The List
Chapter Two
While Frank stood frozen outside the office, the hall began filling up with students. Frank finally continued on to his class, lost in thought.
Joe arrived at his last class of the day with some trepidation. Joe had bumped into Frank before his previous class and Frank had looked at him really strangely. Almost as if he hadn't seen him before. Joe shook his head to clear the memory and entered the classroom.
He knew all the students, of course, but none of them he would have considered as friends, except for one lone girl in the back with ebony hair and brown eyes. She smiled shyly when she saw Joe and raised her hand a little, then lowered it again. Joe smiled as he made his way to the empty chair beside hers.
"How is Annabell?" Joe whispered as he sat down.
"She's doing great," the girl replied. "Thank you," she continued. "I owe you so much..." she began, tears of gratitude clouding her brown eyes.
"Shh," Joe soothed, reaching over and pushing her hair away from her eyes. "Don't cry, Valerie. We enjoyed having Annabell. And I'm glad you worked out things with your parents." She smiled at him again, but refrained from saying anything as the teacher chose that moment to enter the classroom.
"Hello, everyone," the teacher said brightly. "My name is Amelia Norway. I know it's a mouthful so everyone can just call me Amy." Amy was a young woman, Joe guessed her to be in her late twenties, with long brown hair swept up into a pony tail. She had hazel eyes with little laugh lines at the corners.
'Patty was right,' Joe thought. 'I do like the teacher.'
"This class is about finding ways to express your emotions," Amy continued. "We will dabble in painting; sculpture; music; even poetry. At the end of the first grading period, we will have an exam. You will choose the method you prefer and define your life."
"What?" Aaron demanded with a snarl. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, his dark brown eyes boring into the teacher.
"It will be like a biography," Amy explained. "But with a different format than the one which is normally created."
"I still don't understand," red-headed, hazel-eyed, Ralph Hays said a bit timidly.
"And you never will," snorted Tim Wyman, a greasy-haired, blue-eyed boy of eighteen.
"Actually, it is a bit early for you to comprehend what I want. However, over the next few weeks, you will begin to not only understand, but, hopefully, use what you learn on a daily basis," Amy stated.
"Right now, I would like for all of us to get acquainted," she continued. This remark was met by groans from everyone. "Let's begin with you, shall we?" she asked the tall skinny boy in the first row.
The boy stood up. "My name is Fred Perry. I'm a sophmore," he added, sitting back down.
"Were you born in Bayport?" Amy inquired.
"Yeah," was the reply.
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Amy asked.
"No," Fred answered, frowning at her.
Amy apparently gave up on him and moved to the next student."What about you?" she asked.
The petite brunette stood up. "My name is Paula Michaels. I was born in Florida but moved to Bayport to live with my dad last year when my mom got remarried. I don't have any brothers or sisters, that I know of," she amended with a grimace. "I'm a junior and don't plan on going to college," she added, sitting back down.
"My name is Tim Wyman," said the next student, standing up. "I'm a senior, born in Bayport and I have a little sister. I'm going to Bayport University next year but I haven't decided what to major in yet," he ended, sitting back down.
Next, it was Valerie's turn and she stood up. "My name is Valerie Gambill," she said softly. "I'm sixteen years old and a freshman," she added, pausing slightly and cringing inwardly as she waited for someone to comment on her age as a freshman.. "I don't have any brothers or sisters and I was born in Bayport."
Joe smiled at her and stood up as she sat down. "My name is Joe Hardy," he said. "I'm seventeen, a junior and I have one brother, a senior here. I moved to Bayport from New York when I was six but I was born in California when my folks were on vacation." He finished speaking and sat back down.
"Do you have any plans for after high school?" Amy asked him.
Fred, Aaron, and Tim all broke out laughing while most of the other students just sniggered.
"Am I missing something?" Amy inquired with a frown.
"Everyone knows Joe is going into the family business," Tim told her. "His old man would kill him if he didn't."
"Not to mention his brother," Aaron added.
"I see," Amy said. "Joe?" she asked.
"I'm going into the family business," he admitted, not with his usual grin because he was already sick of some of his classmates.
"Okay," Amy said. "Who is next?" Each person gave the basics of their lives as had Joe and the previous students. By the time Ralph Hays had told everyone he intended to leave Bayport as soon as he graduated, it was time for the bell.
"A few last words," Amy said as the kids began to get rowdy. She waited until they had quitened down before continuing. "No homework tonight, but tomorrow night's assignment, in case anyone wishes to get started, is to pick out a poem athat you feel has a special meaning to you and bring it to class to share."
The bell rang and everyone left. Joe stayed behind long enough to help Valerie gather her books. "Thanks," she told him as they exited the room, reaching up and kissing him lightly on the cheek. "For everything," she added, taking off down the hall.
