To my blessed reviewers--hip-hop/jazz DANCE... very different from the music. Last year in my dance recital, I did jazz dance, but it was very hip-hoppish (it was to 'Work it Out' by Beyonce) and it looked surprisingly cool. (Check out my website for a pic of my costume! I look like a magic-eye! And I looke eight.) I've noticed that a lot of the cheerleading routines I've seen on ESPN (oh, and cheerleading and dance ARE sports.) have moves I've seen in jazz dances.
And I have not weelbarrowed down stairs but I have seen people do it. Man... you're only a freshman once... My best Frosh memory? I ran around the common area with my eyelids inside out while 'I Wanna Be Sedated' played over the speakers! ALRIGHT!
Chapter Ten
Terry pushed the door open to the library/computer lab and dropped her bag on the shelves before dragging herself through the security turnstyles for her second period class. She wondered what turnstyles really accomplished in the name of library security. She looked around for Clear, but again, she wasn't at school. What was up with that girl?
She liked her homeroom class, though. There were a lot of girls there that she had been meaning to get to know. And she spent a lot of time arguing her good points and knowlege with the teacher. It was great. But she wasn't in the mood for arguing today. Today, she was in the mood for moping and not speaking to anyone. She slid into her seat.
"Good morning, Mount Aberham High!" boomed the cheery voice of Erin Gauthier, a member of Student Council who's job was screwing up the announcements every day. At least, that's what it might as well have been. "Today's Frosh Week activity is the Barf Buffet--a table full of the most disgusting things you've ever tasted! Any daredevils should truly take this opportunity to prove themselves!" She paused for a moment. "The UIP, or University Information Program, will take place tonight in the William Dawson memorial theatre. Be sure to take time off work because it gives you an opportunity to check out your top three choices." Another pause. "Great turnout at the sophomor cheerleader tryouts yesterday. Congratulations to everyone who tried out. The following lucky girls have made the squad." Terry braced herself. While she knew that she didn't make it, she hated to hear it from someone who didn't know her. "Leandra Dellaire, Natasha Fizzell, Gillian McGovern, Carolyn Perry, Kelsey Rankin, and Shawna Stringer. This concludes tonights announcements."
Terry heaved a huge sigh and leaned her head back. That was just great. Just frickin' great. Now Alex, Billy, George, Tod... they all knew that she had failed. She was ready to sleep the whole period. Yeah. That sounded pretty good. She shut her eyes and leaned forward, resting her forehead on her arms.
"Oh, and one more announcement, a pair of South Park boxer shorts were found in the boys' locker room."
***
Alex looked at the list Clear had given him. His arms were already overflowing with notebooks and binders, and he still had to visit three more teachers. He read over Clear's messy handwriting.
"Music class (Mr. Hyde) - My guitar case, grade 9 piano book, and my binder."
There were a bunch of 'thank you so much' notes here and there through Clear's list. He looked around the nearly-empty hallway. The only other life form in the hall was a senior who was sleeping. He tried to laugh but couldn't get the shake out of his jaw.
Silently, he walked down the stairs and wove his way through the crooked tables in the common area until he reached the doors outside the music room.
He knocked on the door, a tall oak one with cheery pictures of a snail playing a flute, a caterpillar playing a trumpet, and a way-too-happy bumblebee with a trombone between his antenae. Teachers could be such cheezballs sometimes.
Mr. Hyde, tall and skinny with blue eyes and a warm smile came to the door, a clarinet in his hand. A class of freshmen were sitting in the chairs, watching Alex in the doorway.
"Alex," Mr. Hyde greeted him warmly, "What can I do for you?"
Alex sighed, trying to keep the 'nice young man' look on his face. "I have some things to pick up for Clear Rivers."
Mr. Hyde nodded. "She left a few tings here the other night. How come she wasn't here yesterday? Is she sick?"
Alex coughed a little. "Well, it's some personal reasons. She might come to school tomorrow, but she's moving in a week."
