Chapter 2
"Whose the new girl?" Page asks walking up to Amy and Colin who are talking by Amy's locker.
"Josephine Livington," Kayla replies reaching the group just after Page. "She just moved here from LA with her family, both parents, three siblings ranging between 13 and 6 months. And Page she is in out 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th period."
"Was she here Friday?" Page asks watching her walk towards Ephram.
"Yes, she was." Kayla responds and both she and Amy roll their eyes.
"Why's she talking to Ephram?" Amy asks.
"Who cares?" Colin shrugs, "We saw them together Friday night at Sal's."
"Ephram was at Sal's Friday?" Amy asks obviously taken aback by the news.
"Yeah, you didn't see them?" Colin asks, "Anyway I've got to meet Bright, I'll see you later." Colin kisses Amy lightly before walking away.
"Ephram didn't say hi to you at Sal's on Friday. What's up with that?" Page asks.
"Yeah I thought that he was like desperate for your attention or something." Kayla adds.
"It's nothing guys can we just drop it?" Amy asks pulling her books out of her locker and then slamming the door shut.
"If it was nothing you wouldn't have a problem telling us." Page insists.
"I don't have to tell you guys everything." Amy snaps quietly.
"Wow something major's going on." Kayla exclaims, "You guys got into a fight didn't you?"
"What do you guys care? You don't even like Ephram."
"Not true." Page shakes her head.
"Right." Kayla then adds slowly, "But maybe it's for the best."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Amy asks barely even paying attention to her friends as she watches Ephram and Josephine converse.
"Ames all it means is that with Colin back what do you need Ephram for?" Page asks.
"Right," Kayla nods, "And you got him to get his dad to do the surgery so you accomplished what you set out to do when he first came here. I mean it was really great of you to stay friends with him after your dad did the surgery."
"And it totally made it look like you weren't using him for that..."
"I wasn't using him for that the entire time." Amy interrupts Page, "Sure when he first came here I had every intention of using him. But when I got to know him we became friends."
"That's great Ames really." Kayla insists, "But it's just, well I mean you guys got really close. And that's great, but Colin's back now. Do you honestly think you can stay that close to Ephram while you're dating Colin?"
"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Amy asks, "It is totally possible to be friends with a person of the opposite sex while having a boyfriend."
"Sure." Kayla and Page nod, "But you and Ephram were really close.
"Whatever." Amy sighs and walks away, "I'll catch you later, she tosses over her shoulder."
"How is it possible for us to have the same exact schedule?" Joey asks Ephram as she waits for him to pull his books out of his locker.
"Since the school has about I don't know a thousand people in all four years that means there's only a couple hundred in each year. Meaning there aren't that many variations in schedules." Ephram shrugs, "Meaning you'll have a lot of the same people in most of your classes."
Joey shakes her head, "A thousand people in the entire school, that's crazy, I mean there were more than thousand people in my sophomore class alone in LA."
Ephram nods, "I get it, I'm from New York remember. But just keep in mind that while we may have the same schedule it probably means that you will have the same schedule as other people, you may not exactly get along with as well."
"Ugh." Joey sighs, "Like these 2 girls in my first four periods, incredibly annoying, they act like they just walked off of the set of Clueless or something."
"Probably Paige and Kayla." Ephram responds slamming his locker shut.
Joey shrugs, "I didn't care enough to catch their names."
"All right then let's just get to first period." Ephram states leading the way toward their class.
Ephram slides into his seat and Joey takes the one next to him. Ephram curses whatever moron decided that alphabetical seating was best for school. Normally Amy would have turned around now to ask Ephram about something, whether it be how his weekend was or if he had done the homework assigned but today she doesn't move, with the exception of her stiffening posture.
Ephram shakes his head but turns around to talk to Joey instead, not wanting to start his Monday morning by dealing with his and Amy's problems. "I really just don't want to be here today." Joey sighs dropping her forehead onto the desk.
Ephram stares at Joey's blonde head, "I have to say I agree."
"Then why stick around? Why don't we skip school? I don't know go into Denver or something for the day."
Ephram falls silent for a minute thinking about the last time he had skipped classes to go to Denver and before he can respond their teacher walks into the classroom.
While their teacher has their back turned to the class, writing something on the board, Amy slips a note onto his desk.
Ephram-
You can't skip school to go to Denver. Remember what happened last time?
Ephram rolls his eyes and simply responds,
I don't remember asking you.
And then ripping out a piece of his own notebook paper he sends the note back to Joey:
I'm in.
"All right, freedom." Joey sighs as she and Ephram reach a safe distance from school, not that it matters, getting off campus to ditch wasn't hard. "So what is there to do around here?"
