by Kellie Bean
“Both asleep. Molly too.” I stare at my sister for a long moment, trying to see if the dog’s name triggers any kind of response.
She sees through my ploy immediately. “Mom and Dad both saw what happened. They’re leaving it for you to clean up.”
I groan and throw my head back. “I’m sorry.” I apologize again. “Did she get any of your stuff?”
“No, actually. At least nothing I saw. I think she was actually finding stuff in other rooms and bringing them to our room before she destroyed them. Maybe she was trying to hide the evidence.”
“Well, she should have done a better job of that part! Why wasn’t anyone watching her?” I try to take the accusation out of my voice. Whatever happened, she’s my responsibility. I do want to know exactly how chaos got unleashed in our bedroom.
Reilly shrugs. “I’m not sure.”
“Well, that is just not that helpful.” I make an exaggerated nervous, lip-biting face at Reilly before retreating back downstairs, already trying to prepare myself for the lecture I’m sure to get when my mom gets home.
Dad will probably just pretend to stay asleep until that happens so he doesn’t have to do the confrontation thing on his own.
At least that gives me some time to clean things up first.
It’s possible I had underestimated just how thorough Molly was in her destruction.
Two tubes of chapstick, both completely empty now—probably devoured—sit beside my dresser. My bed hides one of my dad’s slippers, which thankfully don’t seem to be damaged, probably just hidden away so Molly could chew on it later.
I’ve only just picked up every scrap of what I think might actually be one of Rhiannon’s homework assignments, when I hear the garage door open followed by the telltale creak of someone getting up from the couch downstairs.
Three excited yips from Molly follow in quick succession.
I still haven’t had my shower!
As soon as my dad sees me reach the main floor, he starts busying himself with a stack of magazines on the coffee table. I can practically hear his train of thought from here… Yes, yes. Very busy. Can’t talk now.
It’s not entirely believable, but he sticks to it like he’s going for an Oscar. I give him a tight smile when he accidentally catches my eye when I call for Molly to follow me into the kitchen, then onto the backyard. She’s probably long overdue for a pee-break, and me doing something responsible when Mom comes in can’t hurt.
I place Molly on the grass and move back to the porch, not having even thought to put on socks let alone shoes. The dog pees right away. I’m a little disappointed not to have more time to come up with something to say to diffuse the lecture that is coming for me.
The front door shuts from inside the house.
Time’s up.
Both of my parents are already in the kitchen when I get back inside, Molly in my arms.
I swear she feels like she’s already twice as big as she was when I first saw her.
“I cleaned everything up already.” I say before either of my parents can speak, putting Molly back on the floor. She immediately runs toward a tennis ball that has rolled into the corner and swats it with her paw. “I am so, so sorry!” I continue.
I study my mom’s expression. While she does look a little tired, she also seems more confused than angry.
She looks over at my dad. “What did I miss? What is she apologizing for?”
Dad only shrugs.
Are they messing with me? I wouldn’t put it past them. I keep silent, not wanting to walk into whatever trap they’re leaving for me.
The punchline never comes. Maybe they’re both more tired than I was giving them credit for.
“The mess Molly made upstairs…”
“I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about.” my mom answers. “I’ve been gone all day, remember?” Right. So she just doesn’t know I’m in trouble yet. I’m not sure that’s much better.
“That was my fault.” Dad jumps in, completely nonchalant. “I got a phone call and put her in the bathroom to keep her out of trouble, but, one of the doors wasn’t as closed as I thought. I had meant to clean it up, but we fell asleep on the couch. I do appreciate you cleaning it up though.”
Mom puts her purse down on the couch before sitting down at our kitchen table. “There was something we wanted to discuss with you though.”
What. Is. Happening.
“Uh, sure.” I answer, still just trying to keep up.
“I’m going to tell you something. You're going to get over-excited. But, there’s going to be a ‘but’ afterward. So brace yourself.”
“Consider me braced.”
My dad grins, interrupting before my mom can continue. “We are open to the idea of keeping Molly.”
“What!?” I’m jumping up and down before the word even leaves my mouth. I’m definitely freaking out the dog.
My dog. I get to keep her!
My parents are still talking, I don’t even hear them.
“But…” Mom says, louder now. Bringing me right back down to earth. They only said they were open to it. If I don’t calm down, I could screw this all up.
“Sorry, sorry.” I am apologizing way more often than usual today, but if keeping Molly is the end result, I’ll do it forever. Wait. No. Listening. “But…?”
“First, she would be our dog… Molly Donovan, not Molly, Reece’s Minion. That would mean we all split the responsibilities, while your mother and I handle the financial side. When you eventually move away, she stays here.”
“Consider it a bribe to make sure you come back to visit.” Mom chimes in.
Okay… not ideal. Although, if that’s all they’re asking, I’m so in.
“Sure!” I agree, too quickly. Mom is pressing her lips together, watching for my reaction. There’s something bigger coming. “What else?”
