Our Freshman Year: October

---AMANDA---

Instead of riding the bus to school like I normally did, Daddy made Joseph drive me. They had caught me Instant Messaging on my cell phone during church on Sunday and had grounded me. Luckily, my parents are lousy at it. The worst punishment so far has been going out to eat with them instead of hanging out with Katie. I had met a very cute boy at the dinner, though, and went out with him a couple times. So again they weren’t really grounding me. This time my punishment was riding to school in the mornings with Joseph-not a punishment because the bus is dirty and I only ride it so that I don’t miss out on anything-and no text messaging until Wednesday. Again, not a problem, because they won’t actually check if I text message anyone. Besides it was already Tuesday and tomorrow I’d be able to text message whomever I wanted without having to worry about getting caught.

On the way to school, I noticed that “Toddy Potty” wasn’t at the bus stop again. It didn’t look like anyone was home when we drove by his house either. Not that I care about T.P. or anything. I slipped my phone back into my purse. I didn’t have any new calls. Reminiscing, I could still remember the day we gave Todd Brakner his nickname. I had just moved here and I was hanging out at the food court trying to meet new people. A bunch of ninth graders were there and I was trying to impress them, but nothing was working. T.P. was sitting with his friend, Katie’s dorky brother, and had spilled his lemonade all over his pants and floor. It looked like he had wet his pants. I laughed and made a joke about it and one of the ninth grade guys had starting chanting “Toddy Potty” and it’s just kind of stuck. Afterwards, this guy Rick noticed me and we spent the rest of the day making out in the elevator. He was my first love. Although after that day, I never saw him again, but that was okay. Even at thirteen, I had done more with a guy than half the ninth grade girls.

That was the day I became cool in Ashton, Virginia. It was much harder to become one of the ‘in-crowd’ down here than in NYC. But that’s all changed now. I am currently the ‘in-crowd’ now, and what I say goes. It’s really nice. Sometimes I stop to think how lucky I am, but then I remember that really it’s that everyone else in this boring town are lame.

Joseph pulled up to the school curb, and I jumped out. I was almost to the door of the building when I realized I’d left my purse in the limousine. turned around to go get it, but Joseph had already left to go get my mother and take her to a press conference she had with some major designers in Washington D.C. She was going to be gone until Friday and I was stuck with Daddy. Daddy always spoiled my when mom was gone, giving me more than my five hundred dollars a month allowance. Although, if Daddy were to give me money right now it wouldn’t do me any good. My purse was on its way to D.C. right this moment and it had my phone in it! I rushed in the building and headed straight to the office. Once there, I headed to my Daddy’s office. Shucks, I had forgotten, he wasn’t coming in today because of an emergency trip to his college-buddy’s home about two hours south of here. What was I going to do now? I had no phone and no purse. Sure, I mean I had other purses, but in my purse was lil MKJ’s number and email address, my favorite lip gloss, money (not that I couldn’t get more of that), and my English assignment on a pretty pink floppy disk. This was a bad start to the day. What was I supposed to do in first period science now? Miss Angel is pretty clueless and I usually spent the fifty minutes instant messaging people from New York whose classes didn’t start till nine o’clock. I turned around and walked out of the school office right passed the nurse, who I think said hi to me, but I didn’t feel like stopping and talking to her. This was going to be a horrible day. I just knew it.

---Alexz---

“It was horrible! She was treating everyone badly. I mean, it isn’t our fault she left her cell phone in her limo, with her personal driver, who’s taking it to D.C…”

I giggled. Casilda was telling us about Amanda’s problem during Earth Science this morning.

“…Miss Angel was so frustrated that she asked Amanda if she would like to borrow her cell phone. But, of course, it doesn’t have instant messaging on it so Amanda declined. Then for the rest of the class she complained until Miss Angel told her to go to the bathroom and stay there until second period.” Casilda took a deep breath. She’d been talking a mile a minute. I giggled again. It was very amusing that Amanda was stuck being a normal person during the school day. No phone, no extra money, no Daddy in the office to whine to. Yep, she was being treated just like a regular kid.