"And what exactly was she thanking you for?" an angry female voice asked from behind Joe.
Joe spun around, blushing slightly when he saw Vanessa glaring at him. "Nothing," he said unconvincingly with a shrug of his shoulders.
"People don't thank and kiss you for nothing," Vanessa retorted.
"Look," Joe said, running a hand through his blond hair. "It isn't something I can tell you about," he said, cringing at how it sounded as the words left his mouth. "Vanessa...."
"Leave me alone!" she told him, stalking off down the hall and toward the exit.
Frank and Callie, already outside, saw Vanessa rushing out by herself. "What's wrong?" Frank asked, rushing to catch up with her.
"Ask your...your brother!" she shouted and started to take off but Frank captured her arm and pulled her to a stop.
"I asked you," he said quietly.
"Some girl was kissing him and thanking him and he wouldn't tell me why," she answered, calming down a little.
"Maybe he had a reason for not telling you," Frank said.
"Good one, Frank," Callie drawled , then looked over at Vanessa. "Did he kiss her?" she asked. Vanessa shook her head.
"Joe loves you," Frank told her. "He wouldn't hurt you."
Vanessa sighed. "You're right," she said. "I'm just jealous. But why wouldn't he tell me?" she continued.
"I don't know," Frank admiatted. "But I'll try to find out," he promised her.
"What's wrong with you?" Vanessa asked Frank, taking in his furrowed brow.
"Nothing," Frank answered but was greeted with glares from Vanessa and Callie. "Okay, okay," he said, raising his hands in surrender. "But you can't tell anyone, especially Joe."
"What?" Vanessa demanded, starting to worry.
"I found out the purpose behind the Creative Expression class and why it's closed registration," Frank informed them. "The guidance counselor selected kids who fit profiles for potential suicide victims."
"What?" Callie asked in disbelief.
"I overheard her telling Principal Dylan that Joe was a classic textbook example," Frank added, his expression grim.
"No way!" Vanessa declared. "Joe's got it together."
"I stopped by the library and looked through a psychology textbook which is in the reserved section for teachers. Joe does fit the pattern," Frank stated.
"Iola," Vanessa said softly, thinking about how much Joe had cared about her and lost her. Vanessa turned around and started back towrds athe school. She climbed the steps and almost crashed into Joe coming out of the building.
"Whoa!" Joe said, catching her before she walked into him. "I'm..." he began.
"I'm sorry," she said, interuppting him. "I was jealous."
"You have no reason to be," Joe told her, smiling down into her eyes. "You're the only girl for me."
Vanessa reached up and kissed Joe on the lips. "I think you're kind of special too," she admitted, smiling into his eyes. "Come on," she said, taking his hand and dragging him down the steps. "We've got to meet the gang at Mr. Pizza."
Joe rode with Vanessa while Frank offered to pick Callie up after she had dropped her car off at her hosue. "It's starting to get windy," Vanessa said when she got out of the car. She had parked near an alley and looked at the space between her car and the alley entrance. "You don't think I'll get a ticket do you?" she asked him.
Joe came around to take a look. "You might," he told her. "You're almost even."
"Great!" she moaned. "Well, go on in and put in our order while I pull out and try again."
Grinning, Joe went inside. Seeing Biff and Chet in the back, he went to join them. The waitress came and he put in an order for four colas and a large supreme pizza. Vanessa appeared before the waitress had left and took a seat next to Joe.
"Tell us about the class," Chet urged, not noticing Vanessa's sudden quiteness at his words.
"Not until everyone gets here," Biff said, playfully jabbing Chet in the arm.
Next to arrive were Tony and Phil, followed by Frank and Callie. Joe told everyone about his teacher, the other students and his first assignment.
"Well, at least you don't have to write a poem," Chet pointed out.
"Too true!" Joe agreed in relief.
"I hate to break this up," Frank said, looking down at his watch. "But it's time we left," he said over an hour later when all the food had been consumed.
"Yeah- homework," Joe said sourly.
Frank paid the tab and left with Callie. Vanessa had volunteered to drop Joe off at home. Joe pulled out a slip of paper from his pocket as he and Vanessa left the building. "Homework in three subjects on the first day of school," Joe complained, looking at the paper. "Can you believe...." his sentence was cut short by a gust of wind as they neared the alley by Vanessa's car. The slip of paper flew from Joe's hand down the alley.
Joe took off at a run while Vanessa cackled in mirth. Joe finally managed to grab the paper, coming to a stop halfway down the alley. His eyes narrowed on a little girl with black hair as she sat huddled by a trash can, a little brown bottle open in one hand and her other hand full of little pills.
"What are you doing?" Joe asked harshly, rushing over and grabbing her wrist as she raised the pills to her mouth.
She looked up at Joe in alarm, screamed and took off running, leaving the bottle and pills scattered on the rocky turf.
