Change Your Ticket

The new school year was in full swing when I walked in the halls of Mass High. As usual, the halls were lined with people hugging and chatting suddenly remembering that they were best friends after being apart all summer. The familiar sound of lockers opening welcomed me back, while scared freshman side eyed everyone who walked past them. Welcome back to high school.

“This is so weird,” Miranda muttered.

This morning had been different. The two of us waking up to a seemingly quiet house, the boys already off to their new schools. We had decided to carpool to school this morning. We were desperate to keep our morning routines normal with the absence of our brothers. As hard as we may try, everything was different.

“I have to go find Max. I’ll see you at lunch?”

“Yeah,” she sighed.

Miranda was taking this a lot harder than I was. Aside from me, most of her friends had graduated. I felt bad leaving her but I did need to see Max. We had some football business to discuss before the bell rang for homeroom. Max wasn’t too hard to find these days. Now that he was the captain of the team, most of the boys-new and old-migrated toward him. Surprisingly, when I found him only Ava was next to him. I greeted the both of them.

“What’s the deal with practice today?” This morning I had received an email from Coach saying he was calling a mandatory meeting for the team. Apparently we had received a transfer student within the last week who was vying for a spot on the team.

“More freshman practices. Coach still wants to pull a couple of them up to varsity level.”

Just as Max finished talking, the bell for homeroom rang. My first period was being a teacher’s assistant for Doll, the photography teacher. Finally all my years of AP classes and summer school had paid off. Leaving me with three, four if you counted football, elective classes and no AP ones. After the stress of last year I decided to play my senior year safe.

Most of the students in photography 1 were freshman and half of them didn’t want to be there. Most of the period Ms. Doll spent talking about the course and what they could expect for the year. I found my way to a computer in the back, opening up photoshop I decided to upload a few photos I wanted to mess with from this summer.

The first one to open was a picture of Parker and I from LA. We had just hiked the trail to the Hollywood sign and we’re sweaty and exhausted. Despite our faces the picture was one of my favorites. Parker had been gone for two weeks now. Football camp was in full swing leaving us disconnected until the evening. Just then my phone vibrated. It was a message from him asking if I could talk on the phone.

Being a TA had its advantages. I stepped out of the room, letting Ms. Doll know. I quickly dialed his number, eager to hear his voice. He picked up one the first ring.

“Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” I asked, skipping the formal hellos, we were way passed that.

“How am I supposed to sleep knowing I haven’t wished my beautiful girlfriend a good first day?”

“You’re so corny,” I chuckled, my stomach immediately fluttering. Even with him so far away he still made me feel nervous, good nervous.

“Shouldn’t you be in class?” He yawned.

This had been typical of our conversations lately, either he or I ended up yawning. You never know how much of a pain in the ass time zones are until you’re forced to be aware of them. Let me tell you, they suck, even one as little as three hours.

“First period TA,” I reminded him. “Do you have practice today?” I myself was quiet tired, it was hard waking up early for the first time in weeks. I slid down the wall until my butt made contact with the floor.

“Unfortunately. What about you? How’s the great Mass High Grizzlies?”

“They’re okay. I guess we have another practice today. Coach said something about a new freshman but Max and I don’t know.” Out of the corner of my eye I saw Principal Larkin walking down the halls. “Hey babe, Larkin is coming and I don’t want to end up in detention. I’ll call you later?”

“Yeah. Love you, have a good day,” he breathed.

“Love you.”

I returned to class just as the bell rang, indicating class was over. I guess Parker and I were on the phone longer than I thought. Not that it really mattered, I wasn’t doing anything anyways. I logged out of my computer and headed towards second period. It was going to be a long day.



“All right here’s the deal,” Coach began. “We have a little over two weeks before the Homecoming game, which means not only will you be practicing during sixth period, you will also be here until five every day.”

Coach was met with opposition from some of the new players. I shot them all a warning look. So far, the team was okay. Most of the players listened and followed instructions well. It was the underclassmen we were having problems with. They didn’t grasp the fact that this team was serious about every game.

“We also have a late addition to the team. This is freshman Chase and he will be one of our wide receivers.”

I looked at Max but couldn’t read his expression. Now that Jayden was gone, Max had expected to become the go to receiver. Chase must have been good if Coach was putting him on the varsity team, meaning Max was going to have a hard time being the star.

“Josylne, I need you to work with Chase. Teach him the plays. The rest of you let’s get going.”

The boys ran out onto the field while I walked to the bench to get the playbook. Taking a seat, I motioned for Chase to come sit next to me. The last thing I wanted to be doing was tutoring some new comer on the plays. He should have been here this summer when the rest of us learned them.

