Disclaimer: I don't own Recess. If I did then recess would be all day everyday.
Summary: T.J. lost Spinelli years ago, and it's still haunting him, but now there this new girl and she just happens to look like Spinelli. But Spinelli's dead. It's impossible…isn't it?
Title: Mirror Image
Author: qtloveskittles
Dedication: Ummm...I'm dedicating this to my friend Ashley cuz she encouraged me to write keep writing it.
Author's note: I'm hoping to upload a chapter a day...but I'm not sure if I can so please bear with me if I can't.
Extra info: This story deals with suicide so if that is a problem for you then…please don't read it. I'm not encouraging anyone to commit suicide and I have no suicidal thoughts running through my mind. (Unless (mentally) killing my annoying alter ego counts as suicide... (lolz joking)).
Stuff you need to know:
" "- speech
Thoughts are in italics
ON WITH THE FIC!
~*~
~And he woke up~
T.J. Detwiler sat up in bed. Now 17 yr old sophomore T.J. had gotten even more popular. He ran a hand through his brown hair. Freckles were scattered across his face giving him a sort of boyish appearance. He sighed and laid back down. It had been two years since Spinelli had fallen into the river. Two years and he was still having nightmares about it. But this was the first time he'd had a dream about the first day of kindergarten. After debating it for a few minutes he picked up his phone and dialed Gretchen's number. After a few rings he heard a groggy 'hello' from the other end.
"Gretch?"
"T.J.?"
"I had the dream again." He heard Gretchen sigh.
"T.J. it wasn't your fault. You held on for as long as you could."
"I know but I had another dream."
"T.J. it's 5:15 in the morning."
"So you'd have to get up in 15 minutes anyways." Another sigh.
"Alright tell me about it."
"Have you ever had a dream where you wake up and something totally bizarre happens and you wake up again for real?"
"A dream within a dream."
"Yeah that. Well I woke up from the dream about the day when Spinelli...you know but I was five. Then I had my first day of kindergarten. Then I woke up again..." He pinched himself and gave a quiet 'ow!' when it stung, "this time for real."
Gretchen was silent and T.J. wondered if she had fallen asleep.
"Gretch?"
"I'm here T.J. Look I don't what the dream means. Maybe you just miss Spinelli a lot."
"Yeah I guess."
"Look, I know it's hard, but try to push it out of your mind okay?"
"Okay. Bye Gretch."
"See ya T.J."
T.J. put down the phone and glanced at his clock. It read 5:30. Deciding he might as well get up he climbed out of bed, grabbed a towel, and headed to the bathroom, yawning and rubbing his eyes the whole way.
The cold water woke him up so he was ready earlier then normal. With nothing to do and 25 minutes to spare he picked up his elementary school yearbook. He flipped directly to the back were various pictures had been placed, most had been sent it in from other students. He had never really paid much attention to this section before but for some reason he found himself studying each page carefully. He found of a lot of pictures from 4th grade. One of Spinelli being forced to be an Ashley, one of Gus as 'Guy', and one of Mickey coping Vince. But it was the last picture that caught his attention. It was so that you probably would have missed it if you hadn't been looking (which would explain why neither he nor his friends had noticed it). Tiny as it was, it was definitely there. No doubt about it. It was a picture of him and Spinelli kissing when they had had to conduct the experiment (and (even though he would never admit it) she was the only girl he had ever kissed). The whole school had been there to witness it; he wasn't surprised someone hadn't been smart enough to bring a camera.
"T.J. you have to go or you're gonna be late!" His mom called up to him snapping him out of his thoughts.
He grabbed his backpack and red cap and, yearbook still in hand, ran out the door.
~*~
Once he reached 4th Street High School he looked for his friends. He spotted them under the big oak tree. Gretchen had her nose stuck in some book, Mikey was reciting poetry again, Vince was tossing a ball in the air and catching it, and Gus was staring off into space. T.J. walked over to them.
"Hiya Teej!" Gus was the first to spot him.
Immediately Gretchen snapped her book shut, Mikey stopped mid-stanza, and Vince grabbed the ball out of mid air. Obviously Gretchen had told them about his dream.
"Hey guys." He walked over as if nothing unusual had happened.
"Look at this." He held out the yearbook open to the page with the picture of him and Spinelli.
"Yeah, it's out 6th grade yearbook so?" Vince raised an eyebrow.
"No at this." He pointed at the picture.
"Whoa! How'd that get there?"
"The whole school was there, someone must have taken it."
