The Fifteenth Year

January: Part 12

Monday, January 24, 2005

Dear Friend,

I found myself actually enjoying the entire day even though I came home from school with a forklift of homework. Ah, love. Isn't it amazing what it can do to you?

Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Dear Friend,

After school, I asked my friends to meet me out by the football field for a pow-wow. The girls were all in except Chloe.

Renee rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Chloe. It's just the stupid bus. My dad sends his lame secretary to bring me home when he's stuck at the office. She'll drop you off too."

"You think?" Chloe asked hopefully.

"How long is this going to take?" Tessa asked, glancing at her watch. "My mom thinks I need heavy duty gloves from the sporting goods store because of a fake skin condition from the winter chill."

I blinked. "That excuse actually worked? How's that going by the way?"

Tessa moaned. "Not great. I swear these guys must like them younger or something. Nobody is approaching my mom, and she's a terrific woman!"

Renee ignored her. "You had a reason for bringing us here, Cassie?"

I nodded eagerly, grinning from ear to ear. "He asked me out," I squealed, not able to contain my excitement.

Tessa and Chloe started screaming and jumping around and even Renee couldn't suppress a big smile.

"Really?" she asked.

I nodded. Then I laughed watching Tessa and Chloe still jumping and Tessa dancing and "woot-wooting." That was when Chloe came to a giant halt and looked away.

Tessa laughed. "Aw, come on, Fleacorn. Shake those hips with me." She reached for Chloe's waist.

"I will not!" Chloe protested, looking around frantically to make sure nobody was looking at her.

We laughed at her. Chloe's such a prude.

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

Dear Friend,

Miss Burgess asked to speak to me privately after class and it made me really nervous. I didn't turn in an assignment late, did I?

"Am I in trouble, Miss Burgess?" I asked as I took a seat in front of her desk.

"Oh, no, no, Cassie. Your presence and work have reflected positively in my class."

I sighed, relieved. "Good."

"I would, however, like to speak to you about all your extra credit, though."

I shifted in my chair. "What about it?"

She sort of chuckled. "Well, there's just been a lot of it this year. And I guess I'm asking if you've always had this overachieving streak or if this is a recent development?"

"I'm not sure I follow..."

"Cassie, is being a freshman in high school overwhelming and a little scary that you feel the need to go into overdrive with your work performance? Or have you always been this kind of student?"

I pressed my lips together and then in my next breath said, "I know where I want to be after graduation, Miss Burgess. It's a long, hard road to get there."

She nodded knowingly. "College?"

"Yes."

"Cassie, plenty of students get into college. You don't have to have a faltering grade to be exempt from it. My advice?"

I looked at her. Was she going to call my parents? Send me to a guidance counselor? Put me in a program for weirdos that would consume more of my time that would take away from Jason and studying?

She smiled softly. "Slow down."

I smiled back, grabbed my backpack off the back of the chair, and with that, went home.

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Dear Friend,

I'm so stinking excited. Tomorrow I'm going to go get my temps so I can practice driving before I'm old enough to get my license! And my date with Jason is right around the corner too. This is the best week ever. I feel so grown up.

Friday, January 28, 2005

Dear Friend,

Woohoo! My mom took me to the DMV and I picked up my temps after school today. So stoked! She even let me drive home (we took less populated back roads for some low-stress practice). I'm obviously not perfect, but I stayed in my lane, took turns slowly, and my mom didn't have a heart attack. Jeremy made some stupid remarks about today being the last day of his life, so I scowled at him.

My secret date with Jason is tomorrow. I can't wait to tell him I have my temps. He's dating a woman now! A driving woman!