Chapter 3: "Where Am I?"
I woke up excited, I couldn't wait to go back to school and see that Jess kid again. I can't help but think that I'm just getting my hopes up for something that will never happen. I put on my usual colorful outfit, with my arm warmers and converse. After dressing I go downstairs and pass my mom and dad in their office writing their book. Part of the reason I didn't mind moving so much, was that I knew I'd get to spend time with my parents while we moved. They're always so busy with writing, they almost have no time for me. As usual, I went down to the kitchen and made myself a bowl of cereal, mom never cooks when she's working on a book. After finishing, I made my way to the bus stop for my second day of school.
Maybelle is just standing at the stop by herself without Jess, I thought about asking her where he was at, but I did not want to sound intrusive. As I boarded the bus, Jess was running to get on before he got left behind. I hoped he would sit next to me on the bus, but he sat in the empty seat on the other side of me. Maybe I was wrong, he may have just been trying to be nice to the new girl.
After getting off the bus, I headed to our 1st period class with Mrs. Meyers. While walking to class, I saw two guys trample Jess, I picked up his sketchbook and started looking through it. "These drawings are incredible," I said to myself in disbelief. "You're really good, like better then any other kid I've seen at drawing," I told him as I handed his sketchbook back to him. Mrs. Meyers was collecting yesterday's assignments as I walked into class, so I handed her my essay I had written the night before.
"Leslie come here right now," Instructed Mrs. Meyers.
"Oh great, what have I done now, "I mumbled under my breath.
"This is incredible! If you could read this to the class, I would greatly appreciate it," asked Mrs. Meyers
I reluctantly replied, "I can Mrs. Meyers." She nodded and thanked me as I returned to my seat.
I've never gone scuba diving before, but I chose to do my assignment on my experience with it. My imagination has always helped me through the hard time of not having friends. I imagine things a lot of times, because my parents are busy and I have no friends, so my imagination comforts me. When class began, Mrs. Meyers called me to the front of the class to read my essay. I heard people grumbling that the new girl had done better than them, but I didn't let it bother me. I finished reading my essay to the class who were speechless as I sat back down.
Mrs. Meyers gave us an assignment involving watching a program on TV then write an essay about it. One problem, I don't have a TV. Without thinking, I raised my hand and asked, "What if you can't watch this program?"
"I'm sure if you inform your parents it's for a school assignment, they won't argue," replied Mrs. Meyers.
"Well, what if you don't have a TV," I asked as the whole class proceeded to laugh at me. Mrs. Meyers attempted to silence them, but they were not having it. Finally, the bell rung, it was time to leave class.
Word spread around the whole school that I was the kid that didn't watch TV. The whole school was calling me names like caveman and asking me why my parents were complete retards. I was just so done with everything, I can't believe I let myself get excited about making a friend here. After school ended, I went to the back of the bus not caring about what happened to me at this point. Janice Avery, the school bully started walking back. "I really don't care about bullies, she can beat me up for all I care," I moaned to myself. Something tugged at my arm, as I saw Jess pulling me out of harms way into his seat. I did my best to give him a thank you smile as the bus left towards home. "He saved me," I thought, does this mean he is my friend? Me and Jess were both silent until our stop came, I got out and went to the back of the bus and waved at Janice, she responded with a smug monster-like look.
"You know you're just asking for it right," Jess asked me as we started walking off.
"It looks like she's just going to give it anyway, might as well have some fun," I explained to him.
"You have a weird idea of fun," he observed out loud.
"Well what's your idea of fun," I asked him out of curiosity.
"I Don't know," he replied
"You wanna do something," I asked hopefully. His sister Maybelle jumped up and down begging to go do something, but Jess told her she couldn't do what we were doing. I can't believe it, I have a person who wants to hang out with me.
Maybelle started pouted and walking away, "Maybelle, I don't play with my barbies very much anymore, you can have them if you like," I offered. She gleefully accepted and ran home. "You're lucky to have a sister Jess," I said out of envy.
"Yea, I have four and would trade any of them for a good dog," Jess replied
"I would love to have a dog," I wished out loud. "Race you to the edge of the forest? On your mark set go," I announced as we ran to the edge of the forest.
