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  Joanie walked into the heavenly scent of her mother’s homemade tomato sauce bubbling on the stove. It blended perfectly with the sweet aroma from the apple pie and Joanie’s stomach rumbled. She watched as her mother stirred in the ziti noodles to finish the dish. With her thoughts fixated on the food, she had walked right past the figure on the couch without noticing him.

  Brad hesitated; he wasn’t quite sure what to say. Usually he wouldn’t shut up, but it had been a long time since he’d seen Joanie and he was worried she might have changed. Especially, after living with the rich and lame. He took a deep breath and called to her.

  “Hey stranger!” Brad said from behind. Brad was three years older than Joanie. He had dropped out of school to work, and help with the bills. Of course, due to his casual work ethic he was unemployed more often than not.

  Joanie spun around in surprise. Her breath was almost knocked out of her as he grabbed her up in a bear hug and spun her around. Joanie, who was extremely happy she hadn’t eaten yet, punched him playfully on the arm when he finally set her back down on her unsteady feet.

  “Hey Brad! Thanks for carrying up my bags for me.” Joanie said sarcastically.

  “Anytime.” he said slapping her on the back as they went to sit at the table for dinner. “Heard you got busted. Good deal.”

  “Brad,” Carol chastised “Joanie’s had a long day she doesn’t need your snide comments.”

  Joanie stuck her tongue out at him while her mother wasn’t looking, and he grinned widely. He was relieved. ‘Nope hasn’t changed a bit.’

  Joanie sat next to her mother and across from Brad at their worn wooden table. She used her finger to trace the initials carved into it. BC. She smiled to herself, remembering how angry her mother had gotten at him. From then on Brad was known as: “The Caveman” based on a combination of his initials, and his rudimentary skills with weapons.

  “I not only invented the wheel, but now I have wheels.” Brad said reading his sisters mind.

  “Perfect! You can teach me how to drive.” Joanie said laughing as Brad choked on his food.

  Chapter 3

  The next morning Joanie was forced to listen to Brad grumble as they headed to his car.

  “I can’t believe I had to get up early on my day off to baby-sit.” Brad said complaining as Kate came up to meet them.

  “Would you stop griping? Every day’s your day off; you don’t work.” Kate said point-blank.

  Brad looked appalled as Joanie giggled. “For your information Missy I do have a job.”

  “You DO?” The girls asked in astonishment.

  Brad purposely ignored them as he opened the driver’s side door and climbed into his beloved primer spotted jalopy. It had once been a light green color. Now it sort of resembled a chameleon on acid. The girls opened the door on the opposite side. They slide into the front bench seat with Kate in the middle. It was starting to be a fantastic day Joanie thought as they pulled out on to the street. The car was working at least.

  Joanie was nervously gazing out the window again. The butterflies in her stomach were doing cartwheels. Though no one could tell by looking at her. That’s one thing Joanie learned early on is how to hide her feelings. Keep ’em to yourself so no one can use them against you. She had to be tough to survive or at least pretend to be.

  “So tell us what your job is?” Kate said filling in the silence.

  “Baby sitting.” Brad said as they pulled into the school a short time later.

  The girls climbed out and thanked him. He smiled as he heard Joanie say “See I knew he didn’t have a job.”

  “Smell ya later!” Brad yelled out the window and with a loud backfire he was off. The girls coughed from the fumes and hurried toward the building.

  Joanie looked around the campus. Boys were chasing each other in the parking lot, pulling up girl’s skirts and just making a nuisance of themselves. Most of the girls were standing, or sitting in groups around trees, or on benches, some were reading. Joanie thought to herself “It might not be so bad after all.”

  She had never been to the high school before; when she left she was in middle school. She was amazed by the size of the two story building. Even the sign was enormous. She looked up at the marble sign pronouncing Central High School home of the Eagles. Or at least that’s what it was supposed to say. Someone had taken black paint and crossed out Eagles and wrote in P-I-G-O-N-S. It looked as if it had been done recently since the paint was still dripping. The sound of the shrill bell sent them and everybody else scurrying through the door. The mob separated the two friends as Joanie spied the office. She heard Kate yell over the din, “I’ll see you at lunch!”

