CJ woke the next morning with a crick in her neck having slept funny trying to get comfortable all night. She got up and made her way to the shower in hopes that the hot water would revive her. Even though she stayed in the steaming shower until there was no hot water left she still didn't feel like facing the day. It was Saturday and her parents were home and with yesterday's escapades she was not likely going to be allowed to hang out with Steven but would be stuck in the house all day with them. Making her way to the kitchen she found it empty, hey she thought maybe they weren't home and she would be able to go over to Steven's. They were running out of biking weather and so she hoped she could get a few more rides in before the snow fell.
Luck was not on her side, it never was. On the counter there was note with a list of chores to do before her mother returned from the market. Her father must be around somewhere she thought. Quickly eating breakfast at the counter she got to work hoping that if they chores were done the afternoon would be hers.
The weekend proceeded with each new hope of freedom quickly being dashed as something else was found for her to occupy her spare time. Sunday evening arrived and she still hadn't completed her homework. Locking herself in her room she lay across the bed and worked until quite late completing everything but the speech. It was THAT time of year again. Speech time. Everyone had to write one, everyone had to present to their English class. The teachers then chose a few kids from each class to compete. CJ had won the competition last year to everyone's surprise, including her own.
So as she lay there Sunday night trying to come up with a topic to write about she couldn't, she was stuck. Winning last year had sort of applied pressure to this year's endeavor. CJ did well enough at school but sort of made sure she didn't set expectations "too" high so that she wouldn't be expected to meet them regularly. And now she'd gone and won a competition. She really hadn't thought that one through. Going to bed with a blank sheet of paper as her only effort towards the speech she wasn't looking forward to Mr. Hunter's English class where a rough draft was due.
As expected Mr. Hunter wasn't impressed with CJ's efforts towards her speech, even though she explained the reason for her writer's block. Just do your best was his only reply. That's all well and good CJ thought but I can't do my best if I can't even come up with a topic to write about.
Days past and the deadline for the final copy was drawing nearer and CJ was starting to panic. Everyone at school was trying to be helpful giving suggestions of both how to find a topic as well as topics themselves.
She spoke with Abby about being worried that she couldn't keep up to last year's win. And Abby lovingly told her that they all supported her no matter what happened and that no one expected her to win two years in a row. When she ran into Tim in the elevator and she looked down, he jokingly punched in the arm and told her that no speech in the world was worth looking that upset over, but he understood her plight. Jimmy went on and on about how her predicament reminded him of time when he was in school. Gibbs just listened while sanding his project and she vented one night. Her mother kissed the top of her head and told her "I will love you even if you are the last to get in line". CJ understood what she was trying to say. And her father tucked her in the night she'd explained her problem to him saying "the stress you are feeling is from your own expectations. None of us need you to win. We love you no matter what." With only a day or two left CJ finally got a brain wave and started writing.
A/N - might be a few days to update... having a big problem writing the speech or writing around it... a little stuck.. sorry chapter is very short...