Hey, doncha know my nickname is Curtis?? Dharke gave it to me when I said I didn't like Em and Fiddy. Yep, Curtis. Dharke will be happy to know that I use that nicnkame wherever I go! Honestly! Everyone loves it! I've also been known to answer to Narbie, Banana, and Frankie.

As for going soft on you, well, I may be slightly unhinged and evil, but I still like to give hugs!!

As for Dharke's hilarious reviews (I acknowlege the other ones too, but Dharke's are unforgettable!) well... OH MY GOD! DHARKE IS DEAD! NOOO! I WAS SUPPOSED TO KILL HER AFTER I FINISHED THE STORY!

Chapter Nine

Tod sunk his teeth into his cheeseburger, watching as Shania Reeves stood on top of a platform with a bullhorn. She was shouting at the ninth-graders who had their faces plunged into messy chocolate pies.

"Don't chew, you wimps!" she cried.

Tod laughed. He looked around him, then at his watch. His friends were kind of slow, but they should have been there by now. There were only twenty minutes left of his lunch before he had to get to gym class. He wanted to do some frosh games with them!

Of course, it didn't help that his friends had been super mopey for the past few days. Billy hadn't been seen all day, nor had he been online all weekend. He was always online. Terry said maybe two words that morning at the lockers. Clear wasn't even there, and Alex wasn't exactly being Mr. Talkative. Worst of all, ever since Friday night, George had been constantly pacing around the room, complaining about Clear, and how he was "so mad at her yet so sorry for her." Tod rolled his eyes. Love sure fucked people up.

Shania held up the hand of one of the winner like a boxer who had just won the title. "AND THE WINNER IS KATIE BLANCHARD!" She handed Katie a bag of Doritos.

Tod laughed. What some people would do for a bag of nacho chips!

"Now, it's time we go back to one of last year's classic events!" Shania screamed, "Last year, the Downstairs Wheelbarrow race between Christa Marsh and Maria Lowell was a close one--you all remember! This year, the rivalry continues! Come on up!"

Christa blushed and walked up to the raised platform. She was followed by Maria Lowell, whom Tod knew was a gymnast or something. She would probably win the race again. The only thing that was so memorable about the race was seeing down their tops while they raced!

"Here's our returning champion, Maria!" Shania cried. Everyone cheered. "And our very close runner up, Christa!" More cheers. "This year," Shania explained, "Things are going to be a little different! It was WAY too easy last year." She pointed to the winding three-story staircase above her head. "You are going to have to do it from the fourth floor to the second floor!" Christa bit her lip nervously. "And you're gonna have to do it blindfolded!" The crowd cheered. "Pick your partners carefully. You'll need their trust!"

Tod, suddenly intrigued at the idea of once again seeing both girls walking on their hands down the stairs, stood up and got closer through the crowd.

Maria chose her partner, her boyfriend, Scott. Christa looked down the platform desperately at Blake. "Blake!" she whispered insistantly.

Blake shook her head no.

"COME ON!" Shania yelled, "Don't make me pick for you!"

Without warning from his own brain, Tod's hand shot up in the air. He began yelling, "I'll do it!"

Shania caught his volunteer.

"You?" she mouthed, making sure he was serious.

"Yeah, me!" he shouted, moreso to his surprise. What was he doing?

He walked through the people onto the platform. He stood next to Christa, following her steps as Shania led them up the stairs. Once at the top, they gazed down at the intense crowd of high-schoolers.

"Creep," Christa murmured as Shania tied on her blindfold.

"Slut," Tod shot back with a grin. Thank god Christa couldn't see how nervous he was.

"Loser."

"Dike."

Maria laughed at them.

Christa leaned to Shania's ear. "Do I really have to... with Tod?" she whispered.

"Could be worse," Shania replied, not returning the quiet tone. "You could be wearing a skirt." She turned to the edge of the stairs and held up the bullhorn. "RACERS--ON YOUR MARKS!" Promptly, Maria did a handstand and swung her legs down until her ankles were in the grasp of her boyfriend. Christa struggled a little more, until Tod nervously got a firm grip around her white socks. "GET SET!" Tod paced himself for the run--would he run? He should just follow Christa. "GO!"

Christa and Maria started off quickly, Scott and Tod fumbling along. At least Scott could keep a grip on Maria's ankles. Tod kept nearly letting go. Christa wasn't exactly steady on her hands either. As Tod tripped along, he shoot, fearing that those heels might go straight into his nads, or that he would step on her hand or something.

They weren't even at the bottom of the first flight when he realized that they would not be able to win at any cost. So he picked up the pace. Might as well go down with some dignity. Christa took his lead, her hands taking longer strides down on the floor as they rounded the corner to the second flight. Maria and Scott were nearly at the bottom.

Unfortunately, Christa's stride went too far. She reached her hand out, expecting to feel the floor. Instead, she was over the stairs, not prepared to lower herself. Her hand flew out of place and she fell heels over head down the stairs, Tod following her, amazingly still holding on to her ankles.

