ball over a net, but it's so much more than that. Volleyball requires teamwork, communication, coordination, and perseverance. In volleyball, it is important not to let your frustration get to you if you mess up. As my teammate once said, “Volleyball is a bunch of mistakes until you reach 25.” In volleyball, there are 3 sets in a game, and you play each set until you reach 25 points. There are usually 6 players on each side of the net, 3 in the front and two in the back. The person in the back right serves. After a point is scored and you get your serve back, you rotate. Volleyball is full of many basic skills and techniques, as well as some more complex ones.
BUMP
Bumping in volleyball, also known as the forearm pass, is the most commonly used technique in the game. It is a fundamental skill used to receive the ball from the other team’s serve or to handle incoming attacks. To perform this technique, you use your forearms to make contact with the ball, aiming to direct it perfectly to the setter for the next play. To do a proper bump, players should keep their feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and arms straight with hands clasped together to form a flat platform, if you will, for the ball to perfectly launch off of. It's crucial to maintain a controlled movement, using the legs rather than the arms to generate power and precision. Just merely swinging your arms won’t get you a precise bump. To accurately succeed, start with your knees bent and kind of pop up to get the ball back in the air. Mastery of bumping is essential for effective ball control and team coordination in volleyball.
SET
Setting in volleyball is a critical skill that involves accurately passing the ball to a hitter, setting up an opportunity for an attack. The setter must have on point hand-eye coordination, quick reflexes, and a very good understanding of the game to make split-second decisions. The technique involves using your fingertips to push the ball upward with just the right amount of power, making sure it reaches the intended height and direction near the net or to the person who you are setting up to spike the ball. Proper footwork and body positioning are crucial, as the setter needs to be agile and ready to move to wherever the ball is passed. Setting is not just about technical skill, but also about strategic thinking, as the setter must read the opposing team's defense and choose the best offensive play.
SPIKE
Spiking in volleyball is a fundamental offensive move that can significantly change the outcome of a match. It involves a player jumping and aggressively hitting the ball over the net into the other team’s court with the intent of making it hard for the opposing team to return. A successful spike requires a combination of power, accuracy, and timing. Players usually approach the net with a few steps to build momentum, use their arms to generate force, and jump high to reach the perfect hitting position. The technique also demands keen spatial awareness and strategic thinking to target weak spots in the opponent's defense. Mastering the spike can make a player a threat to the other team, contributing to the team's overall success.
SERVES
Serving in volleyball is an important skill that sets the tone for each play and can impact the outcome of a match. It involves hitting the ball from behind the baseline to start the play, and there are several types of serves players can use, each with its own strategic advantages. The underhand serve is usually used by beginners because of its simplicity and control, while the overhand serve results in more power and speed, making it effective for more advanced players. The jump serve, which combines a jump with an overhand hit, can be particularly intimidating due to its increased speed and downward angle. Effective serving requires not only physical skill but also mental focus and accuracy. Mastering the serve is vital for any player looking to excel in volleyball, as it can be a powerful tool for gaining points and surprising the other team.
Volleyball is a great sport that requires lots of practice and hard work. To master these skills, it takes time. If you end up trying volleyball, don’t get frustrated! It's ok to mess up, but don't let it get to your head. In conclusion, volleyball is a super fun sport that requires communication, precision and skill.
Five 2024 Pop Albums
by Chloe Symington
Do you like listening to music, specifically pop? If so, I’m sure you’ll know that this past year was certainly a good year for it! But, with so many albums and talented artists, how do you know which one might be the best? I present to you, a ranked list of five popular pop albums released in 2024! Please remember that this list is purely my opinion and is just to entertain you. Now, please enjoy a list of the top five 2024 pop albums!
5. Eternal Sunshine by Ariana Grande
Eternal Sunshine is a hit-filled album, just like the rest of the albums on this list. With huge songs such as “yes, and?” and “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)”, this album is truly an amazing album.
4. Radical Optimism by Dua Lipa
Dua Lipa is a super talented pop singer and an amazing songwriter. There’s a ton of hits in this album that are difficult not to sing along to, like “Illusion” and “Training Season.” This is Dua Lipa’s third album, and made a good choice by releasing “Houdini” in 2023 and putting it in the album.
3. Found Heaven by Conan Gray
Conan Gray is a huge hitmaker and has so many hits outside of this album under his belt, like “Maniac” from Kid Crow. “Boys and Girls” is by far the most popular song on this album, but my personal favorite is “Never Ending Song”.
2. Short N’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter
Short N’ Sweet is a no-skip album. Sabrina Carpenter teased this album perfectly by releasing one of the best songs of the summer, “Espresso”, a few months before releasing the album. With upbeat hits like “Taste”, to sadder songs such as “Don’t Smile.”
1. Hit Me Hard and Soft by Billie Eilish
This was definitely one of Billie’s most successful albums, with hits like “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” and “THE GREATEST”. There’s something in here for everyone, from eerie songs like “THE DINER”, to more dance-like songs such as “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE”. This was simply my favorite out of all these albums because its songs vary in meanings, and they are all around just fun to listen to.
Overall, 2024 had some amazing albums and was certainly a great year for pop. These rankings are simply my opinion and it’s okay if you don’t agree with one of the rankings. Hopefully I convinced you to broaden your horizons and listen to one of these albums, or I just reminded you how good they are and to re-listen to them. No matter what group you fell in, I hope you enjoyed reading this ranking. Thanks for reading!