***
"Finally!" Tod exclaimed as George and Billy approached the table with trays of food. Billy's face was still, his lower lip between his top and bottom teeth, looking around, like he was checking for someone. He then let go of his lip and sat down at Tod's table.
"What's been up, Hitchcock?" Tod demanded, popping a French fry (I mean FREEDOME FRY!) into his mouth, "Haven't seen you in awhile!"
Billy sighed and rolled his eyes. "Sorry. Just spent the last three days in solitary confinement in an effort to avoid Terry."
George cocked an eyebrow. Apparently, he was as lost as Tod was. "What did she do? Insult you? Cheat on you? Skip a period?"
Billy had to laugh, then his dark expression returned. "B, final answer."
Tod's eyes widened, if that was possible. "You serious? She fooled around with someone? Who?"
Billy grimly took a bite of his chicken burger. "Carter," he mumbled with a mouthefull of food.
"No way!" the brothers exclaimed.
"How did you find out?
Billy had a 'duh' look on his face. "Carter told me," he said simply.
George couldn't help it. He cracked up. "Oh, man," he told Billy with a smirk on his face, looking down at his lunch tray, as he couldn't bare to look the poor guy in the eyes, "You actually fuckin' believed him?"
Billy said nothing.
"Carter lies to everyone!" George exclaimed, "Everyone knows that! I'm around him more than most of you guys, ya know, and he has the instincts of a pathological liar."
That was true. George had known Carter for awhile, not necessarily liking him, but they had met on the football team in ninth grade. Carter made up stories all the time, for glory, for the sake of braging to his teammates. The few people surrounding him that weren't shit-for-brains didn't believe them for a minute.
Billy groaned. "Aw, man! I can't believe it! I've been such a jerk to Terry! I've been avoiding her, and I skipped out on her tryouts... and she didn't make it! Fuck, I am a shitty boyfriend!"
Tod smiled. "Yeah," he agreed smugly, "Yeah, you suck."
Billy glared at him, then went back to talking to George. "Have you seen her?"
George shook his head. "We don't have any of the same classes. Aren't you two in history together?"
"I was so pissed I sat on the other side of the room from her."
George shrugged. "Okay, it'll take you awhile to make it up to her." He looked around. "Hey, wasn't Tod here just a second ago?"
They looked towards the frosh week crowd to see Tod at the table where Shania was announcing the event, the Barf Buffet.
"This'll be good," George said to himself.
***
Tod grinned as he sat down on the table bench in front of three plates, all covered. The beauty of Frosh Week--sophomores could participate as well. And this was one thing he would not let pass him by!
"Okay, the point of the game is, you search all three plates and try to find the worm," Shania was explaining through the bullhorn, "But you can't use your hands! You have to eat everything you touch! After you find the worm, put it on the blue plate, and wash it down with a cup of salt-water!"
Tod rubbed his hands, together, looking at the three plates, then at his two competitors. One by one, the tops were lifted off of the plates. On one was what looked like cat food. On another was a mix of butterscotch pudding and gravy with chunks of God-only-knew-what. The third was a totally unidentifiable chunky grey substance.
"GO!" Shania screamed, and Tod, not hesitating, tore into the cat food. He gagged a little, then, with his face in the plate, he worked himself around the mess. Nothing.
Onto the pudding gravy, he thought to himself. He shut his eyes and dove in, choking on the goopy mixture. Suddenly, working around the plate with his tongue, he found it! The worm, wriggling around underneath the disgusting liquid! He grabbed it triumphantly with his teeth and dropped it on the blue paper plate before anyone else. He accepted the cup of water from Shania, choked down a mouthfull, then got an idea. With his dirty fingers, he grabbed the worm off the plate, popped it in his mouth, and swallowed, rinsing it with the salt water.
The whole crowd grimaced. Tod held his hands up in pride. "YEAH!" he cried, his breath making even his own stomach turn.
He turned to the other tenth-graders, who were staring at him in awe.
"IN YOUR FACE!" he exclaimed. He took a paper napkin and wiped off his face.
He took a colossal chocolate bar from the prize table and walked through the crowd for his table. He stopped halfway, seeing Christa and Blake, who were glaring at him in disgust.
