Chapter One
"Joaney!" called plum short Mrs. Trimble from the bottom of the staircase. "Time to get up!"
Joan Mary Trimble rolled over in her bed and groaned. She heard her mother footsteps come down the hall and a soft creak as her bedroom door was opened.
"Come now, a seventeen-year-old girl like yourself should be able to get up without her mothers help." Then seeing that Joan was awake said, "Hurry up and get dressed dear. Breakfast will be on the table in about half and hour. With that she left the room.
Joan grinned again as she pulled off her warm quilt to the chill of the October air. She shivered as she grabbed her bathrobe and walked over toward the bathroom.
Twenty minutes later she was running down the stairs in her school uniform with her shining auburn hair bouncing cheerfully behind her when
SMACK!
She ran straight into her best friend Joseph Dover. He was a tall and good-looking 16-year-old figure with a playful and boyish face. He got up quickly to help her.
"Are you alright?" He asked, smiling, as he reached out a hand to help her up.
"I'm okay." She answered blushing red. "What about you? Did I hurt you much when I pushed you down?"
"Not much." He replied jokingly. "I thought you would be done by now."
"Oh I just have to eat breakfast." Joan said, straightening her blue and white plaid skirt while she said this.
"I'll wait for you on the porch for you Joan." Joseph said. He picked up his bag and walked out the door.