I turned towards my locker and pulled out my Latin III books. Mrs. Courte was having us translate a story about Caesar this week. “So why is her limo going to D.C.?” Burleigh asked Casilda.

“Because her mom has some press conference up there,” she explained. I vaguely remembered Katie saying something about it. Mrs. Jordans was a designer and many of her dresses were bought for big events like the Oscars. No one around Ashton wore her things, well except for Amanda. Only people in New York or L.A. were able to afford them. The one-minute bell rang telling us it was time to get to class.

“Ready for another day of translating?” I asked. Casilda rolled her eyes. She doesn’t like Latin, but our school doesn’t offer Spanish for her, even though she already speaks it.

I smiled and said in my best Mrs. Courte voice, “Oh, but Casilda, you know how Latin can advance you in this world. Latin one day will again be the next English!” She laughed and together Burleigh, Casilda, and I pushed our way through the crowd to our next classroom.

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Messages left on Amanda’s Cell Tuesday

10:41 a.m. –
“Amanda, honey! Are you there? It’s me Courtney. Where are you? I thought we were going to chat during that class they make you take at the crack of dawn? I don’t see why your school can’t start at nine like ours up here in the city. Well, call me ASAP. Much love!”

11:15 a.m. –
“Amanda, its Daddy. I’m going to have to stay here for a little longer than I expected. I’ve called Maria, and the rest of the staff and they will take care of you. Looks like you’ll have to ride the bus home today though. Sorry. I promise I’ll make it up to you tomorrow. Love you. Bye.”

12:45 p.m. –
“Darling. Mother here. I’m on an extended lunch right now. The accommodations are absolutely horrible, but at least the food is tolerable. I should be going. Major label up next. They want to feature A Rosy Dawn in their collection. I’m warning you though that it’ll cost them. Talk to you later and behave! Love you.

2:23 p.m. –
“Hey. lil MKJ here. I have booked your little school party and will be there to DJ. Since I’m bringing my own music, I’ll be there around six to set up. Cool? Let me know. I’m out.”

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Government Budget Report
Wednesday October 24
Treasurer - Ashley Mclean

Initial Budget Report: $943.53

Expenses:- $275.00 (lil MKJ)
- $82.22 (food, paper products, etc.)
- $143.76 (decorations, table clothes, etc.)
::free (tables, speaker system)
::free (Posters, and other advertisements)
- $10.00 (Contest Prizes)

Standing Budget Report: $432.55

---KATIE---

Thursday after school everyone was gathered in the kitchen. Alexz had purchased ice cream on the way home from school. Who knows why? Probably because Amber announced at breakfast this morning that her favorite food was chocolate ice cream. Alexz must have pitied her, having no parents at the moment and everything. Well, there was enough for everyone and soon we had six chairs pulled up to the table. I was halfway done before I needed more chocolate syrup.

“Can you get me some more too, please?” Amber asked me. I smiled back at her. She could be a pretty cute kid at times. Too bad she was Todd’s younger sister and not mine or Amanda’s. Growing up with Todd, she’d probably end up a nerd or something.

“Sure thing, ” I told her. As soon as I stood up the phone rang. I dashed for the phone immediately; maybe it was Amanda calling to tell me she got her cell back. “555-2755,” I said aloud. I didn’t recognize the number. Everyone else shook their heads so I left the machine to get it. On second thought, I was sort-of glad it wasn’t Amanda. If she had asked what I was doing at that moment and I had told her I was eating chocolate ice cream with the family and the Brakners, she probably would have disowned me as a friend. Grabbing the chocolate out of the fridge, I headed back towards my seat. The sound of the answering machine picking up sounded in the background.

“Hello you’ve reached the home of the Mcleans. If you’ll leave your name, phone number, and a brief message we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Press one to leave a message for Bryan, press two to leave a message for Mikaila, and press three to leave a message for Alexz, Cory, Ashley or Katie. Beep!”