Top 10 Songs
by Lilyana Thanasa
- Bad Bunny- “Moscow Mule”
- Kendrick Lamar- “Not like us”
- Teddy Swims - “The Door”
- Morgan Wallen - “Whisky Glasses”
- Sza - “Nobody Gets Me”
- Sabrina Carpenter - “Espresso”
- Taylor Swift - “Anti-Hero”
- Bruno Mars - “Die With A Smile”
- Billie Ellish - “Birds of a Feather”
- Kane Brown -”What Ifs”
In conclusion, I hope you listen to these songs and enjoy them. My favorite song here is Morgan Wallen's “Whisky Glasses” and I hope you like it too.
Travel Destinations
by Emily McCormack
Hawaii: I went to Hawaii in 2021 and 2022. It was absolutely amazing there. My favorite places that I went there were Honolulu, Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. In Kauai me and my family visited the Coconut Grove Marketplace daily. It consisted of shaved ice stands, shops and a huge supermarket. We also visited many beaches and the water was crystal clear. We got to see huge fish and turtles. It was so cool! We also went on lots of snorkeling adventures and we saw lots of new and exciting sea life! We got to go to see lots of new animals and exciting sites! When we went snorkeling we saw things under the sea like sea urchins and HUGE fish! The food there was delicious! We even went to a luau. It was an amazing experience!
Australia: I went to Australia in 2023 and it was by far my favorite trip I've ever been to. When I got there it was a little cold there because in America it was summertime whilst in Australia it was winter time. We got to see all my cousins and we visited so many cool places. We went to the famous candy shop Sticky, The Taronga Zoo, Rottnest Island. In Rottnest Island it is covered head to toe in Quokkas, They are these tiny squirrel creatures almost wombat like and if you hold out your phone they would come up to you and let you take a photo with you! At the Taronga Zoo you get to see so many animals and there is a cafe to stop at along the way. We also walked around in Sydney and saw the Sydney Opera house. We also got to try Vegemite. It's this spread you put on toast with butter. It's very salty and bitter but most Australians like it a lot. Australia was my favorite trip of all and every sight we saw was incredible!
Spain: Last summer me and my family went to Spain. Once we arrived we landed in Madrid. It was over 100 degrees and it was very hot there. Our hotel was very small and hot but right across the street was an amazing ice cream shop with delicious ice cream and treats and only a couple minutes away was the town with all the shops and restaurants. We tried so many foods there like Gazpacho and different types of bread and churros with chocolate. We did lots of walking and eating lots of food. In Spain we also went to the world’s oldest restaurant. There were lots of different types of food there, one of the most famous dishes there was the pig. Overall Spain was one of my favorite trips by far and highly recommended.
Ireland: Last summer me and my family also went to Ireland. It was me and my sisters' second time going. Ireland in the summer is not very warm. It's mostly cold but we did see so much. We went to the Blarney stone and we saw lots and lots of castles. We also went to lots of Irish pubs and went out to dinner a lot. At most convenience stores there were lots of different types of candy and chocolate that were delicious. We usually had dinner with our whole family each night. We also got to see lots of beautiful sights. Ireland was such an amazing experience.
Top 10 Most Visited Vacation Spots
by Lilyana Thanasas
- Bora Bora located in the Leeward Islands in the South Pacific
- Rome located in Italy
- Machu Picchu is located in Peru
- Tokyo is located in Japan
- Maui is located in Hawaii
- Maldives is located in south Asia in the Indian Ocean
- Tanzania is located in East Africa
- Great Barrier Reef is located on the coast of Australia
- Petra is located in Jordan
- Glacier National Park is located in Montana
Microscopic Sea Creatures
by Riley McCormack
There are so many creatures that we are unable to see by the naked eye. They are so fascinating and so interesting to learn about. Let's start with this creature that lives in freshwater and saltwater.
Diatoms
Diatoms are single celled algae that live in freshwater and saltwater. These creatures are so incredibly important for the health of our plants environment. They produce about 40% of the oxygen we breathe. If you're wondering how this happens is that, when diatoms do photosynthesis, they take in carbon dioxide and water, they use energy from the sun to turn them into glucose and oxygen. The oxygen they make is released back into the water and some o,f it goes into the air and we breathe that in. Diatoms are also very important for food and other aquatic systems.
Euglena
These microscopic sea creatures are a type of algae that live in freshwater. They detect light and they use this to swim towards the sun for energy. Euglena also eat tiny organisms like bacteria. They produce their own food by photosynthesis or they can use the choice to find food for themselves to consume.
Amoeba
Amoebas can be found all around us! Some species of amoebas can glow in the dark! They are single celled creatures, and they eat using their pseudopods, they are like arms to grab and eat their food. Amoebas can be found in soil, water and inside other organisms. Amoebas are decomposers and they break down dead plants, and animals. Amoebas help our world become cleaner and without them the world would be alot more dirty.
Rotifers
Rotifers live in freshwater and in rare occurrences salt water. The nickname for these creatures are called ¨wheel animals¨ because they have a tiny hair of ring-like structures. They can move very quickly through the water. They are also very strong and can withstand extreme temperatures, pressure, and radiation.
Volvox
Volvox look like green circles and a fun fact, they can spin underwater! Volvox are a type of algae that live in water. Volvox are made up of many small tiny cells and they have something called a flagella that helps them move and swim. Most of the time they live by themselves but they can become a colony and they work together to help to survive. Viewing volvox under the microscope is very interesting and so cool to watch!
Paramecium
Paramecium are tiny unicellular organisms and they are shaped like a long oval and they have tiny little hair-like things surrounding the paramecium called cilla. Paramecium are mostly found in lakes, ponds, and freshwater ecosystems. A fun fact about paramecium is that they have two nuclei. One of the nuclei controls the cell's function and the other nuclei is used for reproduction. They can repair themselves if they are hurt and one thing about them that no human has is that they can regenerate. These unicellular organisms are very important for our ecosystem and are a food source for other micro creatures. They have a defense mechanism that are called trichocysts and they release tiny pellets to scare off predators. Paramecium are very fascinating creatures to look at and study.
