Status: Complete: Possible re-write/re-post
Two Roads Split Off From Here
Junior Year.
Chapter Five: Junior Year.
“Matt, lemme see your schedule.” I snatched it out of his hand. “Jeez, Matt. What happened to you? You have one honors class, and it’s English.”
“High school sucks,” he said. “I can’t wait to get out of here.”
“You really shouldn’t be letting your grades slip? What about college?”
“I dunno.” He shrugged.
I sighed. “Come on, let’s go to the tree house.”
He grabbed my hand and we walked to my house and climbed into the tree house. We were talking at first, then he started to get feisty, and playful.
“Matt, that tickles,” I said, laughing.
He was behind me and he kept grabbing me around the waist and pulling me into him. Then he would start kissing my neck and whisper stuff in my ear. I just giggled. One time he went to grab me, but I dodged. I ended up tripping, and landing on the bean bag chair. I laid there, and then his face popped into my vision.
“What are ya thinking about?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
“I’m hungry. Let’s go to Walgreens and get some candy.”
We walked to the store and wandered around. I was looking through random magazines, and he appeared out of nowhere a few minutes later, holding a few things. We went to check out and we left to go back to the tree house.
“Eye liner?” he asked, pulling one out of his pocket.
“Matt! Did you steal that!?” I asked, turning bug-eyed.
“It was easy. As long as you take the sticker thingy off.”
“Matt, what is going on with you. What happened to the innocent little boy I knew seven years ago?”
“I dunno. He’s not there anymore. His evil twin is taking over.”
I sighed. “Matt, this isn’t like you. You’re stealing, your grades are slipping, you’ve been getting suspended from school.”
“I told you, I hate high school.”
I rolled my eyes. “Please stop this, and get your act together, for me?” I looked into his eyes.
He smiled. “Ok.”
I really hoped he would get his act together. He did, but it only lasted for about a week. At midterm time, he failed two classes, and after the gym midterm, he got in a fight with a football player. He got suspended for two weeks, so I spent those two weeks with Sonny, who kept asking me to join the band.
“Sonny, I can’t sing. Don’t ask anymore.”
“Yes you can. I’ve heard you. You miss Matt don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“He’s coming back next week. You know? I never thought you two would end up as a couple?”
“How so?”
“I always thought you two would be best friends. Like you and Steph best friends. Not boyfriend and girlfriend.”
“Sonny? I never thought it would happen either.” I sat down by the tree Matt and I always sat by. “Sit.” He sat. “Do you remember when the four of us were talking about love? I think we were ten.”
“No.”
“Matt asked me why people fall in love, and you were saying how the adults were weird.”
“Oh! Yeah.”
“We were talking about kissing.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“Well, after you and Steph left, Matt and I talked about kissing. He wanted to try it, so we did. After that, things changed. Remember those times when Matt and I wouldn’t invite you to mess around with us?”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. I dunno, it just changed us. He’s worrying me now though. Stealing, failing classes, fighting. It just isn’t like him.”
“I really don’t wanna say this but…remember when I said that the one’s who don’t have a direction in life are the ones that end up criminals?”
“Sonny? I think you may be right. I don’t want him to end up in jail though.”
“We’ll talk to him. Come on, the bell’s gonna ring.” He got up.
I was getting sick and tired of going through the school year watching this smart guy let his brain turn to mush. He just about gave up on school. I wasn’t even expecting him to return for Senior year. He kept fighting with the jocks. I didn’t mind if it was defending me when they called me a lesbian, but there were no reasons for him to get into these kinds of fights. And of course, Mr. Quarterback only gets in-school suspension, and Matt would be kicked out for two weeks.
He was stealing more too. I would notice the extra clothing, and he kept getting eye liner, clothes, and food for me. It was just upsetting. He’s going to end up in jail before he hits twenty-one. I remember meeting with my counselor at school one day just to talk about college.
“I’m planning on going to just the community college, but I want to take art classes, or music classes,” I said.
“I’ve seen some of your artwork. It’s very good. The ceramic pots and stuff? Amazing.”
“Thanks. I have a question. I have a friend who used to be so smart. Two years ago, he was in all honors classes, and now he’s barely passing. He doesn’t know what he wants to do when he grows up. What would you recommend me telling him?”
“Well. Did you want me to talk to him?”
“No. I want to, his friends and I. He’s a great guy, but he’s starting to break the law too.”
“I would just try to talk him down. Really pound it into his head. Tell him he needs to get somewhere on the right road. Ask him what he likes to do. Try to guide him. You’re a smart girl, you can get through to him.”
“Thanks.” I got up and left.
I tried to talk to him, but it didn’t seem to take effect. There were days when he was fine, but others that weren’t. I knew he wasn’t gonna show up for senior year. He was done.