“We’ve been talking.” she says. Well, that can’t be good. “While we absolutely admire how fully you’ve thrown yourself into taking care of Molly, your volunteer work, soccer and making new friends in Fairview… well, you see my point.” I really didn’t, but I wasn’t dumb enough to open my mouth. “We think you’re taking on too much. If we’re going to keep Molly permanently, we need you to take a step back from something else in exchange.”
My eyes narrow, not at all liking where this is going. “Soccer?” I ask, already torn in two.
“No, absolutely not.” Dad holds up a hand as though to stop or calm me. “Your dedication to athletics is absolutely admirable, it will be an asset to you as you start applying to college.”
Mom jumps in. “There are other things to consider since colleges will be looking at your applications…”
“Like what?”
“Like grades, Reece. Your grades were consistently the lowest of the four of you last year, you can’t afford to let them slip any further.”
“I thought you didn’t compare us to one another.” I retort automatically. The high I was feeling a minute ago is completely gone now. I’m going to have to make a choice, but I already know I’d give almost anything to get to keep Molly.
What am I going to have to sacrifice?
“Just pull the band-aid off.” I say, trying so hard not to be rude. This is seriously torture.
“Dating.” my mom says. “We want you to give up dating for the first semester of this academic year.”
My mouth drops open.
Chapter 8
The first day of school changes from something I dread, to something I’m looking forward to, as soon as I know the last weekend of summer isn’t going to result in saying goodbye to Molly forever.
She’s mine now! Forever. Well, technically she’s ours. I usually have a few small pieces of hot dog in my pocket to ensure she remembers who loves her best. It’s gross, but you do what you have to.
Starting this morning, I’m going to have to leave her home alone with my dad while I’m at school every day, so I had to step up my game.
> Since Fairview's mild summer weather is still going strong, my sisters and I opt to walk to school together, rather than getting one of our parents to drive us. By the time we leave the house and running late because Reagan slept in, the sidewalks in our neighborhood are already full of other reluctant students making their way in to start the new year.
I walk beside Reagan, who’s trying to rest her head on my shoulder as we walk, still protesting that she has to be awake at all. I end up banging her in the face with my head more often than not. She eventually surrenders to the reality that the school year has begun again, along with the early wake up time that comes with it. “I hate this.” she grumbles.
Giving her a mock-encouraging pat on the head, “I know.”
Behind us, Rhiannon and Reilly are chatting excitedly about their first semester classes and the teachers they have.
I’ve barely even looked at my schedule. All I know for sure is that after fifth period, I’m going straight to the gym to change into my soccer gear and then head outside for practice. We’ve only had three practices since the official team roster was announced, not once was the whole team able to make it at the same time. Nonetheless, we’re already looking pretty good. I’m excited to see how much better we can get through the course of the season.
Fairview isn’t the kind of town that takes its high school level sports that seriously. A significant victory might get a mention in the school paper or an announcement over the PA system at school, but the Fairview High teams only ever play teams from other schools like ours whose coaches double as teachers.
There won’t be any scouts coming out to watch our games this year like they would in Richmond. If I want a shot at making a college team, I’m going to have to get myself a tryout. I can live with that.
This year, my job is to make myself as good as I possibly can be. I can worry about the rest later.
We reach the front lawn of Fairview High School with almost a half hour to spare. “Please don’t make me go.” Reagan mumbles, looking up at the two-story building in front of us.
“You’ll be fine.” I assure her. “You have someone you know in every class this semester.”
“I know I’ll be fine.” she insists, “I still don’t want to do it. Someone pinch me. Maybe this is all a horrible nightmare.”
I happily oblige, pinching Rea on her hand before she flinches away. “Sorry, looks like you’re stuck here.”
All of my own remaining sleepiness is long gone. It might be that I’ve gotten in the habit of waking up earlier over the summer, or it could be that I’m actually looking forward to being back at school—something I won’t admit to anyone but myself.
Yeah, the actual school part isn’t all that great. The fact that I’ve promised my parents I’ll try harder this year is still something I’m attempting not to think too much about. All the other parts of school are usually pretty fun. I still wish my friends from back in Richmond could be here with me. Despite that, I do know a lot of people here now, and most of my teachers so far have been decent humans. Sports are fun; lunch is fun.
I like to keep busy and being at school, there’s never a shortage of things to do. Even if the options I choose aren’t always the ones I’m supposed to.
“Well guys, I’ve gotta go. I promised to meet people by the cafeteria before we try and find our lockers. I’ll probably see you guys at lunch?” I finish off the last part as a question, not totally sure what the plan we agreed to was. For the first time in our high school careers, all four of us have the same lunch period, fourth, but I’m sure there will be other people I know with their lunch scheduled then too.
I don’t know. There will be time to figure all of that out later.
Less than thirty seconds after I wave goodbye to my sisters, I almost collide with a group of girls from my gym class last year, who I somehow didn’t run into all summer. I’m already running late to meet Jamie, but I still stop for a few minutes to catch up with them.
Just between the front door to the school and the cafeteria, I find three other people I need to stop and say hello to. Even seeing everyone’s updates online over the past two months, I still prefer talking to them in person one-hundred percent of the time.