"That's the thing." Ephram sighs, "when it comes to Everwood there's nothing to do. And when I say nothing..."
"You mean nothing." Joey sighs. "All right so let's just head back to your house, notice the your...my dad's home."
"I hope you aren't counting on the fact that we're not going to get caught." Ephram states as they head in the direction of his house.
"Oh, I'm not." Joey shakes her head. "Believe me it's unspoken between myself and my parents, they know I'll ditch and I know I won't get grounded."
"Won't?" Ephram asks arching an eyebrow.
"Let's just say that my parents parenting skills aren't that great...They make a lot of threats that never get carried out." Joey let's the statement trail but Ephram finds himself wondering about this new girl. The mystery around her had been growing since the first night, he knew there was something Joey wasn't telling him, but he also knew enough not to push her into telling him. They were so alike Ephram knew that if he pushed Joey would retreat back and right now Ephram needed a friend. "So what about you? Are you going to get grounded?"
Ephram makes a face, "Maybe, maybe not. My dad's not to predictable, especially considering that there really isn't all that much to ground me from in Everwood. Except I'm getting the feeling that now that I have someone to hang out with his grounding threats will be carried out."
Joey's only response is to laugh when they reach the front of the house. "Ditching Ephram?" Nina is standing on her front porch watching Sam playing in the dirt. "I should tell you to go back to school..."
Ephram grins back at Nina and responds, "Not to worry Nina, the school is probably calling the office right now."
Ephram can't help but notice Nina stifle a smile as he lets himself and Joey into the house.
"Ephram how can you be so irresponsible? I thought we cleared all of this up last time?" Andy raves pacing the living room, back and forth. "Josephine is new here and I'm sure this made a wonderful impression on her parents. Especially when they found out that she was ditching with my son! Ephram just go to your room, I'll think of a punishment later."
"Josephine Anne how could you do this? It's your second day of school and you are all ready up to your old ways. I thought moving you to Everwood you would feel the need to change, not repeat past mistakes." Meg starts sitting across from her daughter at the kitchen table.
Leo on the other hand stands, and his voice is raised much higher than Meg's calmer tone. "Josephine if you screw up again I don't' know what we are going to do with you."
Meg's facial expression softens, "Joey dear, I know this has all be really hard for you. But we can't have you getting into trouble, it's not going to help anyone and you can't be causing trouble in school."
Joey glares at her parents and turns on her heal charging up the stairs.
"Whose the new girl?" Page asks walking up to Amy and Colin who are talking by Amy's locker.
"Josephine Livington," Kayla replies reaching the group just after Page. "She just moved here from LA with her family, both parents, three siblings ranging between 13 and 6 months. And Page she is in out 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th period."
"Was she here Friday?" Page asks watching her walk towards Ephram.
"Yes, she was." Kayla responds and both she and Amy roll their eyes.
"Why's she talking to Ephram?" Amy asks.
"Who cares?" Colin shrugs, "We saw them together Friday night at Sal's."
"Ephram was at Sal's Friday?" Amy asks obviously taken aback by the news.
"Yeah, you didn't see them?" Colin asks, "Anyway I've got to meet Bright, I'll see you later." Colin kisses Amy lightly before walking away.
"Ephram didn't say hi to you at Sal's on Friday. What's up with that?" Page asks.
"Yeah I thought that he was like desperate for your attention or something." Kayla adds.
"It's nothing guys can we just drop it?" Amy asks pulling her books out of her locker and then slamming the door shut.
"If it was nothing you wouldn't have a problem telling us." Page insists.
"I don't have to tell you guys everything." Amy snaps quietly.
"Wow something major's going on." Kayla exclaims, "You guys got into a fight didn't you?"
"What do you guys care? You don't even like Ephram."
"Not true." Page shakes her head.
"Right." Kayla then adds slowly, "But maybe it's for the best."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Amy asks barely even paying attention to her friends as she watches Ephram and Josephine converse.
"Ames all it means is that with Colin back what do you need Ephram for?" Page asks.
"Right," Kayla nods, "And you got him to get his dad to do the surgery so you accomplished what you set out to do when he first came here. I mean it was really great of you to stay friends with him after your dad did the surgery."
"And it totally made it look like you weren't using him for that..."
"I wasn't using him for that the entire time." Amy interrupts Page, "Sure when he first came here I had every intention of using him. But when I got to know him we became friends."
"That's great Ames really." Kayla insists, "But it's just, well I mean you guys got really close. And that's great, but Colin's back now. Do you honestly think you can stay that close to Ephram while you're dating Colin?"
"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Amy asks, "It is totally possible to be friends with a person of the opposite sex while having a boyfriend."
"Sure." Kayla and Page nod, "But you and Ephram were really close.
