Glory Days: Freshman Year

GLORY DAYS

Freshman Year

Lisa R. Jackson

Glory Days: Freshman Year

Lisa R. Jackson

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2015 Lisa R. Jackson

This book is available in print at most online retailers.

"Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - New Kid in Town

Chapter 2 - Facing Fear

Chapter 3 - My Injustice

Chapter 4 - The Green-Eyed Monster

Chapter 5 - The Storm and the Miracle

Chapter 6 - The Aftermath

Chapter 7 - The Mission

Chapter 8 - Under His Wings

Chapter 9 - The Beach Retreat

Chapter 10 -The Fairy Tale Christmas

Chapter 11 - Two Guys and a Girl

Chapter 12 - Am I my Sister’s Keeper

Chapter 13 - Valentine Surprises

Chapter 14 - Standing up for a Friend

Chapter 15 - Stress and Entanglements

Chapter 16 - To Tell or Not to Tell

Chapter 17 - Prom Night

Chapter 18 - Near the End

Chapter 19 - Dealing with Life and Death

To my children, the source of my inspiration, the sunshine of my days.

Chapter 1 - New Kid in Town (by Courtney)

I love running, but not like this. Not with a fluffy, yippy dog on my heels. Never mind the fact that he’s only ten inches tall, when he growls baring his bottom teeth in front of his top teeth, I’m totally creeped out and frantic.

Once I think I’m enough ahead that it’s safe to turn to see how close behind he is, I lose my balance, trip, and hit the asphalt. My hands and knees burn. I’m guessing I’m bleeding, but I scramble to my feet worried the mighty Shih Tzu’s teeth will reach me. Instead I run smack into something. This something is a someone and rests his hands on my shoulders.

Whoa! You okay? he says and then immediately starts talking puppy talk, It’s alright, boy, to the mad dog, who’s now pulling his ears back and wagging his tail, like a normal, domesticated pet. I don’t think he’ll hurt you, he says to me like I’m a child.

I look up at my savior as the Kemps’ dog prances back to his yard to terrorize other passersby. I’m fine, I say. Just totally embarrassed.

Hang on. Let me go get you some paper towels or something. The boy turns and runs in the Crawford’s old house that’s been for sale. I’ve never seen him before. Dusting myself off and moving to the curb, I notice a truck in the driveway that says Mitchell Construction on it.

Mystery boy returns quickly. He seemed so brave before, but his hands shake slightly as he hands me nearly a whole roll of wet toilet paper. Sorry this is all we have. My dad and I are fixing up our new house here and haven’t moved in yet.

Blotting my bloodied knees with the wet paper, I say, Cool. It’s been vacant for a while.

He shakes he head. You afraid of dogs?

No, I love them when they’re not chasing me. That dog hates me though. Every time when he’s out and I run by, he harasses me. Don’t let his size fool ya.

He chuckles a little. You go to Eastside Christian? I guess he read my t-shirt. I’m about to start there. I’m Jason Mitchell. Jason has tousled, wavy, dark hair and piercing blue eyes that would almost be scary except for his soft features and warm smile.

Courtney Hartley. I’m a freshman at Eastside.

Cool, I’ll be a freshman too.

Oh, then I guess we’ll be classmates and neighbors. Welcome to the neighborhood of ferocious dogs and klutzy girls. Did I just say that? I bend down to wipe my knees one more time and then start to leave before I say something else stupid.

You need any help getting home? he offers.

No, thanks to you, it appears the street is now safe from dangerous animals, and I just live down the road.

Okay. See ya at school if not before.

Yeah, nice meeting you, Jason. Thanks again for the … toilet paper. I offer a pretty lame wave and hobble home. Man, I’d love a do-over on that whole incident, and I didn’t even get in my full morning run.

By the time I clean my wounds and slap on band-aids, Mom has already started breakfast, so I pour myself a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios. I just met a boy my age moving into the Crawford’s old house.

Did he knock you down? Mom asks glancing at my knees.

No, I fell. No point in embarrassing myself more by telling her about being chased by the neighbor’s itty bitty frou-frou dog.

That’s good. I mean it’s good that someone’s moving in there. So is he nice? Is he cute? Mom asks with a grin as she puts her dishes in the dishwasher.

Yeah, he’s nice and kinda cute. Maybe a little short. What is it about moms? They seem like they want you to notice cute boys, yet if you actually wanted to get serious with one, then they’ll say you’re too young to have a boyfriend. Well, at least that’s what I’m guessing since I’ve never gotten to that point with boys yet. I’ve had a major crush on my brother Brandon’s best friend Will Butts for years, but I don’t think she’s at all worried about my friendship with him actually becoming a real romantic relationship. No need since the only thing happening there is in my dreams.

Okay, I gotta go. Brandon and Lauren are still asleep, but Brandon should be waking up soon for work. Make sure he’s up by 8:30. She musses my hair that’s already falling out of my ponytail and walks to her bedroom where she’ll brush her teeth, put on shoes, and go to work. I have her routine down.