The crowd had mixes of groans, cheers, boos, and laughter. Tod looked down with dismay to see Scott and Maria crossing the finish line. No hope for him and Christa to win.

Christa took the blindfold off her head. She looked at Tod sourly. "Nice going, klutz," she muttered.

"You're the one who missed the stair!" Tod insisted, wanting to prove that he was right. He parked his butt on the stairs and tied his loose shoelace. "I wouldn't talk if I were you."

Christa adjusted her belt and giggled. "I'm sure if I ran like a duck I wouldn't want to admit I was wrong." She smirked.

"A duck? That's the best you got?" He glared at her challengingly. "What are you? In kindergarten?"

"Fag," she said with a mix of anger and laughter.

"Cow," he retalliated.

Shania rolled her eyes and marched up the few steps. "Hate to break up this love-fest, but can I have my blindfold back? It's the ninth-graders' turn."

Christa knelt down to pick up the scarf but Tod beat her to it, causing her to fall flat on her behind. "Here you go!" Tod said brightly as if he didn't notice Christa. He tried to fight his laughter.

"Fuck you," Christa mouthed.

Tod smirked as she began walking. "So, see you in gym?" he asked.

"Bite me," she muttered.

Tod laughed and shook his head as he walked towards the men's room. Behind him, he heard the squeek of running shoes on the floor. He turned around to see his brother behind him.

"What was that about?" George asked, pointing to Christa.

Tod smirked superiorly. "She totally wants me."

"Nice that you think so."

***

Terry secured her curly hair in a tight bun and chewed her gum thuroughly. She tied her shoes tightly and leaned her head back, exhaling her cool breath. She wished that she had seen Clear that day. It would have been good to get some girl support. Especially with everyone weirding out that day. She hadn't even seen Billy all day! Why was she always the last to know things?

Something crossed her mind as she sat uncomfortably on the bleachers. Did Billy know? Did he know that Carter had kissed her? How would he have found out, she had no idea. But it would certainly explain why he wasn't talking to her that day.

'But Carter kissed ME,' she thought. 'Not the other way around.'

Terry watched a junior girl as she lept and flipped across the floor. Terry gulped and inched closer, biting her nails.

"Hey."

She jumped.

Carter sat down next to her. "Nervous?" he asked with that annoyingly self-assured look.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered.

"Watching," he replied.

She groaned. "I suppose you didn't get the idea that I wasn't interested when I told you that I didn't like you?"

He rolled his eyes. "I suppose you didn't get the idea that I'm trying when I told you how much I like you?"

"Go away, Carter!" she hissed. The junior girl switched off the tape player. Terry stood up shakily, more nervous than ever. Her shorts felt uncomfortably tight and her shirt felt too baggy. As she switched her tape on she felt a strand of hair break loose from her bun. The hair swept across her face, making her nose itch. She blew it away and walked quickly to the center of the floor, her back to the judges and her left leg rested beside her right knee in a rotirée.

Terry had worked for over a month on her audition dance. It was more like two dances. She had choreographed one hip-hop/jazz routine, and one strictly gymnastics routine. She practiced both at the same time, switching between the two whenever she felt appropriate.

The first beat of her song came on. She stuck her foot down and twisted around, ready to start her dance part. With a false smile, she stepped to the side, did a sail turn, and repeated it on the other side. She then gulped before she bent her knees and sprang up, flipping herself backwards. She had never been a pro at flips, as she was never thin enough to carry herself like that. But she was learning it.

Once on her feet again, she did a small hop, nearly invisible to the naked eye, her momentum sending her into a quick jazz split. She looked to the side, trying not to see anything... instead she saw Carter, who was... still there.

He was watching her so intently. She shut her eyes and slid up, doing a hip roll as she got up. Her smile was becomming harder and harder to force.

She dipped down, then up again, the concentration on her face throwing off the movements of her body. But she kept going, until she took one step too far.

She stepped on her other foot! Immediately, her heel struck her ankle, and one thing led to another and she was completely thrown off--and thrown to the ground! She looked around, feeling like the world had stopped. But everyone was still there, looking at her closely and pittifully.

Hot tears stung her eyes as she stumbled her way up. Her jaw shook, and her throat felt like it wanted to say something. But her tongue wouldn't move. So a ghaspy sigh came out instead of words. On the verge of her tears spilling out onto her cheeks, she got to her feet and ran out the gym doors.

---

Hey hey, how did you like that? Terry's not gonna be a cheerleader, wah wah wah! (Nothing's perfect in good ol' Mount Aberham!) Anyway, a new "feature," since the chapters are now titled according to Frosh Week activities and I wanted an opportunity to put this in. (Man, I miss Frosh Week... Me and Kyle threw fries down onto the second floor common area... no one noticed.)

Anyway, here is this chapters' theme song.

FORTY FOOT EGO - BRAND NEW DAY

(Carter's Theme)

Never thought I'd say I'm sorry

Never thought I'd be the one to bring you down.

When I look out my window.

There doesn't seem to be anyone around.

And I

I think I'll change my ways.

So all your words get noticed.

Tomorrow's a brand new day.

Tomorrow's a new day.