Chapter VI
Once Upon a Time
I spent nearly every waking--and sleeping--hour of the summer and early fall with Josh--at least as much as we could as our parents would allow. They would attempt to keep us in eyesight, or appoint one of Josh's brothers to be the "anti-baby-sitter". The nominated brother usually got bored as we would just sit next to each other and say nothing that would interest them. It wouldn't take long before they stormed out without a word or their attention would wander to playing Super Mario Bros. and completely ignore us, which was always the idea.
When Josh came to my house, we weren't allowed to be alone in my room when mom was home. It really didn't matter any other time as no one wanted to "watch us" but, like I said earlier, we stayed away from the house.
"School starts up again soon," I said as walked down a dust and gravel side street half a mile away from the house.
'I know. I wish we had more classes together."
"There's always next year," I replied as I held onto his hand and squeezed it.
"High School...the home stretch."
"Lowly freshman."
"Ruling freshman. I don't plan on taking shit from anyone."
I nodded.
"Wouldn't it be great, Cherr, to leave everything behind?"
"Get that house in the suburbs?"
"I was thinking the cabin in the woods--log cabin with a huge fireplace and no TV."
"Just the two of us?"
"And...well, maybe something more," he answered with a small smile.
"Like what?"
"One plus."
"Just say it, Josh."
"Kids...I want one, one day. But they're not going to grow up like me. That's why I don't want a TV. Radio's okay though."
"I didn't see you as someone who wanted kids."
We stopped walking and he took my hands in his.
"Hey, that's why I'm in Home Ex with you: to learn what it takes to raise kids. Not like I'm getting the lessons at home."
I had a newfound feeling for him, everything was more than just being with him. I felt more of a closeness to him at that moment more than any other time.
"My family, yours. We could win the lottery or something and just forget they all existed-be free to do whatever the hell we wanted."
"I couldn't leave them forever, Josh."
"Yeah, but we can always dream it's just us. Maybe one day we'll get married or something?"
"You ever think about it?"
"Sometimes. Here." Josh reached into his pocket, took out a folded piece of paper. "I wrote this for you."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah," he replied with a slight grin that meant either he really wrote it or he thought of me when he copied it form a CD booklet.
I opened the folded page and read it out loud.
"Stay with me, I'll set you free. Rose so sad you've lost your petals and lost the luster of your tattle tales. I need a love to help me find my way. I need a strength that I cannot betray I need a word to say what I can't say. I need a lover. What are we waiting for?" I folded the note and took his hand again. "I love it."
"I thought you would."
We turned to head back to the house. If we didn't check in then, usually Alexis, would make sure Mom knew we "missing for a long, long, long time." This usually made mom's eyes light up, as if Alexis has really said 'Cherry killed a lotta, lotta, lotta people!'
We hadn't even stepped onto the property she. Alexis took barely a step outside and yelled:
"You're in a lot of trouble!"
"Why?" I shouted.
"Mom wanted to talk to you on the phone!
"About what?"
"Do I look like your secretary?"
She then stepped back into the house.
"Why is she such a bitch?" Josh asked.
I usually would verbally throttle anyone else who talked about my family but I let this one slide because at that time I had asked the same question in my mind.
"Broke up with a boyfriend. Her third one. I guess."
"She just needs to learn to get over it."
"Yeah."
***
I was the first one up in the morning.
I had taken the liberty to go into Alex's room and take his keys. I could have held everyone hostage that morning but decided to play fair and tossed the keys to him once we were all gathered at the car.
Alex simply thought he had dropped him from a hole in his jacket pocket.
Wednesday had already left with Paul.
"Did Paul stay overnight? Alex asked as we pulled out of the driveway.
"Yes," Alexis answered as she looked at her make-up in the mirror. She had about two minutes to finish whatever she had to do before we reached the highway. After that, the pedal hit the metal and the bumps Alex found without trying and his swerving by smoking while driving would cause one to stab themselves in the eye with their eyeliner.
I had the backseat to myself.
"Does mom know?"
"Do you really think she cares?"
"Jury's still out on that," Alex replied.
"Have you been in my room?"
"No."
"Where did you get the money for the cigarettes?"
Alexis once said she wanted to be a lawyer. She had the attitude for one. She also could play the role of the judge and executioner
"My four-twenty cash. Why would I need to take yours?"
"Because it's there."
Everyone was treated as a hostile witness.
"That would be a great plan if I was incredibly stupid."
"Jury's still out on that one too."
She was never in contempt in her own courtroom.
"I think it was Paul."
"The perfect scapegoat."
Alexis always had an axe to grind.
"If the boot fits."
"Whatever. Just stay out of my room."
All she needed was an executioner's mask.
"I don't even go the fuck upstairs. The house would have to be flooded or snowed up to the ceiling before I'd even think about climbing that death trap of a ladder."

