Sweetest of Dreams

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Beep Beep Beep I rub my eyes open. I look at my alarm clock 6:30 AM it reads. It’s the first day of Freshman year. I look at my phone and I have 8 texts. I laugh thinking it was Sabrina and Monica. I open my phone and see Jack’s name. He had been trying to talk to me since Friday’s game and I had been ignoring him. I was distancing myself so I could have a peaceful four years. I hadn’t told Sabrina and Monica what I saw. I didn’t know how to process it. We had dated other people but unlike him, I was taking things slow. I had just had my first kiss last year and he was the only person I had kissed. Jack was treating it like a race. Want a ride to school? I rolled my eyes. I knew he was only doing this because his mom was making him. I knew him showing up to the first day of school with me in his car would have been bad for his image. So, using my better judgement, I ignored him and started to get ready for school. I had picked out my outfit the night before just like my mom had wanted me to and instead of having to wake up early early, I straightened my hair last night too so all I had to do was touch it up. I was in a three-way call with Sabrina and Monica. We were talking about where to meet so we could hang out before first period. Sabrina had Math and Monica and I had science so we just met upstairs. We agreed to find our classrooms together and then see who else we could find that we knew. Beep Beep Beep 7: 42, time came too quickly. It was time to walk to the bus stop and start the next four years of my life. My dad had already left for work and my mom was going in late so she could see me off to school. I was an only child so my first day of high school was important to her. I gave her a kiss and hug and walked out the door.

Luckily the bus ride to school was fine. I knew some of the people on my bus since we had shared the ride to school for multiple years. Throughout the ride, I was texting Sabrina and Monica. We were already planning for the day we got our licenses and cars. Screech. I look up and see the tall brick building. I took a deep breath and told myself to just keep my distance from Jack. I got off the bus and looked around. I texted the girls saying I was at school. I followed the crowd through the green doors and took my left to go upstairs to where my class was. Buzz Buzz I had expected it to be from the girls. I pulled my phone out of my pocket. Where are you? We need to talk. I shook my head and just ignored it. “Oh, so you are ignoring me” I turned around surprised to see Jack. “Why are you ignoring me? What did I do?” Buzz Buzz I grabbed my phone and the girls were walking up the stairs. I looked around making sure no one was watching Jack and I. “I have to go. Have a good first day of school.” I walk around him as each step farther from him breaks my heart just a little bit more. I feel a lump form in my throat. I knew school wasn’t going to be easy. I looked to my right and saw Monica. I felt relieved. I started walking towards her. I give her a big hug. “What happened?” she asks as we pull away. “Nothing just nervous, that’s all.” I lied. I look behind me and see Jack walking from my left. We lock eyes and time stands still. In the blink of an eye, I see her. The cheerleader he was making out with at the game. “Jack has a girlfriend! What the hell happened?” Monica exclaims. I see Sabrina walking towards us. I shake my head at Monica’s observation. “I guess? I didn’t know” Sabrina reaches us “Since when does Jack have a girlfriend?” Monica looks at Sabrina “Molly just said she didn’t know about it. Are they even serious?” Sabrina uses her power of being able to read me better than anyone else and rubs my arm. “Molly? What haven’t you told us?” So, I go through the order of events after Friday’s game. “OMG! And you haven’t spoken to him since then?” “Nope and I don’t want to” I say shaking my head. Sabrina and Monica exchange looks knowing there is more than I am letting on. They decide to drop it and not push any further. We started walking around upstairs looking for our classrooms. First, we found Sabrina’s down the hall. Then we found Monica’s the next hall over from mine. Then we found mine. I walked through the door so I could see where I could set my bag down. I stop in my tracks. f**k! Of course, I am in the same first period class as Jack. I forgot that fact. When we had found out, our moms were so excited. “Uh oh” Monica mumbles. I walk in looking for my name and I find it. Right across my Jack. The tables were in the shape of a square with four tables lined up in the middle two by two. So, when I looked up or straight ahead, I saw him. I knew this year was going to be rough, especially with his new girlfriend.