There was a moment of silence and obviously the person was leaving a message. Suddenly a voice started talking. Swinging around to look at the machine, my eyebrows raised. That wasn’t right. A person was supposed to leave a message for one of us and then we’d have to listen to it later. Never has the message played out loud while be recorded.

“Hello. Uh, Mikaila, Bryan? It’s me Amy…” Everyone looked at Todd; it was his mother on the phone.

“Do you want to answer it?” Cory asked. “I’ll get the phone for you.” Todd shook his head.

“Its obviously for your mom or dad.” I looked around for Amber, but she wasn’t at the table. Maybe she had gone to the bathroom. I turned my attention back to the machine.

“…that message I emailed you…I hope you got that. Anyway, I’m coming back Sunday. Ed won’t be coming back until Monday, seeing as we’re getting divorce. He now thinks its the perfect opportunity to ask Monica to marry him. I tried to talk him into waiting, at least until Todd and Amber knew, but he’s a stubborn fool. Again, thank you for taking the kids under your wings. I can’t even begin to tell you how much you’ve done for us. Can you call me back when you get this? The number is 555-2755. Thanks. And say hi to Amber for me. Bye. Beep!" The message seemed like it ended just as fast as it had started. I noticed that everyone was quiet. Smiling, I couldn’t help but scream with joy. This was priceless! Todd had just found out his parents were getting divorced through a phone message. I had to call Amanda.

---ALEXZ---

As soon as the message was over, you could feel the tension in the room. You know that old saying about if a pin dropped you could hear it? Well I believe it. It seemed like all noise had stopped. I looked over at Todd. I couldn’t really read his face. Ashley didn’t look very surprised and Cory was just kind of startled. Glancing over at Katie, it looked like she was laughing. She could be so rude in the most inappropriate times.

Suddenly, relief washed over me as I realized that Amber was in the bathroom. At least she didn’t know the bad news yet. Shaking the table, Todd stood up and walked out of the room. I could hear him practically running up the steps. Ashley stood up and began clearing the table.

“I already knew,” he announced unexpectedly. Well, that answered my question. It certainly explained why he didn’t seem very surprised.

“How?” I wondered aloud. He walked around the table and picked up my bowl.

“I read the email.” He must have been referring to the email Mrs. Brakner sent mom. “It was on the screen one day and I read it.” Cory nodded.

“I knew too.” Now I was really startled. Cory had known? How could Cory have possibly known? From the look on Ashley’s face, he was just as surprised as me.

“Remember the night you brought Todd and Amber home for supper and it was decided Amber would stay here?” Cory asked. “Well, afterwards I went to Simply Sundae with Adam. There we overheard Mr. Brakner on the phone with his girlfriend. He was telling her how he had missed his plane to Boston and he’d be there the next day.”

“Did you know?” I asked Katie, half expecting her to say yes. She just stared at me though.

“Pu-lease,” she said, “Do you really think that I knew anything about Todd’s life? I’ve got more important things to worry about, thank you.” It was just like Katie to be rude about all of this. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I need to call Amanda.”

As soon as she was gone Ashley sat back down. The three of us just sat there thinking. Todd was probably up in Ashley’s room right now and I couldn’t even begin to imagine how he was feeling. “I wonder if it had come as a big shock or if he had sort-of been expecting it,” Ashley asked us. I don’t think he was really expecting an answer though and both Cory and I didn’t reply.

“Well,” I began looking at the both of them. “I think the best thing we can do right now is occupy Amber and let Todd be until he comes to us. Deal?” I put my hand out to show this was a promise we were making. Ashley and Cory laid their hands on top of mine.

“Deal.”

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Todd’s Journal

I knew it was going to happen, but when it I heard the news it still hit me pretty hard. My parents are getting a divorce. Plus Dad is remarrying! That fast? He and Monica go back a long time. How long, I wonder? Before Mom even came into the picture? Before we moved away from NC? Before Amber? Ugh. I hate my Dad. He’s the biggest jerk I’ve ever met.