There was a loud boom as I landed in the middle of a forest. Looking around the environment I thought to myself, "so far I've been sent to abnormal places, now it seems like I'm in my regular world," After pulling myself out of the crater I made by crashing out of the sky into it, I began looking around to find where I was. There was a truck that looked like it had been scrapped for 20-40 years with something like bells on the rearview mirror. "Why does this seem so familiar," I wondered to myself. So far, I have been sent to places I have seen in books and movies, so unless I was sent home, I've seen this place before. I looked at the trucks license plate "Virginia," I said to myself out loud. I saw a treehouse on my right as I was walking to the forest, it is so familiar but I can't put my finger on it. The name of this place is on the tip of my tongue. "I have definitely seen this place before," I said assuring myself.
I climbed up the ladder into the treehouse to try to investigate more clues as to where I was at, the name Leslie kept going through my head for some reason. Sitting on the bench in the treehouse, I tried to recall where I heard that familiar name. "tera-something," I said trying to remember the place. "What was that? I heard something," I said to myself wondering who was out here. I called my weapon and got out of the tree house getting ready for a battle, "so far something has attacked me everywhere else, I can't let my guard down here," I said as I readied for the worst. In the distance there were two kids running towards that old truck. "Wait! I know exactly who those two kids are, I could never forget it," I said remembering 12 years ago when I read and saw the heart-breaking movie and book with Jess and Leslie, Bridge to Terabithia.
"I'm here before Leslies death," a tear went down my eye as I remembered the pain Jess will go through. I was told not to mess with anything that I know is going to happen though, must stay on my task. So far, I've found everyone but Mike, all my friends were found around the people I remembered, so I should probably go to school around those two. If I purchase a home as an adult, I can revert into a kid again and send myself to school. I changed into my kid form and waited for Jess and Leslie to walk over to the treehouse, as they did in their original timeline.
"Leslie, there's another kid over there, this is what I was trying to tell you, the land doesn't belong to us Jess said concerningly to Leslie.
"This land doesn't belong to us either guys, I'm just exploring the area of my new home. I'm Jack by the way," I said trying to reassure the two.
Jess still looked weary, but Leslie held out her hand "I'm Leslie, and this is my friend Jess. It's very nice to meet you Jack," She held out her hand while she introduced herself cheerfully.
Shaking Leslie's hand felt like I was touching death, I knew what was going to happen to this poor girl. I couldn't help but feel helpless, as I was not allowed to tell them or do anything about it. "Are you two going to Lark Creek Elementary? My dad is enrolling me there today," I said trying to make small talk.
"Yes! We both do," Leslie replied enthusiastically.
"It's getting later in the day guys, I'm going to head home before my dad gets concerned," I said as I began to walk away.
"Ok! See you at school Jack," Leslie yelled at me as I departed.
I left the forest and found a house nearby for rent, I handed the landlord rent for 1 year and moved in. "Lord only knows how long it will take me to find Mike," I figured it would be best to just go ahead and sign a one-year lease, instead of buying a home. Using my knowledge of hacking, I designed my younger self a social security card and birth certificate, in a world we didn't exist in. After paying a furniture store to furnish my house, I went to Lark Creek Elementary and signed "Jack Jr," up for school. "Back to school tomorrow, this will be interesting," Chuckling at the remark.
"Leslie, why were you so trusting of some kid in the middle of the forest? He could have been some axe murderer for all we know," I said lecturing Leslie.
"I don't know. Guy seemed pretty trustworthy," She explains. "See you at school tomorrow," She asked me.
"Yea, I'll see you on the bus," I assured Leslie. We both went to our respective homes, I still had my chores I neglected to do before going with Leslie. After completing them, I went up to my room and started drawing in my sketchbook. Before I knew it, I had drawn Leslie in the outfit she was wearing that day. Why am I so infatuated with this girl? I closed my sketchpad and pulled myself under the covers and went to sleep.
I ran back to my home with the biggest grin on my face, my dad saw me and asked about Jess. "Bill, it was amazing! Me and Jess spent the whole afternoon together," I told my dad who had the biggest grin on his face as well.
"I'm so glad to hear that honey, one of these days you'll need to bring him over here to meet us," He said encouragingly.
After talking with my dad for a bit, I went up to my room and completed my assignment. Instead of the TV program the rest of the class was supposed to write about, I just wrote about another historical figure from one of my books. After climbing in my bed, I couldn't stop thinking about Jess. I had met two boys today, the other being that interesting Jack kid. Something felt off about him, he looked like he was about to cry when he met me, when the first chance came, he bailed. I'm not going to worry about the new kid though, I'm just excited to see the future of what's going to come of this friend I finally have.