Eventually, Jamie finds me instead of the other way around. I guess I took too long and she had to come hunt me down.
“Reece,” she calls out, waving frantically from the other end of the hallway. At first I think she is excited to see me, even though we were both at her ex-boyfriend Mike’s birthday party that one weekend, but the closer she gets the more annoyed at me she looks. “You were supposed to meet me at like, the other side of the school.”
“I was headed there next, I swear.” I shoot an apologetic look at the guys I’d been talking to, letting Jamie lead me back across the school to where Emma, Tessa, and a couple of other girls from the team are waiting for us, all standing in a cluster in the parking lot behind the school.
“Is it just me, or do all the guys look way better this year than they did last year?” I whisper to Jamie under my breath as we reach the other girls. Nearby, Tom, a guy I dated briefly last year, leans against a blue car that I know actually belongs to his dad. I swear it seems as though he’s been working out over the summer.
Jamie and Emma both laugh, neither one realizing that I am completely serious. It’s probably just a side-effect of everyone putting in extra effort for the first day of school. Everywhere I look—guys I’m friends with, guys I’ve never seen before, a couple of guys I’ve already kissed, even a few of the freshmen— all look good.
And, they’re all off limits.
I’m planning to not share that with my friends, but my sisters know. I’m sure they will keep my situation a secret. Part of me already feels a little weird about the fact that my parents know, even though this boy ban was necessary. I’m also kind of hoping they’ll change their minds if I bring home some decent test scores or something. We’ll see.
It's not like I’m not still allowed to look at boys.
My friends and I only have about ten minutes to get caught up—during which I make absolutely everyone who even gets close to our group look at pictures of Molly—before classes start. I wonder if anyone has been able to convince Reagan to start heading to her first period class? Or if she’s still waiting on the lawn, probably hoping for a meteor to hit the school before she has to go back.
“Does anyone else have English first period?” Susanna asks, standing between Emma and her car. Susanna isn’t on the soccer team, but she plays tennis with Emma and volleyball with Jamie, so I see her a lot. I think I might be about to see a lot more of her.
My own schedule is folded up in my back pocket. I pull it out and try and flatten out some of the creases so I can double check where it is I’m actually supposed to be going. “Me! English with Mr. Bruckner. Is that where you’re going?”
Susanna nods, and Emma jumps in before she can say anything. “How did you not know what your first class was? I’ve had my schedule memorized since they came out two weeks ago so I could figure out who I had classes with.”
“Oh, I bet Reece could tell you who she has classes with, just not which classes they are. More specifically, which guys she has classes with.” Jamie sticks out her tongue, squinching up her face in the process. I know she doesn’t mean anything by it, but as I shrug, I can feel a blush rushing to my face anyway.
“I’ve just been busy since the schedules came out. I read it, I just didn’t retain much. I know I have lunch during fourth period, so that has to count for something, right?”
Emma chuckles along with me, Jamie’s comment forgotten. I do wonder if that’s what everyone already thinks of me.
Together we all head inside to face junior year. Jamie and Tessa split off from our group to head for their lockers on the second floor. Moments later, a few more people disappear into the crowd and down various hallways. My own locker is blessedly near the cafeteria, with Emma’s new locker assignment is just
across the hall from it. We walk the rest of the way together. It's hard for us to chat and push past a crowded hallway full of people who aren’t really paying attention at the same time.
Even though my locker is technically well situated to give me easy access to food throughout the day, it looks like I’ve been less lucky with my neighbors. On either side of the locker stands a broad-shouldered guy, taking up more than his fair share of space.
It's going to be a tight fit for me to get into my own locker every day if they're around, but it's not like I'm going to be spending much time here.
As I wiggle my way between them to open up my new locker, one of the guys gives me an appraising look, followed by a small smile. I don't have a chance to respond since a folded up piece of white paper is waiting for me.
Attn Students and Parents:
Due to budgetary restrictions, the following athletic teams have been put on hiatus, effective for the upcoming school year: Tennis, Volleyball, Cheerleading, Soccer.
The spring athletic calendar will be evaluated in the new year.
Have a great first day of school!
Without meaning to, I scrunch the note up in my first before slamming my locker closed. This has to be a joke!
Shoving my way past the crowd of teenagers moving to their first class of the day, I make my way across the hall to Emma’s locker. “Did you get this?” I ask, holding out the crumpled ball of paper in my hands, but Emma is still fishing through her backpack, only looking up when I speak.
“What?” She glances at my hand. It's easy to see she has no idea what I’m talking about.
“Check your locker.” I say. I’m really hoping that somehow this was just a mistake or a really stupid prank.
This can’t be happening.
Sure enough as soon as Emma opens her locker, a single, folded up piece of paper is waiting for her on the bottom. I watch wordlessly as she reads what inside, desperately needing someone else to see what I’ve seen and to help me make sense of it.
“What. The. Hell. Is. This?” Emma seethes. Her eyes dart back to the top of the page and she reads it again. “Is this for real!?”