“Matt, lemme see your schedule.” I snatched it out of his hand. “Jeez, Matt. What happened to you? You have one honors class, and it’s English.”
“High school sucks,” he said. “I can’t wait to get out of here.”
“You really shouldn’t be letting your grades slip? What about college?”
“I dunno.” He shrugged.
I sighed. “Come on, let’s go to the tree house.”
He grabbed my hand and we walked to my house and climbed into the tree house. We were talking at first, then he started to get feisty, and playful.
“Matt, that tickles,” I said, laughing.
He was behind me and he kept grabbing me around the waist and pulling me into him. Then he would start kissing my neck and whisper stuff in my ear. I just giggled. One time he went to grab me, but I dodged. I ended up tripping, and landing on the bean bag chair. I laid there, and then his face popped into my vision.
“What are ya thinking about?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
“I’m hungry. Let’s go to Walgreens and get some candy.”
We walked to the store and wandered around. I was looking through random magazines, and he appeared out of nowhere a few minutes later, holding a few things. We went to check out and we left to go back to the tree house.
“Eye liner?” he asked, pulling one out of his pocket.
“Matt! Did you steal that!?” I asked, turning bug-eyed.
“It was easy. As long as you take the sticker thingy off.”
“Matt, what is going on with you. What happened to the innocent little boy I knew seven years ago?”
“I dunno. He’s not there anymore. His evil twin is taking over.”
I sighed. “Matt, this isn’t like you. You’re stealing, your grades are slipping, you’ve been getting suspended from school.”
“I told you, I hate high school.”
I rolled my eyes. “Please stop this, and get your act together, for me?” I looked into his eyes.
He smiled. “Ok.”
I really hoped he would get his act together. He did, but it only lasted for about a week. At midterm time, he failed two classes, and after the gym midterm, he got in a fight with a football player. He got suspended for two weeks, so I spent those two weeks with Sonny, who kept asking me to join the band.
“Sonny, I can’t sing. Don’t ask anymore.”
“Yes you can. I’ve heard you. You miss Matt don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“He’s coming back next week. You know? I never thought you two would end up as a couple?”
“How so?”
“I always thought you two would be best friends. Like you and Steph best friends. Not boyfriend and girlfriend.”
“Sonny? I never thought it would happen either.” I sat down by the tree Matt and I always sat by. “Sit.” He sat. “Do you remember when the four of us were talking about love? I think we were ten.”
“No.”
“Matt asked me why people fall in love, and you were saying how the adults were weird.”
“Oh! Yeah.”
“We were talking about kissing.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“Well, after you and Steph left, Matt and I talked about kissing. He wanted to try it, so we did. After that, things changed. Remember those times when Matt and I wouldn’t invite you to mess around with us?”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. I dunno, it just changed us. He’s worrying me now though. Stealing, failing classes, fighting. It just isn’t like him.”
“I really don’t wanna say this but…remember when I said that the one’s who don’t have a direction in life are the ones that end up criminals?”
“Sonny? I think you may be right. I don’t want him to end up in jail though.”
“We’ll talk to him. Come on, the bell’s gonna ring.” He got up.
I was getting sick and tired of going through the school year watching this smart guy let his brain turn to mush. He just about gave up on school. I wasn’t even expecting him to return for Senior year. He kept fighting with the jocks. I didn’t mind if it was defending me when they called me a lesbian, but there were no reasons for him to get into these kinds of fights. And of course, Mr. Quarterback only gets in-school suspension, and Matt would be kicked out for two weeks.
He was stealing more too. I would notice the extra clothing, and he kept getting eye liner, clothes, and food for me. It was just upsetting. He’s going to end up in jail before he hits twenty-one. I remember meeting with my counselor at school one day just to talk about college.
“I’m planning on going to just the community college, but I want to take art classes, or music classes,” I said.
“I’ve seen some of your artwork. It’s very good. The ceramic pots and stuff? Amazing.”
“Thanks. I have a question. I have a friend who used to be so smart. Two years ago, he was in all honors classes, and now he’s barely passing. He doesn’t know what he wants to do when he grows up. What would you recommend me telling him?”
“Well. Did you want me to talk to him?”
“No. I want to, his friends and I. He’s a great guy, but he’s starting to break the law too.”
“I would just try to talk him down. Really pound it into his head. Tell him he needs to get somewhere on the right road. Ask him what he likes to do. Try to guide him. You’re a smart girl, you can get through to him.”
“Thanks.” I got up and left.
I tried to talk to him, but it didn’t seem to take effect. There were days when he was fine, but others that weren’t. I knew he wasn’t gonna show up for senior year. He was done.