  Joanie pushed her way through the crowd and took refuge in the office. She looked at the bleak students either standing in line at the counter or sitting along the wall on a hard wooden bench. Sighing she lifted her head up and got into line. There were staff members milling about in the office, but only one actually behind the counter working.

  She was an older woman with gray hair that was pulled back into a tight bun which pulled all of her wrinkles towards the back of her head. Joanie looked down at her watch and noticed the time. Five minutes had passed, and she hadn’t even taken one step. She tried to hear what the others kids were doing there as she waited. The time passed slowly which was OK with her. She was dreading walking into class and everyone gawking at ‘the new girl’.

  “Yes?” The lady behind the counter asked.

  Joanie looked up surprised she had not realized that the line had finally moved. She bravely walked up to the counter and told the clerk that she needed to register. The lady grunted loudly as if she was annoyed and went to retrieve the forms. Joanie looked at the dark wood grain nameplate on the counter. Miss Gloria Dune. Joanie suddenly smiled she remembered Brad talking about Miss Dune the prune from his frequent trips to the office. He was right she did look like a prune. She couldn’t believe she was still alive, much less still working. She must be ancient.

  “Here you are. Fill them out and bring them back up.” She nodded with her head toward an empty desk in the corner. Joanie was staring amazed at the volume of papers and absent mindedly went over to the desk and sat down to start the tedious task. She reached over and took her pencil out of her bag and started to write. Snap! The tip broke. She just sat annoyed staring at the offensive piece of graphite. She silently willed the lead to reattach itself; so she wouldn’t have to get up to borrow one from the prune.

  “I’ve got one.” A low, deep voice said beside her.

  She looked over gratefully at the boy sitting next to her. She was startled that she didn’t notice him before. His head was ducked down as he searched in his pocket for a pencil.

  “Aha!” He cried producing the treasure he was seeking. “Here you can have mine; I’m not going to be needing it for awhile.” She was surprised when he looked up at her that she knew him.

  “Chad, Chad Phillips!” Joanie said excitedly. They had been close friends when they were younger. Joanie had always been kind of a tomboy. She had spent endless, summer nights at Chad’s house, just shooting hoops. He had an older brother named Eric, who used to pull her ponytail and call her ‘Pocahontas’ because of her long dark hair. She smiled at the memory.

  Chad smiled arrogantly; he was amazed that this lovely creature beside him knew his name. “Hey babe what’s up?” He added in a deeper voice.

  Joanie smacked his arm. “It’s me, Joanie Caldwell you idiot.”

  Chad’s mouth dropped open as recognition set in. “Joanie? As in Jo the queen of the free throws?”

  “The one and only.”

  “What are you doing here? I thought you moved.”

  “Well I’m back. For Good. What are you doing here?” She asked suspiciously not quite sure if she wanted to know.

  Chad thought for a second before answering. “I was expressing my individuality through paint.”

  Joanie laughed noticing for the first ti
me the black paint staining his hands. “You misspelled pigeons.”

  “I did? Maybe that’s why they’re so upset over it.”

  Miss Dune called his name. He looked ticked at being interrupted but got up none the less. Miss Dune quickly ushered him into the principal’s office and returned behind the counter.

  Chad poked his head back out for a moment and yelled “I’ll see ya around!” As the door slammed shut behind him.

  Joanie quickly ducked her head down to hide her smile as she returned to her paperwork. She risked a teeny peek up and just as she suspected Miss Dune gave her the evil eye. Sighing she slumped over and started to fill in the forms.

  Finally, she was done. She brought the stack back up to the counter glad to see that the line had diminished. Miss Prune looked at the top page. “Joanie Caldwell? I hope you’re not related to Brad Caldwell.”

  Joanie’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, He’s my brother.” She stated warily.