"Hey, Christa!" Tod called to the blonde, "Ever kiss a guy who just ate cat food?"
Christa scoffed and rolled her eyes. Tod's response was licking his lips with a "sexy" wink at her.
---
Journal: Clear Rivers
It is ten to one in the morning right now, and the sound of the heater clicking has been driving me crazy for two hours. I can't believe it, you would think after two months of lying awake at night hearing that bastard hurt my mom, or listening to the sobbing of their room, you would think I would be itching for some sleep.
I'm not.
I don't want to close one eye. I keep finding excuses not to go to sleep. It's like a fear. When I sleep, it feels like I'm asleep for five minutes instead of five hours. I'm just so scared that time is running out. My time here, in Mount Aberham, with my friends...
It'll be gone soon.
Soon, I'm gonna be in Jersey with Aunt Carrie. Mom says it will be good for us. We need 'healing.'
Wasn't that the reason we moved here in the first place???
New Jersey isn't that far from Mount Aberham. If we want to be close to family, why not just drive down on Saturdays or whatever? She can't take me away from my family. Alex, Terry... they're my family. I love them. There is no way I'm gonna leave them. It's not fair. I hate to say it, but it isn't. It will never be fair.
I've got to make the most of my time here. Make every minute seem like an hour.
Even if that means never falling asleep.
~~~
Chapter Theme:
I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing ~ Aerosmith
Clear's Theme
I could stay awake, just to hear you breathing.
Watch you smile while you are sleeping, while you're far away and dreaming.
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender.
Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure.
I don't wanna close my eyes.
I don't wanna fall asleep.
'Cause I'd miss you, baby.
And I don't wanna miss a thing.
'Cause even when I dream of you.
The sweetest dream will never do.
I'd still miss you baby.
And I don't wanna miss a thing.
~~~
Appologies for the lateness of this chapter, damn high school... actually, I'm doing great, my average is 86%. Hoorah! My highest mark is English and Art, what a surprise. Dharke, if you think Sparky's a hippy, you haven't met me in person. Well, maybe not a hippy, but I play guitar, I wear weird clothes, have a room full of lava lamps, and like old music. But in my defense, most of that old music is classic rock like ACDC.
And I have not weelbarrowed down stairs but I have seen people do it. Man... you're only a freshman once... My best Frosh memory? I ran around the common area with my eyelids inside out while 'I Wanna Be Sedated' played over the speakers! ALRIGHT!
Chapter Ten
Terry pushed the door open to the library/computer lab and dropped her bag on the shelves before dragging herself through the security turnstyles for her second period class. She wondered what turnstyles really accomplished in the name of library security. She looked around for Clear, but again, she wasn't at school. What was up with that girl?
She liked her homeroom class, though. There were a lot of girls there that she had been meaning to get to know. And she spent a lot of time arguing her good points and knowlege with the teacher. It was great. But she wasn't in the mood for arguing today. Today, she was in the mood for moping and not speaking to anyone. She slid into her seat.
"Good morning, Mount Aberham High!" boomed the cheery voice of Erin Gauthier, a member of Student Council who's job was screwing up the announcements every day. At least, that's what it might as well have been. "Today's Frosh Week activity is the Barf Buffet--a table full of the most disgusting things you've ever tasted! Any daredevils should truly take this opportunity to prove themselves!" She paused for a moment. "The UIP, or University Information Program, will take place tonight in the William Dawson memorial theatre. Be sure to take time off work because it gives you an opportunity to check out your top three choices." Another pause. "Great turnout at the sophomor cheerleader tryouts yesterday. Congratulations to everyone who tried out. The following lucky girls have made the squad." Terry braced herself. While she knew that she didn't make it, she hated to hear it from someone who didn't know her. "Leandra Dellaire, Natasha Fizzell, Gillian McGovern, Carolyn Perry, Kelsey Rankin, and Shawna Stringer. This concludes tonights announcements."
