*Here is the prequel to Where I Belong. I hope that you like it*
The sun shines brightly in the sky on this beautiful Monday morning as I walk out of my house. The birds chirp as I make my way over to my neighbor Joe's house to pick him up before school. I walk to his back door and it's already open as his mom Patricia is cooking breakfast. "Good morning, Ms. Anoa'i," I say with a smile as I stand at the back door.
"Good morning, Teagan," she says with a warm smile. "Come in," she says inviting me in. I smile as I make my way into their back door taking in the smell of pancakes. "Are you hungry?" she asks.
"No," I say with a smile, "I just had some breakfast at my house."
"Okay, Tea," she says, "you look very beautiful today," she says as she looks at my first day of school outfit; a plaid skirt, navy blue knee high socks, a baby blue polo with our school's logo on it and a pair of black shoes with my blonde hair pulled into a low ponytail.
"Thank-you," I say with a smile. "Is Joe ready or do I have to wait a little?"
"He's up in his room, Tea, go ahead up," she says.
"Okay," I say with a smile. "Thank-you."
"You're welcome," she says with a friendly smile before I lay my bag down on the chair in their kitchen and make my way up the stairs to Joe's room.
I knock on the door before I enter the bedroom. "Come in," he says.
I walk into the bedroom and shut the door behind me. "Hey, Joe," I say with a smile.
"Hey," he says. "You're bright and early this morning," he says as he smiles at me as he throws on a baby blue polo matching the one I have on with his khaki pants. "Isn't it usually me that's stuck waiting for you?"
"It's the first day," I say taking a seat on his bed. "I'm excited."
"I see that," he says with a smile. "So what do you think? Do I look okay?"
I look him over admiring him in his baby blue polo and his khaki pants. He is not a sight for sore eyes. I could look at him every day but we're best friends. We don't have those feelings for each other but I cannot deny the fact I have the hottest best friend in the world. "Well," I say as I scrunch up my nose, "I think your khakis are too tight but I think you look okay other than that."
"Just okay?" he asks with a smile. "Come on, Tea, I need more than an okay."
"What look are you going for exactly?" I ask, "I mean you're going to look like every other boy that walks into that school. Uniformity at its best," I say with a smile.
"But I can make this uniform look good," he says with a smile as he puts on his cross necklace. "I mean come on, Tea. You know me."
"Yeah I know you," I say with a smile. "You look good," I say, "now are you ready to go?"
"Why are you in such a rush?" he asks getting into his closet to get out his shoes.
"It's the first day. I'm always excited the first week of school then the excitement dies down and I dread every minute of it but I think this is going to be the best school year ever!"
"Why do you think that?" he asks tying his shoes.
"Because we're sophomores, we get driver's ed, we get our license this year that's why."
"True," he says. "I can't wait to have my license. I can drive whenever and wherever I want."
"Freedom," I say with a smile. "So how is the football team looking this season?"
"Pretty good," he says, "are you still doing your cheerleading thing?"
"Joe, I wanted to cheerlead but I didn't make the team. Some bitchy girl made the team."
"Some bitchy girl?" he asks as he grabs his backpack. "Why is she so bitchy?"
"I don't know because she never came to this school before. She transferred to our school from another private school. She just had a better than thou attitude. She was horrible. I hope to never see her again."
"Bitter much?" he asks as he helps me up off his bed.
"I'm not bitter," I say, "I just didn't like her attitude."
"Fair enough," he says, "I still think it would have been awesome if you were a cheerleader and I was football player. That would be so much fun. We could travel to different games together and you could cheer me on from the sidelines or you could join our team and forget those bitches."
"A girl on the high school football team? I don't think that's going to fly. But I always cheer you on from the sidelines."
"Yes you do," he says with a smile before we make our way downstairs to the kitchen where he grabs something quick for breakfast and ignoring his mom's pancakes. She tells us to have a good day as Joe grabs a bottle of orange juice from the fridge before we walk out the back door and make our way to school.
"You know your mom made you pancakes for breakfast," I say as he eats a banana on the way to school.
"No time for pancakes today," he says with a shrug. "Do you want a bite?" he asks offering me a bite of his banana.
"No," I say with a smile. "So we're in homeroom together and our first period class is American Government. What classes are you taking this year?"
"Gym, Driver's ed, tech ed, 10th grade college English, Algebra 2, Chemistry and then I have study hall and lunch. What about you?"
"Gym, driver's ed, child growth and development, 10th grade AP English, Algebra 2 and Chemistry, when do you have math and chem?"
"Math I have 2nd period and chem is 7th period. How did you get stuck in Child Growth and Development?"
"I have no idea. I didn't pick it," I say. "Why do I need Child Growth and Development? I don't plan to have any kids until I'm a CEO somewhere then I'll have kids. It's all about career first, family second," I say.
"That's what I'm talking about," he says with a smile. "When do you have lunch?"
"5th period you?"
"5th period," he says making me smile. "At least we have lunch together too. What about study hall?"
"8th period, you?"
"Same," he says making me smile even more. "So we get to see each other more than we thought."
"Yeah," I say with a smile as I see our Catholic school in our view. "I guess we're almost there."
"Yeah," he says. "By the way you look pretty today."
"Thank-you," I say with a smile as I feel my cheeks heat.