In conclusion all of these microscopic sea creatures are very interesting and very cool to study and look at under a microscope!
Source: Kiwico website
The Shatter Me Series
by Mia Giangrande
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi is a captivating dystopian novel that introduces readers to a unique world through the eyes of its protagonist, Juliette Ferrars. The narrative is built around Juliette, a 17-year-old girl with a lethal touch, who has been isolated in a cell for nearly a year due to her dangerous ability. This means that if Juliette touches anyone they will die. Tahereh Mafi's writing style is both distinctive and poetic, and captures Juliette’s feelings and thoughts in a more creative way. This novel includes themes of power, freedom, and identity, as Juliette struggles with her role in a society governed by the Reestablishment. If you ever watched or read “Hunger Games” the Reestablishment is very similar to the capitol. When the Reestablishment recognizes her as a weapon, Juliette is brought into a world of power, rebellion and dangerous secrets. The introduction of fascinating characters like Adam and Warner adds complexity to the story, creating a subplot of romance and tension.
Characters: The characters in the “Shatter Me” series are very complex and interesting making this an even more engaging story. My personal favorite character is Aaron Warner for many reasons including his complex, layered personality that evolves throughout the series making him have the biggest character development. He started out in the beginning of the series as an antagonist but slowly developed into one of the most favorite characters in the books. Aaron Warner probably had the hardest life out of everyone growing up because of his father, Paris Anderson. Paris Anderson was the leader of the reestablishment. You might be confused and wondering why they have different last names if they are father and son but the reason for this is because Aaron wanted to take his mothers last name which shows how much hatred he has for his father which is understandable from his point of view. Aaron's father was a cruel man with no remorse or guilt for the terrible things he's done. Lets just say he does not deserve the father of the year award. His tactics for raising Aaron were nothing but brutal including violence and putting him in danger at only 7 years old. Paris broke his own son's arm and abandoned him in the wild for 2 weeks, made Aaron stand in the corner while he threw glass bottles at him, and kicked Warner in the ribs repeatedly while he was curled up in the dirt until he threw up. Aaron Warner was not one to be excited for his birthday. Instead of getting a cake and presents on his birthday, he received multiple permanent scars on his back. Aaron doesn't have the best relationship with his mother either and they basically don't have one. Leila Warner also has a lethal touch just like Juliette except Leila’s is much more extreme. Instead of people trying to help her they drugged her and kept her isolated for the rest of her life. Paris saw her as a disgusting monster and kept her barely conscious. This took a huge toll on his life and has everything to do with why Aaron brought Juliette into the Reestablishment. Kenji Kishimoto is a close runner up to my favorite characters in the series because of his funny and happy personality. He always knows how to bring other people up when they're in a bad mood and never fails to put a smile on their face. When the mood in the story is depressing or the characters are feeling discouraged he always gives hope to the people around him. However, just like most of the characters in this series he's been through a lot of hardships in life especially as a child. Kenji suffered through racism towards his whole family because he was Japanese and eventually got taken away from his family. Fortunately, Castle found Kenji on the streets, saved him and brought him to Omega Point. Omega point is a hidden underground base created by Castle to be a place for people with abilities similar to Juliette to gather and plan a rebellion against the Reestablishment. Juliette Ferrars is another one of my favorite characters and might even have a character development as big as Aaron Warners. Juliette has been through a lot in her life and had to go through so much to finally have confidence in who she is. She's always basically been scared of living her life to the fullest because of her powers but eventually she gains a lot of confidence and becomes fierce, impressive and powerful in society. When Juliette was in middle school she had the most traumatic and unforgettable day of her life. Juliette was in the grocery store and noticed a baby struggling on the ground while the baby's parents weren't paying attention. Juliette being the kind and compassionate person she is, tried to help the baby and pick him up. Unfortunately that was the start of her powers and the baby ended up dying. She was soon sent to an asylum for 264 days. The conditions were very harsh and Juliette did not get proper care at all there. The only thing keeping her small percentage of sanity alive was the notebook and pen she had. Juliette wrote in her journal every day and it helped her cope with her emotions. Aaron Warner was very interested and curious about Juliette and studied her almost every day through cameras. One of the days he watched her, he listened to her count to 4,572 just to finally hear her voice. Aaron decided to send one of his soldiers named Adam Kent to be her “roommate” for a short period of time to help learn more about her. Adam is a very complicated character and was one of the most liked in the beginning of the series. Quickly, he changed and became more and more bad tempered throughout the story causing pain to the other characters. He has a very similar backstory to Aaron Warner because they share the same father. They both don’t know about this until later in the series because even though they are half siblings, they didn't live together or know about each other. Paris abandoned Adam and his little brother James when they were kids but he never fully left. Sometimes Paris would come back, usually drunk and take out his anger on them.
Here are some of my favorite quotes from each character:
Aaron Warner: “You’re my greatest fear and my greatest hope.”
“I’m not afraid of your demons.”
“Life is not measured by what you have. It's measured by what you give.”
“Only those who cannot express themselves intelligently would resort to such crude substitutions in vocabulary.”
“To the world, she is formidable. To me? She is the world.”
“My heart is yours, please don't ever give it back.”
“I would happily watch the world go up in flames if anything happened to her.”
“I grieve nothing. I take everything.”
Juliette Ferrars: “I am no longer afraid of fear, and I will not let it rule me. Fear will learn to fear me.”