"Whatever." Amy sighs and walks away, "I'll catch you later, she tosses over her shoulder."
"How is it possible for us to have the same exact schedule?" Joey asks Ephram as she waits for him to pull his books out of his locker.
"Since the school has about I don't know a thousand people in all four years that means there's only a couple hundred in each year. Meaning there aren't that many variations in schedules." Ephram shrugs, "Meaning you'll have a lot of the same people in most of your classes."
Joey shakes her head, "A thousand people in the entire school, that's crazy, I mean there were more than thousand people in my sophomore class alone in LA."
Ephram nods, "I get it, I'm from New York remember. But just keep in mind that while we may have the same schedule it probably means that you will have the same schedule as other people, you may not exactly get along with as well."
"Ugh." Joey sighs, "Like these 2 girls in my first four periods, incredibly annoying, they act like they just walked off of the set of Clueless or something."
"Probably Paige and Kayla." Ephram responds slamming his locker shut.
Joey shrugs, "I didn't care enough to catch their names."
"All right then let's just get to first period." Ephram states leading the way toward their class.
Ephram slides into his seat and Joey takes the one next to him. Ephram curses whatever moron decided that alphabetical seating was best for school. Normally Amy would have turned around now to ask Ephram about something, whether it be how his weekend was or if he had done the homework assigned but today she doesn't move, with the exception of her stiffening posture.
Ephram shakes his head but turns around to talk to Joey instead, not wanting to start his Monday morning by dealing with his and Amy's problems. "I really just don't want to be here today." Joey sighs dropping her forehead onto the desk.
Ephram stares at Joey's blonde head, "I have to say I agree."
"Then why stick around? Why don't we skip school? I don't know go into Denver or something for the day."
Ephram falls silent for a minute thinking about the last time he had skipped classes to go to Denver and before he can respond their teacher walks into the classroom.
While their teacher has their back turned to the class, writing something on the board, Amy slips a note onto his desk.
Ephram-
You can't skip school to go to Denver. Remember what happened last time?
Ephram rolls his eyes and simply responds,
I don't remember asking you.
And then ripping out a piece of his own notebook paper he sends the note back to Joey:
I'm in.
"All right, freedom." Joey sighs as she and Ephram reach a safe distance from school, not that it matters, getting off campus to ditch wasn't hard. "So what is there to do around here?"
"That's the thing." Ephram sighs, "when it comes to Everwood there's nothing to do. And when I say nothing..."
"You mean nothing." Joey sighs. "All right so let's just head back to your house, notice the your...my dad's home."
"I hope you aren't counting on the fact that we're not going to get caught." Ephram states as they head in the direction of his house.
"Oh, I'm not." Joey shakes her head. "Believe me it's unspoken between myself and my parents, they know I'll ditch and I know I won't get grounded."
"Won't?" Ephram asks arching an eyebrow.
"Let's just say that my parents parenting skills aren't that great...They make a lot of threats that never get carried out." Joey let's the statement trail but Ephram finds himself wondering about this new girl. The mystery around her had been growing since the first night, he knew there was something Joey wasn't telling him, but he also knew enough not to push her into telling him. They were so alike Ephram knew that if he pushed Joey would retreat back and right now Ephram needed a friend. "So what about you? Are you going to get grounded?"
Ephram makes a face, "Maybe, maybe not. My dad's not to predictable, especially considering that there really isn't all that much to ground me from in Everwood. Except I'm getting the feeling that now that I have someone to hang out with his grounding threats will be carried out."
Joey's only response is to laugh when they reach the front of the house. "Ditching Ephram?" Nina is standing on her front porch watching Sam playing in the dirt. "I should tell you to go back to school..."
Ephram grins back at Nina and responds, "Not to worry Nina, the school is probably calling the office right now."
Ephram can't help but notice Nina stifle a smile as he lets himself and Joey into the house.
"Ephram how can you be so irresponsible? I thought we cleared all of this up last time?" Andy raves pacing the living room, back and forth. "Josephine is new here and I'm sure this made a wonderful impression on her parents. Especially when they found out that she was ditching with my son! Ephram just go to your room, I'll think of a punishment later."
"Josephine Anne how could you do this? It's your second day of school and you are all ready up to your old ways. I thought moving you to Everwood you would feel the need to change, not repeat past mistakes." Meg starts sitting across from her daughter at the kitchen table.
Leo on the other hand stands, and his voice is raised much higher than Meg's calmer tone. "Josephine if you screw up again I don't' know what we are going to do with you."
Meg's facial expression softens, "Joey dear, I know this has all be really hard for you. But we can't have you getting into trouble, it's not going to help anyone and you can't be causing trouble in school."
Joey glares at her parents and turns on her heal charging up the stairs.