We continue walking to school and the closer we get the more I feel that first day excitement. It has been a while since Joe and I had any classes together. I think the last time was in middle school so I can't complain about this year. I like hanging out with Joe. He is one of my best friends. My family moved to Pensacola when I was in 3rd grade next to Joe's parents'. Joe instantly became my best friend. We played together every day, we were inseparable. Most boys and most girls at the age of 8 wouldn't be caught playing together but Joe and I didn't mind. We would spend most of our time playing football together with his cousins Jimmy and Jey. Joe was hesitant at first to let me play with them but when he saw how fast I was and how well I could play he changed his mind. We have watched countless football games together, played numerous football games together and so much other stuff. He knows me better than anyone else in this world just like I know him better than anyone else. We grew up together and hopefully we'll be friends forever.
When we get to school we walk to our homeroom class together. We walk into the classroom and greet a couple of our friends before we take two desks in the back of the room next to each other. "Can I just tell you how much I hate history?" asks Joe.
"Probably as much as me," I say with a smile.
"It's horrible and for this to be our first class I hope I don't fall asleep."
"I hear you," I say with a smile as our teacher comes into the room carrying papers in her arms. "Great," I say, "Ms. Gossling she is horrible."
"I heard she is tough," says Joe. "She gives an hour's worth of homework every night. I can't do that. I heard that she kicked someone out of her class last year because they were caught chewing gum."
"Really? I heard she smacked someone with a ruler because they didn't know the Gettysburg Address. I don't know, Joe."
"Me either," he says as whispers are heard throughout the room as Ms. Gossling looks at us over her glasses after putting the stack of papers down.
The bell rings to start the day and she says, "Everyone take a seat but don't get comfortable. I will be moving you shortly."
"Great," I say under my breath.
We stand to say the pledge of allegiance after we listen to the national anthem and then we say our morning prayer before Ms. Gossling has us take our seats. "Welcome Back," she says in a grumbling voice. "I hope you are prepared to know the American Government like the back of your hand. In this class you will know more about the government than most politicians," she says. "I am Ms. Gossling, I have been teaching here for 15 years," she says, "and I take Government very seriously after all without a government where would be today? WE would have no rules, we would have nothing if it wasn't for the government. You may not realize it now but the government is more important to us than anything," she says and I'm already bored as Joe taps me on the shoulder to show me a picture he drew of her. I let out a little laugh and her eyes dart back to me. "Is there something funny Ms.. what is your name?"
"Teagan Madison," I say.
"Teagan, is there something funny?"
"No, Ma'am," I say as I nudge Joe for laughing into his elbow.
"I didn't think so. I don't like troublemakers. Don't start trouble in my class."
"Okay, Ma'am," I say. "I won't cause trouble."
"I should hope not," she says, "now I would like to take attendance and then we will move seats." She pulls out a piece of paper and looks over it. "Le.. Le..Anoa'i," she says.
Joe raises his hand, "It's Leati and I prefer to be called Joe," he says.
"We don't do nicknames in this classroom Mr. Anoa'i."
"Okay," he says with a shrug, "but I'm present."
"Wonderful," she says as she continues through the attendance as the sound of heels comes into the classroom.
My stomach turns as I look up and see the girl from the cheerleading squad, the one that took my spot and the one that was evil. She comes in with her dark curly hair pulled up into a ponytail, her plaid skirt rolled at the waist, a white blouse with a blue sweater vest over it and her navy blue knee highs on with a pair of heels. "I'm sorry I'm late," she says getting everyone's attention.
"Whoa," says Joe. "She is wow."
"That's the girl I was talking about," I say. "That's the girl from the cheerleading squad."
"How can she be a bitch? She is hot," he says as he clears his throat.
"Joe," I say as I elbow him. "She's a bitch. Stay away from her."
"Come on, Tea," he says, "She can't be that bad."
"Yeah that's what you think," I say.
"And you would be?" asks Ms. Gossling.
"My name is Gina Rodriguez," she says.
"Ah yes, Ms. Rodriguez," she says, " I don't appreciate late arrivals to class if this happens after today you can spend the period in the principal's office. Am I clear?"
"Yes, Ma'am," she says with a smile as I watch the eyes of every guy follow her as she finds a seat. She smiles as she makes her way back to where Joe and I are. She takes a seat at the empty desk in front of Joe, turns around and smiles at him. "Hey," she says.
"Hey," he says.
"I'm Gina."
"I'm Joe," he says before they shake hands. "So you're new," he says.
"Yes," she says. "I'm new here. I haven't quite found my way around yet. Maybe you could help me."
"He actually can't help you," I say.
"And you are?" she asks.
"My name is Teagan."
"Oh yes, I remember you from the cheerleading tryouts," she says. "I'm sorry you didn't make the team."
"I bet," I say, "you weren't sorry that you knocked me over during the routine."
"I'm sorry sometimes I just get a little clumsy. I didn't mean to."
"Right," I say as I glare at her.
"Anyway, Joe," she says. "Do you think you could show me around?"
"Actually," he says as he looks at me then back at her. "I don't think I can. I'm sorry."
"Oh," she says, "it would have been nice to have someone show me around."
"They have certain students to do that," I say, "you just have to talk to a guidance counselor. Then they can set you up."
"I'll find my way," she says before Ms. Gossling makes us get up and puts us in our seats in alphabetical order separating me from Joe but not keeping me far enough from Gina. I don't know what it is about Gina but I just don't like her. She seems to be fake and for whatever reason she seems to have some attraction to my best friend and he seems to have one to her. I'm not jealous by any means but I love Joe and I don't want to see him get hurt. I can see Gina hurting him. He can date whomever he wants but just NOT her.
*A/N: What do you think of JOe's and Teagan's friendship? Do they seem like they are close? What did you think of Gina is she as bad as Teagan makes her out to be? Do you think it's all jealousy from Teagan? Do you think this story is a keeper? Please review and thank-you for reading.