“For so many years I lived in constant terror of myself. Doubt had married my fear and moved into my mind, where it built castles and ruled kingdoms and reigned over me, bowing my will to its whispers until I was little more than an acquiescing peon, too terrified to disobey, too terrified to disagree. I had been shackled, a prisoner in my own mind.But finally, finally, I have learned to break free.”
“I lived in a really dark place. I wasn't safe in my own mind. I woke up every morning hoping to die and then spent the rest of the day wondering if maybe I was already dead because I couldn't even tell the difference.”
Kenji Kishimoto:
“Tangled is not a cartoon. Tangled is one of the greatest movies of all time. It's about fighting for freedom and true love.”
Adam Kent:(Actually I don't like anything that he’s ever said.)
Conflict: Here are the three major conflicts in Shatter Me:
Person vs. self: Juliette’s internal struggle with her lethal touch and wanting for freedom.
Person vs. Person: Juliette and Warner fighting and disagreeing for most of the first book is one of the biggest conflicts in the story. When Warner took Juliette from the asylum and brought her to sector 45, he thought she would be happy that she finally could leave, but it was quite the opposite. She was upset that Warner was trying to use her as a weapon for the Reestablishment. Warner didn't see a problem with it and he didn't even act like she was a “monster”. He even bought her dresses before she came and gave her a separate luxurious room. The first night of Juliette's stay a dress was laid out for her but she refused to wear it and stayed in her dirty clothes from the asylum to spite him. This is when their bantering started and it only got worse from there.Warner made Juliette touch one of his soldiers and watch him die when Juliette wasn't cooperating with his demands and also put her in a simulation where there is a baby on the ground and big spikes are coming up from it. She basically has to choose if the baby will die from her touching him or from the spikes making Juliette relive her trauma. This set off something in her and she broke down a strong metal wall that separated the simulation from Warner and the soldiers. She was angry and enraged causing her to start choking him which was very surprising because she was always considered as timid and scared. The soldiers held their guns at her but surprisingly Warner told them to back down and threatened them if they dared to shoot at her. Their relationship developed and turned into a one of romance during the end of the second book and there forward.
Person vs Society: This is a major problem in the series and is the reason for the whole plot. People living in sector 45 have been mistreated and neglected. The Reestablishment treats people like robots and they destroyed almost everything that brought them joy including books, and ruining the environment.
It is really confusing to know which order to read all of the books so this is your guide:
1. Shatter Me
1. 5.Destroy Me
2. Unravel Me
2.5. Fracture Me
3. Ignite Me
4. Restore Me
4.5. Shadow Me
5. Defy Me
5.5. Reveal Me
6. Imagine Me
6.5. Believe Me
You might be thinking that this is a lot of books, and you're right but the books that are between 2 whole numbers are novellas. You technically don't have to read the novellas to understand the story but I recommend reading them because they help you learn more about the characters.
This is my ranking for my top 3 favorite books in the series:
#1: Ignite Me
Ignite me is my all time favorite book in the series and of all time. This book is filled with romance, friendship and action. I've must have read this book about 25 times already and if you're feeling like you're bored or starting to not like the series from book 1 you will definitely change your mind when you get up to this one. This is also the most fast paced book and I promise you won't have one moment of boredom while reading this.
#2: Unravel Me
Unravel me is my second favorite in the series and is the second book in the series. This book is a little slow in the beginning but once you get halfway through you will be hooked. The character development in this book was insanely good and the writing was phenomenal. This is the book when I knew Aaron Warner was going to be my favorite character and there were so many memorable moments and scenes.
#3: Restore Me
Restore Me is my third favorite book and is the 4th book in the series. This book is probably the most emotional and so much happened. This book is full of plot twists and chaotic events.
In conclusion, Shatter Me is the most remarkable series and reading it will change your life forever just like it did mine. This is a 5/5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ series.
Fourth Wing Book Review
by Caitlin Cepregi
Do you like reading books about dragons, romance, and danger? Then Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros is a book you should read! Fourth Wing is about a young woman named Violet Sorrengail, who is sent to attend Basgiath War College to become a dragon rider. Originally, Violet believed she would become a scribe, like her father who passed away. However, her mother, a high-ranking war general in the kingdom of Navarre, demanded Violet become a Rider like her siblings had been. Violet is determined to join the ranks of Navarre’s elite dragon riders, but factors like her small size and fragile health (caused by a chronic illness), her chances of surviving through her first year are very slim. Dragons refuse to bond to “fragile” humans, and more often than not are burned to a crisp instead. Not only must Violet worry about being incinerated by the dragons, but also being killed by her fellow classmates, who would kill her for lowering their chances of bonding to a dragon. Some may even try to kill her for simply being the daughter of a Navarrian general, as many students are children of people who fought against the kingdom in an uprising. Worst of all is Xaden Riorson, the son of the uprising’s leader, who will stop at nothing to eliminate Violet. And beyond the college, barriers that protect Navarre from attackers are failing, attacks along the border have increased, and Violet suspects that a dark secret is being kept from the people of Navarre. The story does include mature themes (violence, language, sex scenes), and is meant for 18 year olds. If you plan on reading it, you can skip the inappropriate bits ( Chapters 30 and 32) since they aren’t very crucial to the rest of the story. Make sure an adult lets you read it first and happy reading!
Some Top Read Books of 2024
by Abigail Somers
The Enigma Girls by Candace Flemming (adventure)
The Enigma Girls by Candace Fleming is a non-fiction book that tells the story of ten teenage girls who worked as codebreakers at Bletchley Park during World War II, playing a crucial role in cracking the Nazi Enigma codes by deciphering encrypted messages, thus significantly aiding the Allied forces in their victory against the Axis powers; the book highlights the girls' secret work, the challenges they faced, and the personal impact of their contributions to the war effort while maintaining secrecy throughout their service.