Terry heaved a huge sigh and leaned her head back. That was just great. Just frickin' great. Now Alex, Billy, George, Tod... they all knew that she had failed. She was ready to sleep the whole period. Yeah. That sounded pretty good. She shut her eyes and leaned forward, resting her forehead on her arms.
"Oh, and one more announcement, a pair of South Park boxer shorts were found in the boys' locker room."
***
Alex looked at the list Clear had given him. His arms were already overflowing with notebooks and binders, and he still had to visit three more teachers. He read over Clear's messy handwriting.
"Music class (Mr. Hyde) - My guitar case, grade 9 piano book, and my binder."
There were a bunch of 'thank you so much' notes here and there through Clear's list. He looked around the nearly-empty hallway. The only other life form in the hall was a senior who was sleeping. He tried to laugh but couldn't get the shake out of his jaw.
Silently, he walked down the stairs and wove his way through the crooked tables in the common area until he reached the doors outside the music room.
He knocked on the door, a tall oak one with cheery pictures of a snail playing a flute, a caterpillar playing a trumpet, and a way-too-happy bumblebee with a trombone between his antenae. Teachers could be such cheezballs sometimes.
Mr. Hyde, tall and skinny with blue eyes and a warm smile came to the door, a clarinet in his hand. A class of freshmen were sitting in the chairs, watching Alex in the doorway.
"Alex," Mr. Hyde greeted him warmly, "What can I do for you?"
Alex sighed, trying to keep the 'nice young man' look on his face. "I have some things to pick up for Clear Rivers."
Mr. Hyde nodded. "She left a few tings here the other night. How come she wasn't here yesterday? Is she sick?"
Alex coughed a little. "Well, it's some personal reasons. She might come to school tomorrow, but she's moving in a week."
***
"Finally!" Tod exclaimed as George and Billy approached the table with trays of food. Billy's face was still, his lower lip between his top and bottom teeth, looking around, like he was checking for someone. He then let go of his lip and sat down at Tod's table.
"What's been up, Hitchcock?" Tod demanded, popping a French fry (I mean FREEDOME FRY!) into his mouth, "Haven't seen you in awhile!"
Billy sighed and rolled his eyes. "Sorry. Just spent the last three days in solitary confinement in an effort to avoid Terry."
George cocked an eyebrow. Apparently, he was as lost as Tod was. "What did she do? Insult you? Cheat on you? Skip a period?"
Billy had to laugh, then his dark expression returned. "B, final answer."
Tod's eyes widened, if that was possible. "You serious? She fooled around with someone? Who?"
Billy grimly took a bite of his chicken burger. "Carter," he mumbled with a mouthefull of food.
"No way!" the brothers exclaimed.
"How did you find out?
Billy had a 'duh' look on his face. "Carter told me," he said simply.
George couldn't help it. He cracked up. "Oh, man," he told Billy with a smirk on his face, looking down at his lunch tray, as he couldn't bare to look the poor guy in the eyes, "You actually fuckin' believed him?"
Billy said nothing.
"Carter lies to everyone!" George exclaimed, "Everyone knows that! I'm around him more than most of you guys, ya know, and he has the instincts of a pathological liar."
That was true. George had known Carter for awhile, not necessarily liking him, but they had met on the football team in ninth grade. Carter made up stories all the time, for glory, for the sake of braging to his teammates. The few people surrounding him that weren't shit-for-brains didn't believe them for a minute.
Billy groaned. "Aw, man! I can't believe it! I've been such a jerk to Terry! I've been avoiding her, and I skipped out on her tryouts... and she didn't make it! Fuck, I am a shitty boyfriend!"
Tod smiled. "Yeah," he agreed smugly, "Yeah, you suck."
Billy glared at him, then went back to talking to George. "Have you seen her?"
George shook his head. "We don't have any of the same classes. Aren't you two in history together?"
"I was so pissed I sat on the other side of the room from her."
George shrugged. "Okay, it'll take you awhile to make it up to her." He looked around. "Hey, wasn't Tod here just a second ago?"
They looked towards the frosh week crowd to see Tod at the table where Shania was announcing the event, the Barf Buffet.