Chapter Two
While Frank stood frozen outside the office, the hall began filling up with students. Frank finally continued on to his class, lost in thought.
Joe arrived at his last class of the day with some trepidation. Joe had bumped into Frank before his previous class and Frank had looked at him really strangely. Almost as if he hadn't seen him before. Joe shook his head to clear the memory and entered the classroom.
He knew all the students, of course, but none of them he would have considered as friends, except for one lone girl in the back with ebony hair and brown eyes. She smiled shyly when she saw Joe and raised her hand a little, then lowered it again. Joe smiled as he made his way to the empty chair beside hers.
"How is Annabell?" Joe whispered as he sat down.
"She's doing great," the girl replied. "Thank you," she continued. "I owe you so much..." she began, tears of gratitude clouding her brown eyes.
"Shh," Joe soothed, reaching over and pushing her hair away from her eyes. "Don't cry, Valerie. We enjoyed having Annabell. And I'm glad you worked out things with your parents." She smiled at him again, but refrained from saying anything as the teacher chose that moment to enter the classroom.
"Hello, everyone," the teacher said brightly. "My name is Amelia Norway. I know it's a mouthful so everyone can just call me Amy." Amy was a young woman, Joe guessed her to be in her late twenties, with long brown hair swept up into a pony tail. She had hazel eyes with little laugh lines at the corners.
'Patty was right,' Joe thought. 'I do like the teacher.'
"This class is about finding ways to express your emotions," Amy continued. "We will dabble in painting; sculpture; music; even poetry. At the end of the first grading period, we will have an exam. You will choose the method you prefer and define your life."
"What?" Aaron demanded with a snarl. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, his dark brown eyes boring into the teacher.
"It will be like a biography," Amy explained. "But with a different format than the one which is normally created."
"I still don't understand," red-headed, hazel-eyed, Ralph Hays said a bit timidly.
"And you never will," snorted Tim Wyman, a greasy-haired, blue-eyed boy of eighteen.
"Actually, it is a bit early for you to comprehend what I want. However, over the next few weeks, you will begin to not only understand, but, hopefully, use what you learn on a daily basis," Amy stated.
"Right now, I would like for all of us to get acquainted," she continued. This remark was met by groans from everyone. "Let's begin with you, shall we?" she asked the tall skinny boy in the first row.
The boy stood up. "My name is Fred Perry. I'm a sophmore," he added, sitting back down.
"Were you born in Bayport?" Amy inquired.
"Yeah," was the reply.
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Amy asked.
"No," Fred answered, frowning at her.
Amy apparently gave up on him and moved to the next student."What about you?" she asked.
The petite brunette stood up. "My name is Paula Michaels. I was born in Florida but moved to Bayport to live with my dad last year when my mom got remarried. I don't have any brothers or sisters, that I know of," she amended with a grimace. "I'm a junior and don't plan on going to college," she added, sitting back down.
"My name is Tim Wyman," said the next student, standing up. "I'm a senior, born in Bayport and I have a little sister. I'm going to Bayport University next year but I haven't decided what to major in yet," he ended, sitting back down.
Next, it was Valerie's turn and she stood up. "My name is Valerie Gambill," she said softly. "I'm sixteen years old and a freshman," she added, pausing slightly and cringing inwardly as she waited for someone to comment on her age as a freshman.. "I don't have any brothers or sisters and I was born in Bayport."
Joe smiled at her and stood up as she sat down. "My name is Joe Hardy," he said. "I'm seventeen, a junior and I have one brother, a senior here. I moved to Bayport from New York when I was six but I was born in California when my folks were on vacation." He finished speaking and sat back down.
"Do you have any plans for after high school?" Amy asked him.
Fred, Aaron, and Tim all broke out laughing while most of the other students just sniggered.
"Am I missing something?" Amy inquired with a frown.
"Everyone knows Joe is going into the family business," Tim told her. "His old man would kill him if he didn't."
"Not to mention his brother," Aaron added.
"I see," Amy said. "Joe?" she asked.
"I'm going into the family business," he admitted, not with his usual grin because he was already sick of some of his classmates.
"Okay," Amy said. "Who is next?" Each person gave the basics of their lives as had Joe and the previous students. By the time Ralph Hays had told everyone he intended to leave Bayport as soon as he graduated, it was time for the bell.
"A few last words," Amy said as the kids began to get rowdy. She waited until they had quitened down before continuing. "No homework tonight, but tomorrow night's assignment, in case anyone wishes to get started, is to pick out a poem athat you feel has a special meaning to you and bring it to class to share."
The bell rang and everyone left. Joe stayed behind long enough to help Valerie gather her books. "Thanks," she told him as they exited the room, reaching up and kissing him lightly on the cheek. "For everything," she added, taking off down the hall.