  “Humph! That’s just what we need is another trouble maker.” She heard Miss Dune claim under her breath intentionally loud enough for Joanie to hear.

  Joanie smiled wickedly as her eyes narrowed. It was one thing for her to insult Brad, but she’d be damned if some old hag was going to talk bad about him. She took a deep breath to calm herself. What did she care what old prune face thought of her anyway? She decided not to give her the list of Kate’s courses. She knew if she did, she would not end up in any of Kate’s classes. Instead, she decided to keep quiet and perhaps by chance she might still be in a couple.

  “Here’s your schedule and your locker number and combination. No dawdling you are already late!” Miss Dune chastised.

  Joanie grabbed the list and scurried out into the corridor. She looked at the paper in her hands groaning as she noticed that her first class was gym. She would be hot and sweaty the rest of the day! “She did that on purpose.” She muttered as she set off. Growling she vowed revenge.

  After searching, she finally found her locker on the second floor. She put in everything except her and Kate’s schedule. Closing the door, she quickly scanned the two lists more closely.

  Joanie’s Schedule

  Gym

  Social Studies

  Science

  Lunch A

  Geometry

  English

  Music

  Kate’s Schedule

  Music

  Social Studies

  English

  Lunch A

  Gym

  Science

  Geometry

  Well at least they would have second hour and lunch together. There was nothing more frightful than eating lunch alone. She knew from experience. She made her way to the gym by instinct. She followed the long, deserted corridor connecting the school to a large square building set behind it. It was as if they added it as an afterthought. She passed by the rest rooms and locker rooms and pushed open the large double doors at the end of the hallway. It was deserted; Joanie crossed the floor her footsteps echoing around the abandoned court. Nervously she picked up her pace and pushed open the doors at the opposite end. She was relieved to see the football field not far beyond her and what she hoped was her class. She could make out some girls jogging in their matching purple uniforms that were the school colors. Although the school was coed they still separated the gym classes by gender. It seemed silly to her especially since the boys still watched the exercises from afar. She spied a man with a whistle around his neck, and she headed over.

  “Excuse me sir but I think I’m supposed t o be in your class.” Joanie said handing him her schedule.

  The man carefully looked at it and smiled. “Yes ma’am you’re in the right spot. Caldwell eh? Are you related to Brad?”

  Ready to be ridiculed again, she reluctantly nodded her head.

  “Well good we need some talent around here. Welcome aboard!” He held out his hand and gripped hers hard. “Since you don’t have your uniform yet you can sit out this one.”

  Graciously Joanie headed to the bleachers flexing her hand as she went. She carefully folded the vital paper and placed it in her skirt pocket. She hated wearing skirts, but it was required in the dress code. She felt a tug on her hair and looked around to see Chad sitting behind her.

  “What are you doing here? I figured you’d be locked away forever. Did you get in trouble?” She asked as he scooted down next to her.

  “Naw, no more than usual. Actually, they suspended me for a day, and I have to clean up the sign.” He said leaning back with his elbows on the bench behind him. “Not much to look at are they?” He said referring to her classmates jogging, err… make that walking around the track.

  Joanie shook her head “You guys are all the same. If a girl isn’t attractive, you won’t even talk to her. You’re so worried about what other people will think.”

  “That’s not true, I’m talking to you ain’t I?” Chad said ducking as she pretended to punch him.

  “Not anymore.” She said getting up to run to her next class. Luckily Kate was in it.

  The morning passed quickly. Joanie just pasted a smile on her face and made the best of it. She was relieved when lunch time came. She met Kate at her locker, and they headed there together. They were joined by two other girls who Joanie didn’t know. Kate quickly introduced her to Jane and Sally. Joanie grinned trying to remember what Kate had told her about them in her letters. If she remembered correctly, Jane was into music, and dancing, and Sally was rather quiet. Joanie wondered how she would fit in. She didn’t have to wonder long. Along with the rest, she soon found herself laughing at Jane’s antics. Kate was awed by all the looks Joanie was receiving from the boys; even upperclassmen. She was amazed that her friend didn’t even notice them.