"Well, I’ll be here babysitting your daughter," I respond sarcastically. I know that my job this summer is to babysit my ten-year-old sister until Mom gets home from her accounting job. She just works mornings this time of year, but a lot more during tax season. I can’t complain though because she pays me a little.

After showering and helping Brandon find his keys, I write in my journal until I hear Lauren stirring. Usually I try to keep her occupied and monitor her TV viewing, so I often let her best friend from next door, Casey Wong, come over to play. Even better is when Lauren goes to Casey’s. Mrs. Wong teaches at my school, so she’s off during the summer and can keep an eye on them, and I still get paid.

The phone rings and Lauren answers it. Can I go to Casey’s? she asks. I never say no to that.

***

Tonight I have a sleepover planned with my best friends – Aneisha, Sara Beth and Tori. We used to do this all the time but only twice this summer. At Tori’s it was a major production with going out for Japanese, crafts, and swimming in her pool. My agenda tonight is just pizza and a DVD.

On our way to pick up the pizzas and girls, while Mom chatters about all Pizza Hut pizzas being only ten dollars, I notice the Mitchell Construction truck at the Crawfords’ old house and Jason carrying some tools. That’s the boy I met today who’s going to our school, I tell her when she pauses.

That’s great that someone’s gonna fix up that house. Mmm, he is cute, she comments as I roll my eyes.

It’s always a blast when we girls are together. Aneisha and I have been friends since before we started school because our dads work together at the paper mill and are fishing buddies, and our families get together often. She and Tori are cheerleaders, although Aneisha isn’t the typical girly, self-absorbed, boy-crazy cheerleader type like Tori pretty much is.

Back in first grade, Sara Beth was in our class and we three became close. She lived in my neighborhood until her family moved to Wilhelm Plantation with a nice country club. She plays tennis for the country club, and her mom and sister, Brittany, wanted to move up in the world, or at least appear to.

Tori moved to our school in fifth grade and quickly joined our circle of friends. She lives in one of the grander houses in Wilhelm Plantation.

So, y’all worried about starting high school? I ask when we’re all in my room after watching a movie.

Nah, we’ll still have mostly the same people in our classes, Tori says. It’s not gonna be too different from last year.

Yeah, but now we’ll have to start out at the bottom of the food chain as freshman, says Sara Beth, hugging her pillow covered in cartoon frogs. She looks so young and fragile right now I almost picture her sticking her thumb in her mouth.

But the best part will be the upperclassman boys! Tori reminds us. That to me is the scariest part. I’ll be glad to see Will more, but I can barely talk to him for nervousness even though I’ve known him since I was little. Scanning the faces of my friends across my bedroom, I can tell that Sara Beth is leery of starting high school, Tori is excited, and Aneisha doesn’t seem to care much. She’s a go-with-the-flow kind of girl. Me, I’m looking forward to it yet still tentative.

The worst part will be science with Mr. Reese. Well, for everyone except Smarty Pants Courtney, Aneisha kids. Even though I know it’s a joke, I grow quiet. Aneisha makes mostly A’s too, so I’m not sure why she said that. Sometimes I almost feel like it’s a curse to be a good student. I’m sure Aneisha has no idea how much what she said bothers me. If Tori would have said it, I wouldn’t think twice about it. She just blurts out whatever passing thought is in her head. But with Aneisha, I take it personally. And what exactly did she mean? Am I a know-it-all? I lay awake in my sleeping bag that night still wondering.

The next morning Sara Beth and I wake up early because she has varsity tennis practice and I don’t ever sleep late. Tiptoeing downstairs, we smell bacon frying. After instructing me on how to reheat everything for breakfast, Mom leaves for work.

We talk while Sara Beth eats. I’m worried about my family not having enough money to keep Brittany and me at Eastside. Business is slow at Dad’s print shop now. I’m afraid we’ll end up moving to public school. I’m already scared enough of high school. Dad talked to all of us about watching what we spend, but Mom doesn’t seem to get it, and Brittany wants a car since she just got her license. Our house is real stressful now. You know my dad. He wants to make everyone happy.

So can you maybe talk to him about it and tell him how you want to stay at Eastside? Then maybe your family can come up with a budget, or maybe you and Brittany could get part time jobs.

Sara Beth’s phone makes a birdie tweet and she reads her text. Sounds like a good idea. Well, gotta go. Mom’s here. Thanks for the sleepover. It was eventful like always. She pulls her strawberry blond hair up in a ponytail and grabs her bag.

Have fun at practice. Hope you move up to the number one position.

Working on it, she says with a smile as she leaves.

Thinking it may be a while before anyone else wakes up, I consider going for a run, but then Tori and Aneisha come bustling down the stairs. Ah, we missed Sara Beth. Aneisha says.

Jeez Louise, check out the breakfast! My mom’s left us grits, bacon, scrambled eggs, toast, and fruit. Tori’s favorite expression is Jeez Louise and she’s said it ever since it was popular. Now that I think about it, it’s never really been popular, but it fits her flighty, dramatic, yet geeky personality. As far as we’re concerned, her geekiness is part of what makes her cool. Otherwise, she might just be a rich, spoiled, drama queen. Definitely not cool.