The Night War by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (suspenseful adventure)
The Night War by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley tells the story of 12-year-old Miri, a Jewish girl who must hide her identity and escape Nazi-occupied Paris during World War II, taking on the dangerous task of rescuing a baby neighbor while navigating the perilous landscape of a Catholic boarding school near the Château de Chenonceau, where she must use the castle's bridge spanning the river to move between occupied and free zones to find safety and potentially reunite with her lost family; the story highlights Miri's courage and resilience as she faces the complexities of her situation while relying on the help of nuns who are secretly aiding Jewish escapees.
Wish You Weren't Here by Erin Baldwin (Romance)
Juliette doesn’t hate Priya Pendley. At least, not in the way teen movies say she should hate the popular girl. They don’t do cat fights, love triangles, or betrayal. To survive their intertwined small town lives, they’ve agreed to a truce. They complete group projects without fighting, never gossip to mutual friends, and stand on opposite sides of photos so it’s easy to crop each other out.
Priya seems to have everything during the school year—social media stardom, the handsome track captain boyfriend, and millions of adoring fans—and Juliette is at peace with that. Because Juliette has the summer, and the one place she never feels like “too much.” Fogridge Sleepaway Camp.
But her hopes for a few Priya-free weeks are shattered when her rival shows up at Fogridge on move-in day… as her cabinmate, no less. Juliette is determined to enjoy her final summer, even if it means tolerating her childhood rival, but everything that can go wrong, does. If Juliette can’t find something to like about her situation—and about Priya—she risks hating the only home she’s ever had, right before she says goodbye to it forever.
Cobra Kai Review
by Mia Cespites
Are you a Cobra Kai fan? Or do you want to start getting into Cobra Kai? If you come along and read this, it will discuss the summary of all the seasons and the interesting things about Cobra Kai. Cobra Kai takes on many views in each episode, but each one looks into success, rivalry, honor and worthiness. It first went back to Karate Kid with Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence. But in Cobra Kai we see that Daniel has a son and a daughter, and Johnny has a son. Johnny also in season 1 begins to teach Miguel Diaz Cobra Kai, which brings them closer and in the final seasons their bond is so tight, they are a Father/Son duo! In Cobra Kai these three new characters of a new generation, show themselves worthy of being just as gifted as their mentors.
With them, it helped flip the shows facing all the challenges and made it have so many interesting and detailed plots. Every season of Cobra Kai has had incredible reviews, including season 3 earning an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series. Cobra Kai first starts off with season 1 with not much flashbacks or mentions of Karate Kid, or try to target the group of people who grew up on the OG movies, etc. Including, it didn't have to have the watcher have any knowledge about the past of the characters. This was a great idea, because it allowed the viewer to start watching it and be like “ Okay this is a really good show, I wish I knew more to it” which would get them to watch the movies and really invest themselves into the show, and make them get excited for the next season. Rather than sticking with the past, the first season starts off with some guy who was on top in highschool, but now is trying to find a new meaning in his life. Johnny alone is a very strong character towards the plots. Him losing to Daniel, back in the 80’s caused him not to move on in life and made him almost stuck in the past. With the first season mainly focusing on Johnny, it made this season very connected to the viewers. As well as, proving that legacy sequels can take a whole different turn from where they started and still be successful. A very great point of Cobra Kai in season two was how it balanced between the teenagers life, and the adults by creating drama on both sides. When Daniel decided to open Miyagi- Do as opposed to Cobra Kai with Johnny leading it at the moment, and Miyagi- Do’s first two students being Samantha ( Daniel's daughter) and Robby ( Johnny's son). This created a lot of tension between the rivalry of Johnny and Daniel, and how the teenagers now have to decide which of the sensei’s they have to follow. Especially when Kreese comes back to Cobra Kai to help Johnny. Kreese seems like a huge threat, but in the season he also shows how much he cares about johnny. Which also reveals that Johnny is his weakness. The ending of season 2 was devastating and left viewers worried for the next season. Season 3 made the series go in a more grown direction rather than Season 2. Season 3 shows how there are consequences to only focusing your life on Cobra Kai as seen with Miguel's hardworking recovery. His recovery is not only physically as he also develops as a character and fixes up his ego. Of course, Johnny wished he never brought back Kreese. At the final catastrophe, Johnny and Daniel finally decide to work against Kreese, it's almost relieving to see that they finally make rights for their rivalry that started when they were so young. Cobra Kai has been becoming intensely unreal as the outcome of problems skyrocket each season. However, Season 4 goes even more. With bringing back Kreese's former partner Terry Silver. At the beginning of the season Sliver wanted nothing to do with Cobra Kai because he was perfect where he was. But he had a need to get back into karate, and by the end he was all in for Cobra Kai and became a very competitive threat to Johnny and Daniel. As Johnny and Daniel tried to merge styles it eventually caused them to split up. Drama between Tory and Sam intensifies and leads to more karate fights. Season 5 allows Cobra Kai to regain focus on its priorities in the aftermath of Cobra Kais win. Daniel and Johnny are both in a real life crisis, where the Larusso's start to lose faith in his commitment, and Johnny is on an adventure to get Robby and Miguel to become friendly after everything they went through. This shows both characters strengths and puts to the test on how the show can stay interesting without the karate rivalry. Season 5 has great symmetry of the adult and teens drama, with Jonny linking. Even though there is more focus on the adult characters, this makes sense due to the teens becoming more mature. This season also shows a huge character development improvement in Samantha by teaching her dad a lesson by combining the skills she has learned from both of the dojos. Ending with the final season, the Miyagi students try to put away rivalries and focus on getting ready for the Sekai Tekai. Where Kreese is on a mission to prove his loyalty to his sensei. Since Sam and Tory finally get along, Johnny attempts to bring back their fight. Daniel finds out things from Mr. Miyagi that he never knew, which causes him to become off balance. With the Sekai Tekai being close, a betrayal of a friend shakes up Miyagi Do’s game. Including Daniel not having full focus on the dojo. The Sekai Tekai is going good with Miyagi do, until a sucker-punch in the semifinals starts a fight to end everything, which comes with a devastating death. With this, the sekai tekai is on hold for now, while Robby and Sam try to prepare for their challenges they will face. Drama rises as the fight goes on, however one final surprise completely changes course for the end. In the end of the show all the loose ties get tied and everyone has a future made just for them. Cobra Kai was definitely an eventful show with many ups and downs, but in the end everything worked out. I hope you enjoyed this review!!