Ring Ring the five-minute warning bell went off. I looked at Sabrina then at Monica. I knew I would see Sabrina in choir and Monica in gym. So, I had that to at least look forward to. I sat down at my seat Buzz Buzz I didn’t even have to look to know who it was, so I ignored it. Buzz Buzz Buzz Buzz Buzz Buzz I pull my phone out to ignore Jack, Listen Molly, I am sorry for whatever I did. Can we meet at our spot and talk after football practice? I looked up at him. He had his pleading look on. K I looked up waiting for him to see my response. He had his phone in his hands and open. He looked down and smiled. I knew he knew that was the best I could do. I didn’t know what I was going to say to him. I wasn’t even mad at him. I was just shocked. I was heartbroken in my own head because of my feelings toward him. I knew he was serious when he mentioned our spot. We had only ever gone there when we really needed the other. The day at school went by so unbelievably slow. Because of how the classes were, I had lunch with Sabrina and then choir with her and then after choir I had gym with Monica. I felt like I was a shell of a human the whole day. I couldn’t even figure out what was going to happen. I thought maybe it was time I just told him the truth so he could understand I was just hurt. Ring Ring Finally! School was over. I had survived my first day of high school. I walked outside. The buses were lined up and now it was time to play Find my Bus. I was walking and looking at the bus numbers until I could finally find mine. I spotted Elle who rode my bus. “Elle!” She looked up and waved at me. I quickly reached her. She waited for me before loading onto the bus. “Hey Molly” We walked up the steps to take our seat on the bus. The whole ride home, she and I gossiped about our first day. Elle had known what she was getting into since her older sister Maria was also in high school. She was a junior and we were freshman. Maria was on color guard so Elle rode the bus home.

The bus had finally reached our stop. We got off and went our separate ways. I told her I would see her tomorrow. My parents were at work, so when I got home, I unlocked the door and quickly went in and input the code to our alarm system. I texted both my parents I’m home. Just so they knew I was safe. I went the dining room table and pulled everything out so I could separate everything and have in a pile for them when they got home. Buzz Buzz I pulled out my phone See you at our spot my heart felt fluttery again. I smiled and felt warm inside. He was my best friend and we had gone through so much together especially since we went to school together for so long and church.

I didn’t have any homework, so I started on my chores so I could meet Jack later. I grabbed my iPod and plugged my headphones and started my cleaning playlist. “MOLLY!!” I jumped. I quickly turned around. My dad arrived home and I had my music up so loud I didn’t hear him walk in. I pulled out my headphones. “Hey Dad, sorry was cleaning. What’s up?” I started wrapping my headphone cord around my iPod. “How was school?” Dad asked as he walked toward me to give me a hug. “Just another day at school. Not really any different than middle school.” He smiled. “Hey Dad, can I go hang out with Jack at the elementary field?” He looked at me. Me being his only child and a daughter, he could be protective sometimes. He knew Jack was harmless because I had never been one to fall for his antics. Or at least Dad thought so. “Chores done?” “Yes Sir” “Homework?” “All papers that need to be filled out are in a pile on the dining room table for you and mom to go through” We walked over to the table and he saw the forms. “Yeah sure, just be back for dinner” “Thanks Dad”

I looked at the clock. 5:00 PM. Jack had just gotten home from practice. “Hey Dad, meeting Jack at the field. See you later” I walk out the door. I brought my iPod with me. The short walk seemed faster with music. Before I knew it, I reached the field. I looked at the Forest line and I saw the box. I walked to the right so I could enter the trail we had made to get there. Everyone knew the box was there but it was they used it for different reasons. Jack and I used it because when I had lost my great-grandfather a few years prior, I didn’t want anyone to see me cry, so I ran into the forest and tried hiding in the box, but Jack knew me too well. I got to the box and sat there. I was listening to music with one headphone in so I could hear him coming and texting the girls. I sat there for a while by myself. I had completely ignored the time. I looked at my phone. 5:30 PM. No call. No text. No nothing. I should have known better to think that he would have actually followed through. I looked at the time again 5:32 PM. Dinner was in 28 minutes. I decided to cut my losses and head home. I start walking home and without realizing it, I felt a tear slide down my face. I quickly wiped it away. I was not about to cry over Jack. As I was walking up the hill towards my house, I decided I was going to put on the best performance, because the last thing I wanted was questions and to talk about it. I opened the door to my house and my mom was at the table filling out my school forms and my dad was finishing dinner. “Hey sweetie, how was school? Tell me all about it!” My mom was so excited to hear about it. So, I washed up and started setting the table as I told her about my day at school. We were well into dinner when my dad asked “How was time with Jack?” Okay Molly, everything is perfect, I thought to myself. “Typical” I laughed. “He talked football and I pretend I understood” “What did you guys do” mom interjected. “We met at the field and walked to the swings like normal” I lied. We continued with conversation as we finished dinner. Mom went back to the forms while Dad and I cleaned up dinner. “Hey I am going to go shower and call the girls after” I told them. I walked upstairs to my room. When you walked up the stairs, I had a loft where my desk was. On my desk, I had my laptop closed. I grabbed my laptop and went into where my bed was and my bathroom. I closed the door and threw my laptop on the bed. I started my shower so the water could warm up as I got my clothes and towel gathered. I grabbed my iPod and put it on my dock so I could listen to music while I showered.

