Finding My Normal

Ch 55: Wake Up Call

"Wake up, wake up, wake up!!!"

It's bright and early and I'm beginning to wake up because of the loud noises and banging coming from the kitchen area. Lily walks in and shows that she is the source of all the noise.  She is banging on a pot with a wooden spoon to get everyone to wake up. She then makes breakfast for everyone and hurries them out the door before my dads came home.

"Booger!! How was your party?" Henry asks when they get back.

"Great! How was your Academy tournament thingy."

"We won!" William exclaims.

Every year the Academy hosts a tournament filled with obstacle courses, computer challenges and other super secret games. Fortunately, this year's tournament coincided with my sleepover.  My dads have won every year I've been with them and they told me they had won the three years prior too.  Think they are the best team in the Academy, but I always wonder how they keep up with the younger groups in the physical challenges.  I hope to have my own team and one day compete in the Annual Academy Tournament.  Maybe my team will break the Anderson's winning streak.

"Mom did you sign my permission slip yet?"  I ask Lily.

Tomorrow all the sophomores are going to the Old Exchange Building and Provost Dungeon in Charleston. Mr. Morris is heading the trip for the History department and we are required to write a report that counts as five percent of our total grade.

"Yes, Babykins. Here go put it away before you forget it." She says as she hands me the paper.

Once upstairs my cell phone starts ringing and I notice it's North.

"Hello?"

"Hey Sang Baby, do you have a minute?"

"Yes, sure. What do you need?"

"I just want to talk. I realized something today when I got home and I feel like such an ass."

He sounds so upset I can't imagine he did something really bad. "North, what is it?"

"I'm sorry for assuming things. You know about us."

Oh. That's what he wants to talk about. With everything that happened on our date night and my busy week planning my party I never got a chance to mention my issues about it to North.

"I've been meaning to talk to you about that too."

He stays silent on the other end so I continue. "You kind of caught me off guard. You know, when you said we were together. I've never had a boyfriend before and we hadn't even gone on one date."

"We went on the night hike together!"

"North that wasn't a date. We were partnered up to together. You never asked me out until this past week and that was a bust."

"So you don't want to be my girlfriend?"  He sounds defeated.

"I never said that."

He pauses, "So you do want to be my girlfriend?"  He asks with a small bit of hope in his voice.

"No, North."

He huffs in agitation, "Sang, I don't understand you."

"North, what I'm saying is. I need time. You need to take me on real dates and get to know me before we label ourselves anything. I've never done this before and even I know that!"

"I know too. It's just I saw all these guys taking you out and I thought if I don't act now it'll be too late. I jumped the gun a little, I'm sorry."

"I forgive you, North. Do you still like me?"

"Of course. Do you still like me?"

"Yes.  What made you tell me today?"  I ask him.

"I saw the way you were at your birthday. With the other guys; it was kind of a wake up call."

"What do you mean?"

"If you like one of them better you don't have to go on a date with me."

Now I feel bad. I do like all of my friends and I've gone on first dates with a few of them, but I don't want North to think I like them more than him. To be honest I like all of them equally. Maybe not getting into a relationship would be a good idea. If I'm North's or Gabriel's or Silas' girlfriend then would the other guys still hang out with me? Would my boyfriend be upset if I spent time with my friends who just happen to be guys?

Now the idea of my first kiss and more dates and potential relationships is making me nauseous. I can't have any of my friends mad at me. So I've decided right here right now. I'll go on a first date if one of my friends asks, but I will not go on a second. I'm going to have to refrain from kissing too, that might make me feel more willing to settle with the first person who kisses me. Not that kissing will be a problem since I keep getting interrupted!!

I end my call with North and my worries about my friends are still prevalent in my mind. I'm just glad our secret from Luke isn't going to be hanging over my head anymore. I decide to do my best to forget about all that and focus on my homework. After two hours of studies I still have plenty of time before dinner so I decide to begin working on my recruitment assignment to turn into the Academy.

I'm not really sure how they want it formatted, I figure my parents will know.  Once downstairs at my parent's office I politely knock on the door.

"Come in" I hear Liam say. As I enter I see him furiously typing on his laptop. Probably some sort of coding.

Since he's busy I head towards Henry's desk. "Dad? Can you help me with my recruiting recommendation paperwork?"

"Of course! Have you decided already?"

"Well no, but I thought I could get all the information down on paper now. I can start organizing it, but I'm not sure if there's some sort of format I'm supposed to use."

"There's no set rules, but usually the recruiter outlines each suggested recruit with a list of their capabilities and why you believe they will be a good fit for the Academy. You'll also need a cover page which lists just the names of your final recommendations."

"Okay, that sounds easy enough. I'm going to start right now! I'll probably be finished in a couple weeks with my final recommendations. Can you check it over then before you give it to the Academy?"

"Of course Booger, now get going." He turns back to his work and continues on with whatever assignment he's taken on this time.

I head back to my room and spend the rest of the night working on my assignment. Recalling all the talents and abilities the potential recruits possess and recording them down on a file I've saved on my computer.

By the end of the night I'm tired and ready for an easy day at school tomorrow during our field trip. I have a feeling it's going to be very exciting.