Why You Should Watch Gossip Girl
by Eleni Diakoumakis
Gossip Girl is a cultural phenomenon that captivated audiences with its glamorous portrayal of New York City's elite. Originally a book series by Cecily von Ziegesar, it was adapted into a television series by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. The show aired from 2007 to 2012. The show unfolds in the rich Upper East Side of Manhattan and follows the lives of privileged teenagers, whose secrets and scandals are exposed by an anonymous blogger known only as Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl is one of the best shows on Netflix, for many reasons. It can entertain different age groups and is so captivating that you can’t stop watching.
In its essence, Gossip Girl is more than just a drama about high society; it is a reflection on humans, exploring universal themes of love, betrayal, and redemption. It shows audiences the nature of truth and the impact of gossip, all while delivering a binge worthy series filled with twists and turns. All in all, "Gossip Girl" promises an engaging and addictive viewing experience.
Places to Go for Brunch
by Gioia Brown
Are you looking for a place to go to brunch? I have some great ideas for you!
Big Daddy's
One really good place to go is Big Daddy's. Cajun items such as gumbo and blackened gator but also classics with a southern twist like omelette jambalaya virus care pork and waffles. Don’t forget to add a side of biscuits and gravy! If you're not feeling adventurous they also have a kids menu. To make brunch even better there’s live music. Feel like you’re in N'awlins while listening to some jazz and blues while noshing on some delish grub from Big Daddy’s. Here is the menu Big Daddy's menu.
Brownstones
Another place is Brownstones. Classic breakfast and brunch spot with a Brooklyn themed decor. There’s a reason for a wait on the weekends! Great food with so many amazing options of eggs, pancakes, waffles and french toast that everyone will be happy with. They have amazing hot chocolate and lattes too! Here is the menu Brownstones menu.
Whiskey Down Diner
Also a great place to go is Whiskey Down Diner. Get here and check in. If there's a wait, take a walk and check out the shops. You will not regret the wait! Everything is delicious. They have all day breakfast so don’t worry if you feel like a stack of pancakes for dinner. If you also want, they have ramen too! From classics to desserts you will have trouble deciding on. They also have a great outdoor patio outside when the weather is warming up. Here is the menu Whiskey Down Diner Menu.
American Beauty Bistro
The last place is American Beauty. From french toast to notorious eggs to maple burgers this place has a decent option for all. Quality and cozy with children menu. As well as mocktails! I honestly think that is really cool.Also check for live music. The weather is nice outside too as for outdoor sitting. Here is the menu American Beauty menu . Also here is their story ‘American Beauty was born from the hearts and imaginations of two people that love all things culinary. "Date Night" was and still is something sacred to them. Centering a restaurant that held their vision and values seemed to be a natural endeavor.
American Beauty encompasses all things beautiful in the eyes of the design visionary. Maria Pallotta, owner & operator, has always had a fond appreciation in the beauty of the pinup girl. She describes on the website: "Their femininity & dauntless demeanor inspired the bold yet delicate touches set within each corner of this quaint bistro. The food & drinks work hand in hand to tantalize all senses and keep you wanting more. American Beauty sets out to open your minds and taste buds, paying close attention to detail and using only the finest ingredients. Service at American Beauty sets a standard that we keep building upon. We want each culinary experience to be better than the last.
We value your dining experience."
In conclusion, this article highlights some of the top brunch that cater to a variety of tastes. Wherever one person might like might be different for someone else so I hope these places fill your stomach and you love it with your family or friends! Also all of these places are located on Long Island.
Pickles vs. Cucumbers
by Jocelyn Blaesi
On the planet of Claussen, two groups were at war: the Pickles and the Cucumbers. The Cucumbers had always ruled, thinking they were better because they were fresh and crisp. But the Pickles were tired of being seen as lesser. Led by General Dill, they decided to fight back and take control of the planet once and for all.
The Cucumbers were fast and had numbers on their side, but the Pickles were tough and had a secret weapon, vinegar cannons. When the cannons fired, Cucumbers were hit with sour liquid, slowly turning them into Pickles. The Cucumbers panicked as more and more of them changed, realizing they were losing the war.
In the end, only their leader, King Crispian was left. The Pickles captured him and took him to the Vinegar Volcano, the most dangerous place on Claussen. General Dill stood over him and said, “Your time is up!” Before the king could escape, the Pickles pushed him into the bubbling vinegar, and he disappeared forever.
With the Cucumbers gone, the Pickles ruled Claussen. They were no longer seen as weak or less important. Now, the whole planet belonged to them, and their victory would be remembered for generations. Claussen would always be a place ruled by Pickles, surrounded by the smell of vinegar and triumph.