Chase didn’t come immediately. He seemed to be distracted by something. Having spent my whole life around boys, I knew what he was staring at-or rather who he was staring at. The cheerleaders had began practice on the opposite side of the field. I smiled spotting Miranda and Ava in their uniforms. With Charlie gone, both of them decided to try out for the team. Ava had made it effortlessly, while Miranda made it more because of her facial expressions than her actual tumbling skill. Regardless, she was ecstatic.

“Chase!” I yelled, finally getting the boy’s attention. He sulked over, sitting down on the bench but not looking at me. “All right so the first play the offense learns is this one,” I said. I was in no mood to make small talk with this boy so I immediately started in on the plays. I soon realized he wasn’t listening to me. “If you want to play for this team, you’re going to have to learn the plays.”

“I’d rather not have them taught to me by some chick,” he said, still not giving me his attention.

Some chick? This boy was in for some news. Standing up I stood in front of him before talking. “Well this “chick” is the only one who’s going to teach you the plays, so I suggest you listen.”

“How about you just photocopy them for me and I’ll have one of the guys teach them to me,” he said snidely.

I pushed my hair behind my shoulders so that the ‘C’ on my jersey wasn’t hidden. Leaning down so I was eye level with him instead of talking over him I spoke. “I don’t have time to photocopy plays for you. I’m busy making sure my team wins their games. Now I’d appreciate it if you ran a lap and came back over here with a better attitude,” I smiled.

He opened his mouth to make another snide remark, but closed it when his eyes landed on the letter on my jersey. He muttered something under his breath before grabbing his helmet and making his way around the field. When he got back to the bench I made him run another lap for muttering under his breath. When he returned the second time he sat down and took the book from my hands. This wasn’t going to be easy.



When I got home from practice I headed to my room to shower and get ready for dinner. Since it was the first day I didn’t have homework so I ended up helping Cass get dinner ready. I mainly just kept Lexis preoccupied while Cass did all the cooking.

Lexis had taken the boys leaving pretty hard. Especially the news that Parker wasn’t going to be coming back as often as Jayden was. She cried for three days straight with me. It was like some weird bonding experience. As if we weren’t close enough, now she really wouldn’t leave my sight when I was home. She was afraid I was going to leave her too.

“Josy, want Parker,” she said. Her eyes became glossy as she began to remember that Parker wasn’t coming home tonight.

I promised her that we could call him after dinner, making her smile. Sure, enough after dinner Lexis followed me into my room. I had texted Parker earlier asking him if we could Skype instead. He of course agreed.

Settling Lexis in my bed, I grabbed my laptop before sitting next to her. I logged on and clicked on Parker’s icon. The computer began ringing before it stopped and Parker was on the screen. Lexis climbed into my lap to get a better few of Parker.

“Hi Miss Lex,” Parker smiled.

Lexis practically squealed in my lap. She started rambling to Parker about what she had done today and all the thing he had missed. For a four year old she sure did talk a lot. She did just start preschool though, so she felt the need to fill everyone in on the latest gossip.

After an hour of Lexis and Parker talking Cassadee came to get her. Lexis did not take to her absence lightly and cried the entire time. Cassadee had to carry her out of the room. When the door shut both Parker and I chuckled.

“She really misses you.”

“Just her?” he teased.

“You know I miss you too,” I sighed.

“Not as much as I miss you. How was practice?”

I groaned. “A nightmare. This new kid Chase is a pain in my ass. Coach wants me to teach him the plays and he doesn’t want, and I quote, “some chick” teaching him these things.”

“I hope you gave him hell,” Parker growled, growing defensive.

“He ran two laps and almost died when he realized I was captain,” I smirked. “I miss seeing your stupid number on that field,” I confessed.

“How’s Asher handling being QB 1?”

Asher, Jason’s little brother, had inherited the position this summer. He beat out two juniors who were not pleased with the decision, but sucked it up fast. Asher was good, not Parker good but he was good.

“He’s getting there.”

“Well he’s got the best Coach and captains, so he better be getting there,” Parker teased.

We chatted for a while later before Parker had to go. As much as I enjoyed skyping him, it always left me with a void when the call ended. It was as if I was saying bye to him all over again.

Parker had only been gone for two weeks but I was already missing him like crazy. I couldn't let him know how badly I missed him though. Knowing him, he would book a flight and come home. I didn’t need him doing that. For now I was just going to have to get use to these types of calls. Oh the things you do for love.