  Finally, they got their trays and decided to eat outside. Heaven only knew how many more sunny days they would have before the long winter set in. They sat under a large maple that still had a few red leaves dangling from its branches and were threatening to fall.

  Joanie looked over the rest of her classes, and she found out that Jane was in her math class. They quickly finished their lunch and headed off. Joanie and Jane headed to math together; Joanie welcomed the company. She made her regular stop at the teacher’s desk and was grateful that Jane stayed with her.

  “Well let me see where to put you.” Mr. Redmond said looking around the room.

  “There’s an empty seat behind me.” Jane said.

  “Thank you Jane. Please show her where it is.”

  Joanie followed obediently her seat was the last one in the row. She sank down and pulled out her notebook. The final bell rung and Mr. Redmond started writing on the board. The classroom door opened once more, and a beautiful blonde walked in. She sure has grown up Joanie thought as April Miller ironically took the seat next to hers. “No wonder she’s so popular.” Joanie mumbled to herself.

  April looked down at Joanie as if she were a toad. “Well Jo I heard you were back.”

  “It’s Joanie, and yes I am.” She said evenly. She hated that old nick name and April knew it. They stared at each other neither one looking away until Mr. Redmond demanded that April take her seat. She tossed her flowing blonde locks over her shoulder and sat down. Is this day ever gonna end? Joanie thought as she started copying down the home work.

  After school, she met Kate for the long walk home. “You two gonna go to the Soda Shoppe?” Sally asked.

  Joanie shook her head no. “No they slammed me with homework, ‘Sides my cheeks are sore from smiling so much. It was really terrific meeting you, maybe some other time?” And she and Kate started on their trek home.

  “So how was it?” Kate asked.

  “Well it wasn’t as bad as I was expecting, there were a lot of neat kids. I just wished we had more classes together. April sits next to me in math class, but besides that, it was pretty decent.”

  “Well it sure is great to have you back! I’ll see you in the morning!” Kate said when they finally reached her house.
r />   Joanie waved bye and continued on towards her home.

  Chapter 4

  Joanie climbed the stairs to her apartment and went in and collapsed on the couch. Her mother worked nights at the hospital, so she was getting ready to leave.

  “Rough day?” Her mother asked.

  “Nothin’ major, it’s just so redundant.”

  Her mom smiled. “Look at the bright side you only have two and a half more years.”

  “Thanks mom you really know how to cheer a girl up. Brad didn’t graduate.” Joanie retorted.

  “Yes and look at Brad.” Carol said smiling as she thought of her spoiled son.

  Joanie smiled. “Good point.”

  “Did I hear my name?” Brad asked as he walked into the apartment.

  “Yes!” Joanie said hoping up off the couch her energy renewed. “You promised to teach me to drive.” Joanie asked as she gazed at him hopefully.

  “I did not!” Brad said looking to his mom for help.

  Carol smiled. “Brad you’re a good driver it wouldn’t kill you to spend more time with your only sister and teach her how to drive would it?”

  Brad sighed, “It might.” He murmured as Joanie grabbed his arm and drug him back down the three flights of stairs he had just walked up.

  Brad leaned against his car gasping. “We need to get an elevator.”

  “You need to stop smoking, it will turn your teeth yellow and then who would want you?” Joanie said pointedly.

  Brad rolled his eyes since he didn’t have enough breath for a retort.

  “Get in.” Brad ordered pointing to the driver side.

  Joanie squealed and climbed in quickly, Brad grumbling climbed in the other side. Joanie frowned as she noticed she was practically in the backseat. “How do you move the seat up?” Joanie asked as she felt around the bottom of the seat for the lever and moved it closer. “Why are there three pedals when I only have two feet?” Joanie stated looking under the dash and frowning.

  “We haven’t gotten to that part of the training yet. Now be quiet and listen.” Brad said as he started pointing to the various instruments on the dashboard and explaining in great detail how they worked and what they were for.