"And what exactly was she thanking you for?" an angry female voice asked from behind Joe.
Joe spun around, blushing slightly when he saw Vanessa glaring at him. "Nothing," he said unconvincingly with a shrug of his shoulders.
"People don't thank and kiss you for nothing," Vanessa retorted.
"Look," Joe said, running a hand through his blond hair. "It isn't something I can tell you about," he said, cringing at how it sounded as the words left his mouth. "Vanessa...."
"Leave me alone!" she told him, stalking off down the hall and toward the exit.
Frank and Callie, already outside, saw Vanessa rushing out by herself. "What's wrong?" Frank asked, rushing to catch up with her.
"Ask your...your brother!" she shouted and started to take off but Frank captured her arm and pulled her to a stop.
"I asked you," he said quietly.
"Some girl was kissing him and thanking him and he wouldn't tell me why," she answered, calming down a little.
"Maybe he had a reason for not telling you," Frank said.
"Good one, Frank," Callie drawled , then looked over at Vanessa. "Did he kiss her?" she asked. Vanessa shook her head.
"Joe loves you," Frank told her. "He wouldn't hurt you."
Vanessa sighed. "You're right," she said. "I'm just jealous. But why wouldn't he tell me?" she continued.
"I don't know," Frank admiatted. "But I'll try to find out," he promised her.
"What's wrong with you?" Vanessa asked Frank, taking in his furrowed brow.
"Nothing," Frank answered but was greeted with glares from Vanessa and Callie. "Okay, okay," he said, raising his hands in surrender. "But you can't tell anyone, especially Joe."
"What?" Vanessa demanded, starting to worry.
"I found out the purpose behind the Creative Expression class and why it's closed registration," Frank informed them. "The guidance counselor selected kids who fit profiles for potential suicide victims."
"What?" Callie asked in disbelief.
"I overheard her telling Principal Dylan that Joe was a classic textbook example," Frank added, his expression grim.
"No way!" Vanessa declared. "Joe's got it together."
"I stopped by the library and looked through a psychology textbook which is in the reserved section for teachers. Joe does fit the pattern," Frank stated.
"Iola," Vanessa said softly, thinking about how much Joe had cared about her and lost her. Vanessa turned around and started back towrds athe school. She climbed the steps and almost crashed into Joe coming out of the building.
"Whoa!" Joe said, catching her before she walked into him. "I'm..." he began.
"I'm sorry," she said, interuppting him. "I was jealous."
"You have no reason to be," Joe told her, smiling down into her eyes. "You're the only girl for me."
Vanessa reached up and kissed Joe on the lips. "I think you're kind of special too," she admitted, smiling into his eyes. "Come on," she said, taking his hand and dragging him down the steps. "We've got to meet the gang at Mr. Pizza."
Joe rode with Vanessa while Frank offered to pick Callie up after she had dropped her car off at her hosue. "It's starting to get windy," Vanessa said when she got out of the car. She had parked near an alley and looked at the space between her car and the alley entrance. "You don't think I'll get a ticket do you?" she asked him.
Joe came around to take a look. "You might," he told her. "You're almost even."
"Great!" she moaned. "Well, go on in and put in our order while I pull out and try again."
Grinning, Joe went inside. Seeing Biff and Chet in the back, he went to join them. The waitress came and he put in an order for four colas and a large supreme pizza. Vanessa appeared before the waitress had left and took a seat next to Joe.
"Tell us about the class," Chet urged, not noticing Vanessa's sudden quiteness at his words.
"Not until everyone gets here," Biff said, playfully jabbing Chet in the arm.
Next to arrive were Tony and Phil, followed by Frank and Callie. Joe told everyone about his teacher, the other students and his first assignment.
"Well, at least you don't have to write a poem," Chet pointed out.
"Too true!" Joe agreed in relief.
"I hate to break this up," Frank said, looking down at his watch. "But it's time we left," he said over an hour later when all the food had been consumed.
"Yeah- homework," Joe said sourly.
Frank paid the tab and left with Callie. Vanessa had volunteered to drop Joe off at home. Joe pulled out a slip of paper from his pocket as he and Vanessa left the building. "Homework in three subjects on the first day of school," Joe complained, looking at the paper. "Can you believe...." his sentence was cut short by a gust of wind as they neared the alley by Vanessa's car. The slip of paper flew from Joe's hand down the alley.
Joe took off at a run while Vanessa cackled in mirth. Joe finally managed to grab the paper, coming to a stop halfway down the alley. His eyes narrowed on a little girl with black hair as she sat huddled by a trash can, a little brown bottle open in one hand and her other hand full of little pills.
"What are you doing?" Joe asked harshly, rushing over and grabbing her wrist as she raised the pills to her mouth.
She looked up at Joe in alarm, screamed and took off running, leaving the bottle and pills scattered on the rocky turf.