Matcha Girl : A Short Story about First Love
by Ryder Domina
Introduction
Jessica is a young adult who is on a vacation with her friends in Montauk, NY. The problem is, she’s not really feeling her best self. But when she bumps into a handsome young man, her day changes.
“Jess, you coming?” Amy was asking me if I wanted to come check out this coffee shop with her that had recently opened up in town. I was sitting in my beach chair, watching the waves crash delicately onto the shore, trying to enjoy my vacation in Montauk while it lasted. But I can never seem to get a break. “Yeah,” I said. “Do they have any matcha lattes?” “Maybe,” Amy replied, “you’ll just have to wait and see.” I pulled on a pair of black Nike shorts over my bathing suit and got up from my beach chair. Then we both walked through the sand, exiting the beach and heading into town to get to the coffee shop. Amy and I were good friends, even though we didn’t see each other often. This was our last day of vacation with our other friends. Montauk was fun, and it’s not everyday we can get together like this.
Matcha lattes became my go-to beverage. I first tried a matcha latte when I was about twelve years old at another coffee shop that was close to my house. I grew fond of it, and matcha lattes became one of my favorite drinks. I get one when at a coffee shop, and sometimes a restaurant if they have it on the drink menu. Amy and I walked in. There were people sitting at tables, typing on computers, drinking coffee, and talking to their friends. We went to the counter and Amy ordered an iced macchiato. I ordered a matcha latte after seeing they had them on the menu and we both sat down at the coffee bar. Amy got our order and just when I was going to take a sip of my matcha latte, I had to use the bathroom.
I got up from my seat and asked the barista where it was, and she pointed to the back of the coffee shop. I walked to the bathroom, but I accidentally bumped into someone who was just coming out. “Sorry,” I muttered. “It’s fine,” he replied. I looked at him quickly and got a glimpse of his looks. He had hair the color of Amy’s iced macchiato. And green eyes. He walked back to his table and did a small grin at me for a second. But then he turned and sat down. I headed into the bathroom and after I finished, I went back to the coffee bar, put honey and agave in my matcha latte, started drinking it, and chatted with Amy. I tried to focus on what Amy was saying, but weirdly, I kept finding myself staring at the guy I bumped into. He didn’t notice, luckily. His fluffy iced macchiato colored hair and boisterous green eyes distracted me from the conversation. He was just kind of fascinating to look at, which is a bit silly. Eventually, Amy and I finished our drinks and left. We went back to the beach.
When we got back, I plopped onto my beach chair next to Amy's. She was talking to someone on the phone, and I was trying to relax again. But I couldn’t. The temperature was rising and I started to feel really hot. I put a dollop of sunscreen in my hand and rubbed it across my body. I knew I needed to cool off, so I decided to go into the ocean. I took off my shorts, revealing my hot pink bikini that I always wore in the summer. I ran in and started to swim past the white water. The waves were pretty giant today. But before I knew it, the waves were crashing onto me! I ducked underwater as waves came crashing down and tried to swim back to shore. But the current was really strong. I started to swallow large gulps of water. My feet couldn’t touch the bottom. I was panicking and didn’t know what to do! I was caught in a rip current.
I started to yell: “Help! Help!” Amy noticed and hung up from the phone immediately. “Jess!”, she shouted, “it’s okay! Don’t panic!” I was struggling to get out of the ocean, and Amy ran to the water. But before she even put a foot in, a young man saw I was having trouble and swam directly over to where I was. I couldn’t see him too clearly; a couple hair strands were covering my eyes. He grabbed my hand and said in a familiar voice, “It’s ok. I’m here to help you. We have to swim parallel. Come on.” “Got it,” I gasped in between breaths. We started to swim parallel and ducked underwater as giant waves came crashing down. I was nervous! But I tried my best to keep cool.
We soon got to shore. Both of us were shaking and soaking wet. I pushed the hair strands covering my eyes to the side and the guy who saved me smiled. I started to recognize him. It was the guy I bumped into at the coffee shop! His iced macchiato hair swayed in the gentle breeze. And he looked at me with his green eyes. What a coincidence! “A..are you the guy from the coffee shop?..”, I asked. He chuckled. “Yeah.” I was stumbling over my words: “Th..thank you f..for saving me.” “No problem,” he said, “it happens.” Amy walked over to where we were, her feet sinking into the wet sand as she took a step. “Jess, are you okay!?”, she asked. She looked very worried. “Yeah,” I said, “this nice man saved me.” “I presume you’re her friend?,” he asked. “I am,” Amy said, “thank you,..?” “Adam,” he answered. “I’m Jessica, but my friends call me Jess,” I added. I finally felt relaxed. The sun was shining. The ocean calmed down, the waves once again delicately crashing onto the shore. Everything was gonna be alright. I grinned at Adam. He grinned right back at me. He then asked me, “So..random question…do you like matcha lattes?”
The End.
Thanks for reading! This was my first short story! I hope you liked it!