"I wonder who took it?"
"I can answer that." Gretchen put her finger in the air (not the middle one). "You see I used a few favors, mostly kids I had tutored, and had one bring a camera, one a video camera, and the other a notebook." She bent down and opened her backpack. She too out what looked like a children's book and a videotape. "Your kiss is not only a picture but a book and a video as well. "Here you go!" She set them in his hands.
T.J., confused and slightly disturbed placed them in his backpack.
"Gretch?"
"Yeah?"
"Why did you have these? Never mind don't answer that. I don't wanna know."
"Okay."
They spent the rest of the time, before school, looking at the random pictures. T.J. took the time to notice to really notice how much his friends had changed.
Vince was probably the one that had stayed the most the same. He had become a little taller and had traded in his green jersey for a red T-shirt and jeans,
Gretchen hadn't grown much more after 4th grade so must boys toward over her. She had gotten contacts and her red hair had been cut to just below her shoulders and was usually up in a braid. She now wore a blue T-shirt and shorts.
Mikey had slimmed down a bit, but he was still the largest of all of them. He messy hair still stuck out of his head and he now wore and white T-shirt and jeans.
Gus had surprised everyone and shot up to over 6ft. He even toward over Mikey now! He still had his glasses but he now wore a black 'Army of One' shirt and jeans.
The only thing more amazing then how much his friends had changed on the outside was how much they hadn't changed on the inside. Vince was still all about winning, Mikey still stood on the outfield scribbling his latest poem on his glove, Gretchen was still tutoring teachers, and Gus was still safetyman. T.J. once again was snapped out of his thoughts as the bell rang. The five friends headed toward their homerooms. T.J. reached his room and took his normal desk in the back just as the morning announcements began blaring over the intercom. The class had just sat back down after the Pledge of Allegiance when there was a knock at the door.
The teacher opened the door to reveal a girl standing there popping a piece of gum and tapping her foot. The teacher ushered her in the room, told the class to shut up or they'd all have detention, and went back to enjoying his coffee.
The girl stood in the front of the classroom with a bored expression on her face. Her ebony black hair fell way past her shoulders and her brown eyes glanced around the room. She wore a black shirt with black fish net sleeves and 'Bad Attitude' written on it and a pair of jeans. She seemed familiar but T.J. couldn't place where he'd seen her before.
The announcements ended and the teacher was forced to turn his attention to the new girl.
"What's your name?" He sounded almost bored.
"Amethyst Jade. But call me Amy." Her voice sounded familiar too.
"Right...Amy. Take a seat next to T.J.'
Her eyes glazed over for a second but it was gone as quick it had come.
"Who?"
The teacher gave an agitated sigh.
"T.J. make yourself known. Quietly."
T.J. raised his hand watched as she walked to the empty desk next to him.
"I'm T.J. T.J. Detwiler." He stuck out his hand."
Her eyes got that same glazed far off look that it had earlier and she didn't answer him.
"Ummm…hello?" He waved a hand in front of her face.
She snapped out of whatever trance she was in.
"Sorry it's just your name sounds really familiar."
He laughed. "It's okay you look familiar too.
"Glad it's not just me."
"So Amy where ya from?
"Westshire Valley."
"I've never been there before."
"Trust me you don't wanna go there."
"Why?"
"'Cuz it's your typical boring small town. Everybody knows everybody."
"Yeah well at least you never feel awkward on the first day of school."
She laughed. " I guess that's a plus."
"It can't be very fun to see the same people in your memories all the time though."
She was suddenly downcast.
"Yeah." Her voice sounded small and sad.
"You okay?"
She cheered up visibly.
"Yeah I'm fine.
The bell rang and everyone jumped out of their seats and made a mad dash for the door. T.J. turned to Amy.
"Where's your next class?"
"Room 707." She replied without even looking at her schedule.
"Cool. Me too. Come on I'll show you around."
She smiled at him and he smiled back.
"Come on let's go meet my friends."
~*~
REVIEWERS!
felinefire82- Thanks for reviewing. I'm sorry if I portrayed Spinelli's suicide to be simple. I've never had an experience with it other then what I've read in fics.
Clintronic Waldrop- I don't think Spinelli would ever be the type to commit suicide either. But for the purpose of the fic she had to.
SanityIsOverrated65- I love author alert too. Lol. Thanks for the review. I'm honored to know that you think I'm an awesome writer. And yes you did get first review! Yay!
R&R and tell me what you think.