I start reheating the eggs and Aneisha pours everyone juice. As usual, Tori just plops food on her plate, not one for helping out much. Then Brandon and Will enter through our laundry room door. Brandon heads upstairs saying, Forgot my bocce set for the beach.

Will joins us. My heart starts pounding, and all I can think is that I still have on pajamas and haven’t even brushed my hair since getting up. He pops a grape in his mouth. You girls have a real spread here. Did Mrs. H make all this just for y’all? She doesn’t do that for us. As my heart beats so loud that I actually put my hand over it so Will can’t hear, he looks right at me and grins. Guess you haven’t even brushed your hair yet this morning, huh, sunshine? He adds, But you’re still cute, just as Brandon stomps down the stairs trying to balance his bocce ball set, a volleyball, and a Frisbee. Glad the attention is diverted to him so I have a chance to compose myself to keep from fainting right there on the kitchen floor. I’m definitely weak in the knees.

Just like you to be hanging out with the girls and eating while I’m lugging all this stuff, Brandon complains as the volleyball escapes from his hands, bouncing down the stairs.

I didn’t know you were gettin’ all that. I already have a Frisbee. Will scoops up the loose volleyball. All you had to do was ask for help.

I call up my courage and turn to Will. Do you know if Eastside Café has any openings now?

Only for the lunchtime shift since school’s starting. But that shouldn’t stop you. Go see Mr. Cummings anyway.

Not for me. I know someone else who might be looking. I’m so flustered with Will so close and us having an actual conversation that I drop butter on my eggs instead of my grits, but I’m hoping he doesn’t notice.

After they leave and we’re chowing down on breakfast, Tori smiles at me. Will sure is hot. So-o-o, you gonna try to work at Eastside Café with him?

No, I answer. Tori and Aneisha exchange glances and crack up. Seriously, I don’t want to work there. I’m not even old enough.

"So, sunshine, what was that he said to you after his comment about your hair?" Aneisha asks with a big smirk on her face.

I didn’t really hear it. Brandon was making too much noise. I hope that’s not really considered a lie, but I heard what he said and will make sure that I write down his exact words in my journal later. Okay, so that is a lie. I almost don’t feel glum anymore about the Smarty Pants comment from last night.

Did Will have anything to do with you putting butter on your eggs? Tori asks.

I start to blush again but am saved from having to answer by Lauren walking down the stairs rubbing her eyes. What’s with all the noise down here? she asks. Then she surveys all the food. Ba-con!

***

On my run the next morning I see the Mitchell Construction truck in Jason’s driveway and luckily no killer runt dog. When I tell Mom they’re home, she wants me to invite them to lunch tomorrow after church. Lauren asks to go too.

Their front door is wide open when we arrive, but I knock anyway. I hear power tools, so I don’t know if they can hear us until I see Jason inside signaling us in. They accept our Sunday lunch invitation.

Mom’s moving here in about a week when most of the work is finished on the house, Jason says. So do y’all go to Eastside Church? Dad and I are thinking of trying it out tomorrow.

After telling them a little about our church and the neighborhood, Lauren and I walk back home.

The next morning at church I spot Jason and his dad, so I get my family to sit by them instead of in our usual seats. After introductions, I sit next to Jason and notice he seems a little nervous. He’s probably like me in that he’s better one-on-one with people than in a large group. Evidently I’m not always too great one-on-one either considering our first meeting.

After the worship service, Brandon and I lead Jason to our youth Sunday school class, and Mr. Mitchell decides to go to my parents’ class. Later at our house we sit down for Mom’s crock pot roast.

It’s wonderful to have a good home-cooked meal after eating out all week while we’ve been at the motel, says Mr. Mitchell. He explains that the construction business had gotten really slow in Greenville. His friend Cal Plunkett, who lives in town, asked him to move here and work for his construction business. So besides fixing up their own house, Jason and his dad have also been working with Mr. Plunkett.

So, do you work construction too? I ask Jason, thinking he looks a little scrawny for that.

No, I’m mainly a gofer for tools and lunch and stuff. Dad says I can’t work on the job until I’m older, but I’m doing some real work on our house.After dessert Jason asks us the name of our lab, and simultaneously I say C.P. as Lauren says Cutie Pie. Courtney and I named him.

No one should ever let their two and five year-olds name pets, I say. It’s inhumane treatment.

It’s a good thing he’s a big dog since little dogs are so scary for you, Jason says to me with a grin. He didn’t say it in a way that made fun of me, more like we had this inside story that only we shared.

What? Lauren asks, to which Jason and I both reply, Nothing.

Jason grins again. The name C.P. kinda reminds me of that dog that you had growing up, Dad.

Mr. Mitchell tells us the story of his mom naming their part yellow lab and part hound dog Honeysuckle. The only problem was that the neighborhood kids, my brother, and I all called her P.U. because of the way she smelled, which was pretty ironic since honeysuckle smells so sweet.

What is ‘P.U.’ a nickname for? Lauren asks.

Mr. Mitchell