Alexis closed the mirror as Alex turned onto the Springdale Highway. And I mean turned...as in he never stopped at the stop sign at the end of Little Falls Road, even though there was a blind hilltop to the left. I wanted to believe that he had some sort of sixth sense but it usually wound up that he was just freaking lucky.

Alexis was right, Alex kept the speed limit as a suggestion and then drove at whatever speed he felt comfortable with. When Josh rode with us for the first time I saw his knuckle turn white. I didn't mention it and I knew that he wouldn't try to tell Alex to slow down (unless he felt like walking the rest of the way). He would have to get used to Alex's driving...and maybe mine as Alex would have to one day teach me how to drive.

Alex parked the car in front of the high school.
"You're walking over there today."
I nodded to him as he locked his door and closed it. Alexis pulled the lever on her seat and I climbed out of the back.
"Let's try to be here at 3:30?" Alexis asked.
"Of course, malady," Alex replied with a bow.
Alexis rolled her eyes and went in the other direction, leaving me to lock and close the door.

I weaved through the bus crowds to meet up with Christy
"Hey, Cher, your mom threw it at you, didn't she?"
“She pitched it at me.”
"Does she only get mad at you or something?"
I hoisted my backpack onto my shoulder and shook my head.
"I know, right? I mean Wednesday can steal money, date a loser who pawns our stuff; Alexis can be a bitch and Alex can screw things up but I can't do anything because, apparently, I'm supposed to know better."
"They're stealing from you?"
"I don't know. Wouldn't put it past them. I got nothing they'd want."

We walked into the school and into the junior high wing. We hadn't even turned the corner when Becky ran up.
"Cherry! Oh shit, shit, shit..."
Becky's use of the word "shit" was as follows:
Shit. 'That's cool" or "Man that just sucks.”
Shit, shit. A kind of important statement: "Shit, shit, that's gonna hurt.”
Shit, shit, shit: "It's a freaking disaster. Game over, man. Game over!"
"What?" Christy looked past Becky to see if there was blood on the walls or if something was on fire.
"Uhhh, Cherry I have to show you something. Now."
"What?" I asked, my eyes going into the same expression that I inherited form my mom.
“You’re not going to like it.”
“Shit.” I took off running after Becky.
"What?" Christy as she chased after us.
We ran into Mr. McCall's room. Becky stood in the middle of the room and pointed to the front white board.
"Oh, God."
I glared at a scrawled-out picture and writing: "You can't her cherry but for a good time call, 796-2364"
"You were saying that he wasn't shallow?"
"I take it all back."
"Let's go kick his ass." Becky said as she tossed an eraser to me, "after we get rid of this."
"No, we're not going to go kick his ass."
"I meant just me."
Christy ran to close the door as Becky and I sliced at the message, deleting my name and phone number first and then moving to the middle before other students poured in. It was possible that someone else saw the message and if they called I would have a whistle ready to blow in their ear. Then, I would only need to look at the person who's holding their ear or squinting because of loud noises.

The writing was not in Josh's handwriting-it was too precise and Josh never did anything at all with precision. No, this was someone else's...maybe Chastille's...or someone else who had the balls to write that on the board. I didn't ask him. I just went on to class.
"We need subject and verb agreement at all times. Now, for the life of me, I do not understand what the issue is we're having with this unit, class."
I kept my eyes on either Mrs. J or my English book. I refused to look or to talk to anyone else. If I kept a focus on my studies, then nothing else could harm me.

"Cherry?" A voice whispered. I knew who it was: Justin Penhall--as he sat next to me. We never talked. I didn’t like him.
“Psst, Cherry.”
I ignored him and I also hoped that Mrs. J would hear him, call him out for not paying attention and maybe make him run a lap or two around the school.
“Do you want to do it sometime?”
I tried to look like I didn’t hear him, but I heard him—as if he yelled it over the school intercom. So, Josh had talked all about us to him, or so it would appear…or Justin had been in Mr. McCall’s class before Becky arrived.
“Rough, right?”

There were a few times that Josh and I…well…yeah, we kind of tried everything that we knew to do (which was very little if the Kama Sutra Illustrated is your guide). Still, he actually talked about it to other people? And to Justin “thinks with his penis” Penhall?

Justin was fourteen, like Chastille, he had flunked a grade. It was said that he did it on purpose, just because he could and not because he was stupid. He just didn’t give a flying “F” about anything except for boobs…which was weird. Why would he want to stay in Junior High, you know?
That did it for me.

