Shaken Up by Alex Morgan

talk about polynomials and exponents, and then the next moment I heard her saying, very loudly, “Devin! Head up from your desk, please!”
    I started awake and heard some kids laughing.
    Oh no, I thought, mortified. I had fallen asleep in class!
    Cody looked at me, shaking his head and smiling. I wanted to dive under the desk! Thankfully, Mrs. Johnson didn’t make a big deal out of it and kept talking.
    There was no chance of me falling asleep in class after that, because I was so freaked out by what had happened that my adrenaline was pumping and my right foot wastapping on the floor. When the bell rang, Mrs. Johnson stopped me on the way out.
    â€œAre you feeling well, Devin?” she asked.
    â€œFine,” I replied. “Just didn’t get much sleep last night. Sorry about that.”
    She shook her head. “You kids, up all night texting your friends.”
    That wasn’t the reason, but I didn’t bother to explain. I just raced for my next class and promised myself I wouldn’t fall asleep again. Luckily, I was with seventh graders for the rest of my classes, so nobody knew what had happened—or so I thought.
    I was entering the cafeteria when Steven walked up to me. We hadn’t really talked in a few days, because he’d been walking Hailey to English class ever since her first day. So I was glad to see him.
    â€œHey, Devin,” he said. “Heard you had a nice nap in Mrs. Johnson’s class.”
    A couple of boys behind him heard and laughed. I knew he wasn’t being mean, just teasing me a little. But it hit me the wrong way. My eyes started welling up with tears.
    Steven noticed. “Don’t stress about it,” he said quickly. “Her voice could put anybody to sleep.”
    â€œThanks,” I said, and then I hurried away. Talk about mortifying! First falling asleep in class, and now practically crying in front of Steven! What was wrong with me?
    I sat down at the table next to Jessi, put down my lunchbag—and then I started to cry for real just as Zoe, Emma, and Frida walked up.
    â€œOh my gosh, Devin, what’s wrong?” Emma asked, sitting down next to me.
    â€œNothing,” I said. “Or maybe everything. I don’t know.”
    â€œIs it the soccer thing?” Jessi asked.
    â€œIt’s that, and so much more,” I said, and then everything came spilling out of me—my three cavities, not sleeping, losing my soccer mojo, and not being sure why Steven wasn’t talking to me so much anymore.
    â€œAnd then not only did I fall asleep in class, but when Steven asked me about it, I practically started sobbing all over him!” I said. “I’m a mess!”
    â€œPoor Devin!” Emma cried, reaching over to hug me.
    â€œGroup hug!” Zoe yelled, and everyone jumped up and gathered around, crushing me.
    â€œAll right! Calm down! We’re in the middle of the cafeteria!” I said, giggling, as the hug broke up and everyone sat down.
    â€œDev, I’m so sorry,” Jessi said. “You’re always so confident. Like, more confident than any of us. I had no idea you were feeling this way.”
    â€œIt’s because Devin keeps her feelings locked inside,” Frida said, putting her hand in front of her face. “Her confidence is a mask.”
    I groaned. “Really, Frida?”
    â€œI don’t think it’s a mask,” Zoe said. “Devin, you arereally confident. It’s just that now your confidence is shaken. So as your friends, we need to help you get it back.”
    â€œYeah, we’ll be the Devin Confidence Squad!” Emma said, high-fiving Zoe.
    I laughed. “So how, exactly, will you help me get my confidence back?”
    â€œI don’t know!” said Emma cheerfully. “But we’ll figure it out!”
    â€œWell, we can start by sticking together,” Zoe said. “Since we don’t have soccer practice today, I’ll