"This'll be good," George said to himself.
***
Tod grinned as he sat down on the table bench in front of three plates, all covered. The beauty of Frosh Week--sophomores could participate as well. And this was one thing he would not let pass him by!
"Okay, the point of the game is, you search all three plates and try to find the worm," Shania was explaining through the bullhorn, "But you can't use your hands! You have to eat everything you touch! After you find the worm, put it on the blue plate, and wash it down with a cup of salt-water!"
Tod rubbed his hands, together, looking at the three plates, then at his two competitors. One by one, the tops were lifted off of the plates. On one was what looked like cat food. On another was a mix of butterscotch pudding and gravy with chunks of God-only-knew-what. The third was a totally unidentifiable chunky grey substance.
"GO!" Shania screamed, and Tod, not hesitating, tore into the cat food. He gagged a little, then, with his face in the plate, he worked himself around the mess. Nothing.
Onto the pudding gravy, he thought to himself. He shut his eyes and dove in, choking on the goopy mixture. Suddenly, working around the plate with his tongue, he found it! The worm, wriggling around underneath the disgusting liquid! He grabbed it triumphantly with his teeth and dropped it on the blue paper plate before anyone else. He accepted the cup of water from Shania, choked down a mouthfull, then got an idea. With his dirty fingers, he grabbed the worm off the plate, popped it in his mouth, and swallowed, rinsing it with the salt water.
The whole crowd grimaced. Tod held his hands up in pride. "YEAH!" he cried, his breath making even his own stomach turn.
He turned to the other tenth-graders, who were staring at him in awe.
"IN YOUR FACE!" he exclaimed. He took a paper napkin and wiped off his face.
He took a colossal chocolate bar from the prize table and walked through the crowd for his table. He stopped halfway, seeing Christa and Blake, who were glaring at him in disgust.
"Hey, Christa!" Tod called to the blonde, "Ever kiss a guy who just ate cat food?"
Christa scoffed and rolled her eyes. Tod's response was licking his lips with a "sexy" wink at her.
---
Journal: Clear Rivers
It is ten to one in the morning right now, and the sound of the heater clicking has been driving me crazy for two hours. I can't believe it, you would think after two months of lying awake at night hearing that bastard hurt my mom, or listening to the sobbing of their room, you would think I would be itching for some sleep.
I'm not.
I don't want to close one eye. I keep finding excuses not to go to sleep. It's like a fear. When I sleep, it feels like I'm asleep for five minutes instead of five hours. I'm just so scared that time is running out. My time here, in Mount Aberham, with my friends...
It'll be gone soon.
Soon, I'm gonna be in Jersey with Aunt Carrie. Mom says it will be good for us. We need 'healing.'
Wasn't that the reason we moved here in the first place???
New Jersey isn't that far from Mount Aberham. If we want to be close to family, why not just drive down on Saturdays or whatever? She can't take me away from my family. Alex, Terry... they're my family. I love them. There is no way I'm gonna leave them. It's not fair. I hate to say it, but it isn't. It will never be fair.
I've got to make the most of my time here. Make every minute seem like an hour.
Even if that means never falling asleep.
~~~
Chapter Theme:
I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing ~ Aerosmith
Clear's Theme
I could stay awake, just to hear you breathing.
Watch you smile while you are sleeping, while you're far away and dreaming.
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender.
Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure.
I don't wanna close my eyes.
I don't wanna fall asleep.
'Cause I'd miss you, baby.
And I don't wanna miss a thing.
'Cause even when I dream of you.
The sweetest dream will never do.
I'd still miss you baby.
And I don't wanna miss a thing.
~~~
Appologies for the lateness of this chapter, damn high school... actually, I'm doing great, my average is 86%. Hoorah! My highest mark is English and Art, what a surprise. Dharke, if you think Sparky's a hippy, you haven't met me in person. Well, maybe not a hippy, but I play guitar, I wear weird clothes, have a room full of lava lamps, and like old music. But in my defense, most of that old music is classic rock like ACDC.