Halloween Part 2
by Bridget Feola
11/1/25 SATURDAY 8:21 AM Leo
Leo stood still for a moment. He didn’t know what was going on. Another loud crash happened and a chair fell off the large pile he had made to block the door. “Oh shoot…” Leo quickly got up and went to put the chair back up and pushed the pile against the door. Then the entire pile fell over. Leo quickly pushed his own body against the door, hoping maybe he could stop whoever was on the other side. Will had apparently gotten up. “What- What’s happening? What are you doing?” There was a hint of panic in his voice. “There's something outside this door. It doesn't sound human, and it's trying to break the door down. I have no clue what to do!” Leo was still desperately trying to keep the door shut. The loud bangs kept getting fast. Whoever may be on the other side was desperately trying to get in. “Can you hear anything outside?” Will asked, getting up and also holding the door. “It sounds like…very faint cries? And…zombies….” Leo said. “Does that mean…?” Will sounded like he didn't want to say it, but Leo knew what he meant. “Probably…but let's not worry about that right now! We have to make sure we don't DIE by letting these zombies in!” Leo suddenly had an idea. “Will. This is going to sound absolutely insane, but you’re going to have to trust me.” Will didn't look so convinced. “You need to grab one of those chair legs, give me one, and get another one for yourself.” Will looked like he knew what Leo was talking about now. “Are- Are you crazy?! We can't fight them!” Will looked scared again. “Will, you need to just trust me.” Leo was trying to act calm, but he was also scared. There was another loud crash. That one scared Will into grabbing the chair legs. He tossed one over the Leo. Moment of truth… Leo quickly opened the door. There was only one zombie outside. It had no legs. Leo makes a sigh of relief and takes the chair leg and stabs it right into the zombie’s head. Leo guessed that it had been the Zombie’s head that was banging into the door. The zombie went still after a moment. Leo closed the door. He grabbed one of the desks that had fallen and placed it in front of the door. He stacked the chairs back up, while Will just stood in shock, very concerned that Leo had just done that. “Yeah…no I'm going back to sleep.” Will sat back down in his chair. After a few minutes of complete silence, Will opened his eyes. “So uh…I can't fall asleep.” Will said awkwardly. Leo laughed. “I guessed as much.” There were a few more minutes of silence. That was certainly…a terrifying experience…I didn't even think I could do anything actually like that. Leo sighed. “I'm…gonna try to fall asleep now.” “Well good luck.” Will said. “I wasn't even the one who just did that and I couldn't sleep.” Leo laid down and closed his eyes. He tried to pretend the quiet was nice. But it wasn't. He usually likes the quiet, but this time, it's so horribly silent he’d do anything for just a bit of noise. He didn't move. He just let himself fall asleep.
11/2/25 SUNDAY 11:43 AM Will
Will was tired. He hadn't slept at all. Leo on the other hand, had slept all day yesterday, and slept until now, almost at 12 PM. Will debated waking Leo up. He can’t sleep forever…eh i'll wake him up. Will got up. He somehow was not tired at all. He wobbled a bit, and walked over to Leo. I…do not know how to wake people up. He poked Leo’s shoulder. Is he…dead or something? That wouldn't be very good. He poked Leo again. Leo slowly opened his eyes. “Eh? How long has it been?” Leo still sounded half asleep. “It's been over 24 hours. You can't sleep ‘til Tuesday.” Will poked him again. Leo shot up, nearly knocking over Will. “24 hours?! Why did you let me sleep that long?!” Will shrugged. “Why not? You looked like you needed the sleep.” Leo facepalmed. “You want some chips?” Will offered. “Yes. I am literally starving right now.” Will walked over to the vending machine and punched it until the glass shattered. “Gosh! You don't need to break it!” Leo looked a little shocked. “I don't have any money, how else would you suggest I get this stuff out of here?” Will made an unimpressed look. “I don't know? But the teachers will probably still use this after we get out of here.” Leo looked at Will, frowning. “Well I think our lives are more important than teachers getting snacks.” Will tossed a bag of chips over to Leo. Leo ate the entire bag of chips in less than 2 minutes. Leo looked like he was still kind of hungry, but he didn't want to say anything. Will gave him a look and tossed him two more bags of chips. Leo looked surprised. “I don't- I don't need 2 bags of chips…?” “Yes you do. Eat the other one later if you don't want it now.” Will gave him a look. Leo opened one of his bags of chips. He seemed to be trying to eat this one slower than before. “I still very much doubt getting so much sleep is good for you.” Leo seemed to just be trying to talk about anything at this point. Probably trying not to go insane trapped in a school full of zombies with some random guy he doesn't know. Will shrugged. “I don't know anything about sleep. Just forget about it, you're awake now so who cares.” Will spotted a few books on a shelf. “Do you think these could be something entertaining?” He grabbed them and showed them to Leo. Leo looked at them. “I'm not really a big reader…” He shrugged. “Well it's something. Instead of awkwardly talking we could just read or something.” Will shoved one of the books into Leo’s hands. Leo put it down. “YOU can read. I'm not going to.”
“Oh come on. Let me guess, English is your worst class?”
“Actually, History is my worst class.”
“History is my best class!”
“History is so boring though!”
Will picked up the book and threw it at Leo. Leo narrowly avoided getting smacked in the face.
“What was that for?”
“History is NOT boring.”
“It is! Don't people tell us to forget about the past? History class is literally the opposite of that. I don't care about all these important events that happened literally before I was born! Or any of these dead people! I don't know them!”
“But history teaches us about the historical events that led to how the world is today! Don't you wonder how some things were created?”
“That's exactly why I don't like history. We don't even know if it's correct! Are you sure that what you’re reading is true?”
“I don't really care if what I'm reading is true. As long as it's interesting.”
“But most of the time it isn't interesting.”
“Ha! You said most of the time. You admit that sometimes it is interesting”
“Yeah sure sometimes it's interesting.”
“Isn't this whole argument about how you didn't want to read a book?”
Silence followed for a moment.
“Oh yeah.”
Will was about to say something about how he really should read books, when he suddenly had a thought. I wonder if maybe we can figure out where the zombies came from… He was about to propose the idea, and there was a knock on the door. Silence followed. Will and Leo looked at each other.
To be continued...