I ran out of the classroom as soon as the bell rang
"Christy, hold this, please." I shoved my bag into her chest.
"Cherry, where are-"
I ran down the hallway to Mr. McCall's room, right as Josh stepped out of the room.
"What the fuck, Josh?" I yelled as I pushed him to the ground.
The surrounding students bolted in different directions.
"What's your problem?" Josh asked as he got off the floor.
"I'm looking at it!"

Mr. McCall stepped out of his classroom and put his hand out in front of Josh. At that moment, I had wished I waited a few minutes--at least long enough to be away from a classroom door-so I could really rail into Josh. We both knew that I had no qualms with picking a fight with anyone who seriously pissed me off and Josh earned that honor.
"What happened?"
"Besides that he's an asshole? Nothing."
"She's being a bitch!"
"And you're both going to the principal's office."
"Fine by me," Josh replied as he picked his books up and then stepped past Mr. McCall. I followed them. Josh had his bodyguard as we walked down the hallway so, naturally, everyone who didn't see what happened were left to gossip.
"I told you I'd slam the prick for you," Becky said as our threesome passed by her locker.
"Get to class, Miss Petty," Mr McCall ordered.

The three of us marched all the way to the end of the hall, which ended at the secretary's desk with the principal' office off to the left. I had been in there one time, as a "witness" to a fight between Becky and Michelle Taylor. It was like Wrestlemania on the lower field between the school and the tennis courts. Wants to take a guess who won?

Mr. Baumgardner, the principal, repeatedly asked me what had happened and each time I feigned ignorance and innocence. Yes, I was there. Yes, I saw Becky slam Michelle a few times on the ground and with each blow, Michelle's face distorted like she was going to have a seizure.

Actually she did have a seizure and because of it, couldn't remember what happened to her and in the madness of situation no one bothered to notice who she was fighting with--except they remember me, or they found the book I was reading--"Remember Me" by Christopher Pike--that had my name on the library check-out card.

Josh and I sat in chairs in front of Mr. Mr. Baumgartner as Mr. McCall stood next to the open.
"She called another student," he pointed at Josh, "a derogatory term for rectal orifice."
"What did you call him?" The principal asked me.
"I called him an asshole. Because he is one."
"Thank you, Mc. Call," Mr. "B"--no one ever referred to him as this to his face--said.
Mr. McCall quickly left the office and closed the door. He was the lucky one
"I have no idea what her problem is, Mr. Baumgartner, I really don't." Josh said.
"You're my problem!"
"You have a lot of anger issues," Josh chuckled as he refused to look at me.
"You haven't begun to see my anger," I replied as I clenched my fist.
"It's interesting to have the two of you here," Mr. Baumgartner said as he tapped his index finger on the desk. "The two of you are mentioned a lot in the attendance books. Let's see...Mr. Daniels-"

Josh shuffled a little in his seat. I never worried about the days I skipped class--they never bothered me as I knew I could recover from them. For a while, I worried that his grades would suffer all of those times we snuck off to do whatever. But right then? I hoped that Mr. K would throw the f'n book at him.
"-and Miss Moone. I see that the two of you have missed classes on various occasions. Do the two of you have someplace more important to be?"

I refused to look at either of them. Josh was not going to get any cue from me and I wasn't going to give the principal any answers.
"From looking this over--"
Did he just single out our attendance records or was he closely watching every student in the school?
"-the two of you owe Mrs. Jantz, Mr. McCommas, and Coach Green about six hours of your time. Since you want to spend theirs doing whatever."
"Yeah, whatever," I replied. I didn't agree with him; I just didn't care.
"Lunch detention for the next two weeks."

Mr. Baumgartner scribbled a few lines on the paper.
"As long as I don't have to spend it with him."
"You will, right in the room next door."
Josh sighed and put his head down.
"What, no bravado, Josh?" I asked.
"Shut up, bitch," he muttered.
"Want to go for three, Mr. Daniels?" The principal responded without looking up from his paperwork.
"No, sir."
"Will the two of you take a seat outside?"

Josh got up and and left the room. I waited a moment or two before I left my chair. I kind of wanted to ask Mr. Baumgartner what to do about my family...my starting to down-spiral life but I didn't want him to think that I was playing some kind of "woe as me; my life frickin sucks so please have mercy on me!" ploy.

So, I bit my lip and walked out of his office and into the main office area. Josh was sitting in the only available seat. It figured that he wasn't going to get up for me.
"Couldn't leave it alone, could you?" He whispered.
"Like you care."
"I thought I did at one time."
"Doubt that."
"Hey!" Marie, one of the school secretaries, barked. "Are you supposed to be talking?

If I was Becky, my older sisters or brother I would have flipped her off but all I did was fruitlessly try to blow the hair out of my face.