I was laying in bed talking to the girls on skype. I had put headphones on because we are a rowdy group and I never know what they are going to say. Buzz Buzz I knew it wasn’t Sabrina or Monica because I was talking to both of them. I thought maybe it was my Nana asking about school. She wasn’t a very good texter but she tried her best. I always thought it was cute. SMS: Jack a little late there bud, I thought to myself. I don’t even open my phone. Buzz Buzz Buzz I looked down and Jack was calling me. I didn’t want to hear what he had to say. There was nothing short of someone dying that would have made up for him standing me up. Buzz Buzz Buzz Jack. I turned my phone off. I didn’t want to talk to him. I needed some time to think about things. I said good night to the girls and got off skype. I was getting ready to log off when Trill Trill Trill I look at my computer and Jack is calling me on skype. I decline his call. He tries to call me again and once again I decline. I quickly changed my status to offline and update skype status to: Thinking its time to take out the trash. What do you think? Then I logged out for real. I closed my laptop and opened my door. I went to put my laptop back on my desk. I looked at my alarm clock and saw it was 8:30 PM. I had such a long day and was feeling too many emotions, I decided to call it an early night. I turned my phone back on so Sabrina and Monica could reach me and not realize something was wrong. I was listening to my sad music and fell asleep to it. Beep Beep Beep 6:30 AM. I looked at my phone and had what felt like a million missed calls and messages from Jack. I decided that I was going to tell him to leave me alone unless it was in front of our families. I open my phone to tell him and he had called me in the same instant. Opening my phone, I had accidentally picked up the call. “Hello?” s**t I thought. “Molly?” ugh well guess no better time for this than the present. “What Jack?” I snap “Molly please listen I am so sorry…” I cut him off “You know what Jack. Until you can be friends with me in public and actually admit I am not just your charity case, don’t bother with me anymore. I am so done being a secret. We are in high school. It was cute in middle school, but now I’m done.” I b***h. “Molly please just hear me out!” “No, I deserve more from you if we are truly friends.” It was silent. I sat there waiting for him to say anything. “I’m done waiting for you” and I hung up. I got out of bed and started getting ready for school. I didn’t feel like looking nice, but mom insisted I look presentable. I get ready for school. I walk downstairs and see my forms and note on the table. Here are your forms. Love you, Mom. I packed my bag up and walked out the door. I walked to my stop with my headphones in and just simply smiled at familiar faces. I wasn’t even talking to the girls.

The bus pulls up to the school and I hop off. I walk up the stairs with headphones still in my ears. Everyone I know is waving high and I offer up a smile and a nod. I turn down my hallway and see Jack and his girlfriend right outside the door. I am so disgusted I walk past them and right into the class. I sit down at my desk and just prepare for the class. Buzz Buzz I had no interest in talking to anyone. I looked down at my phone and don’t recognize the number. Hey I have every intention to ignore it but then another message came in Its Zach. Jack gave me your number. I had a question for you. Beyond confused, I decide I have nothing to gain or lose by answering him. What? I replied. Curious as to why he would even ask for my number I keep my phone open to see what he wants. Your blonde friend? Are you serious right now? Yeah? Already know where this is going. She single? I scoffed. I can’t believe this guy. First, he makes fun of me and calls me a b***h and a charity case and now he wants to know about Sabrina. I decide that if he is interested enough then he can talk to her himself. I close my phone and ignore everything around me. Buzz Buzz I roll my eyes. This better be Sabrina or Monica. Is she? Shocked that he thinks I would talk to him Leave me alone I reply. Instead of closing my phone, I go to just Sabrina’s messages. Zach is asking about you. Can I give him your number so he leaves me alone? In the time it takes me to compose the message, he responds. C’mon deciding to wait for Sabrina’s response for I answer him. Buzz Buzz YES Sabrina responds. I go to respond to Zach and I see a message from Jack pop up You’ll talk to Zach but not me? Astounded by the entitlement, I respond to Zach with Sabrina’s number. I look up and see Zach, Jack, Jack’s girlfriend and a few others just outside the door. I see Zach look up from his phone and we make eye contact. He nods his head in thanks for giving him Sabrina’s number. I can feel Jack looking at me waiting for a response. So, I look him in the eyes and close my phone. If he wants to talk to me, he can do it person.