Notes on Life

Chapter 1

Tuesday, September 14th, 7:16 am.
Classroom of Mr. Luther Davis, Astronomy Teacher
Alton Mays High School

         I sauntered into class, and everything was the same, except it wasn't. Mr. Davis was talking to Class-Geek Kevin about star temperature. Other kids were throwing balls of paper yelling "ASTROID ATTACK!", and Cindy Lutz was about to have an aneurism because she's so OCD and all that chaos freaked her out.
         I sat in my desk, located directly next to the Next Sexiest Man Alive, Jeremy Hays, football player extraordinaire, and completely ignored him- not that he noticed. Sure, he's 6'3, muscular, blue-eyed blond, and lacks the signature body odor most football players exude, but he's not my type. And I won't be his until I go blonde and get a boob job.
         No one noticed my hand slipping under my desk, searching for my card. I pulled it out, that significantly stupid little piece of paper, and read it.

To whom it may concern,
         My name is Kitty. It's not my real name, obviously, and I apologize if it sounds like a stripper name… I promise I'm not one. This note, and whether you respond or not, are part of an experiment to see who will answer this. I'll ask a question, and please answer anonymously; it's the name of this game. You may ask me questions too, and I promise total honesty. The question is: What's your favorite class? Nice and easy.
                                                                                         -Kitty
         Like I said , stupid, but give me a second to explain.
         I am Katherine Myers, future Dr. Katherine Myers, Pediatrician. I don't do fun. Well, other people's ideas of fun. Parties and other teenagers bore me; kids my own age are too fascinated with cigarettes, booze, and body parts. So when I wanted to do something "crazy" my senior year of high school, it meant something a bit risky with a complete lack of danger and probably involved the scientific method. Hence the one note under each desk I sit at in all seven periods.
         Yep. Next thing you know I'll be fighting nazi-zombie-viking-ninjas who ride ravenous mutant lions on mount Everest. I'm a total animal.
         "INCOMING!" That idiot Lyle Derkins yelled, and a piece of balled-up paper hit me in the side of the head. I  grabbed it and lined it up with his acne-scarred face.
         "What are you gonna do, little girl?" he sneered. I wound up and hit him dead on between the eyes, and he looked at me in shock. Jeremy looked mildly impressed.
         "Bitch." Lyle said, jaw brushing the floor.
         "Nice shot." Jeremy said with a slight smile that probably devastated all members of the female population. I found it mildly charming.
         The other girls were about ready to kill me over those two words.
         "I play darts." I said with a shrug, pushing  a strand of hair behind my ear.
         "Some wicked darts." he said.
         "I'm decent."
         "Damn."
         Riveting conversation, another reason I love my age group. I thanked him and slipped the paper back under my desk and spent the rest of the period ignoring Mr. Davis lecturing about Martian Craters and wondering whether Kitty really did sound too much like a stripper name. Kitty Kat. Get it?

***
Tuesday, September 14th, 12:30 pm.
Lunch Patio
Alton Mays High School
         By lunch I still had no luck with my notes, but the day was still young. I had just finished third period psychology.
         My friend Bruce plopped down between me and Violet, my best friend. Vi and I don't talk much, which suits us just fine.
         "You guys are silent as the dead." he said, smiling at the both of us. "What are you eating?" he asked Violet as she unwrapped an all-organic, unpleasant, something-or-other.
         "Mushroom wrap." she said, taking a bite.
         "Gross." He began picking at his steaming lunch tray. He's super particular about food.
         "Hey guys." Cody said, sitting next to me. He and Bruce attempted the manly guy nod, he smiled at Vi, and then at me, lingering for an extra second.
         "Stop stealing my ketchup, baby!" Bruce complained. Violet turned huge blue grey eyes up at him, lip quivering, and he sighed.
         "Ok, ok. You're adorable. And you can steal my ketchup."
         "Thanks darling." She leaned up to kiss him. It's like watching a kitten nuzzling a bulldog; he's six feet tall and works out like a madman, and all five foot two of her is made of china.
         Me and Cody ignored them. He used to give me those long "I'm in love with you, why can't we make out like they are?" looks, and I'd shoot back "I'm intensely uncomfortable right now" looks, but eventually he got the hint so we just looked at our food until they finished.
         "Ooh, sorry are we bothering you?" Violet asked, panting a bit.
         "Nah." Cody said. I shook my head.
         "Yeah, sorry." Bruce said.
         "Get some, man." Cody said, grinning.
         "Perv." I said.
         "Am not."
         "Are too."
         "I'm not, Kat!"
         "Next thing we know you are going to be offering little kids candy-"
         "No way!"
         "- to get in your stalker van and keep quiet-"
         "Kat!"
         "-and we'll see you on America's Most Wanted-"
         "Three-"
         "-and be like, I knew that kid had issues-"
         "-Two-"
         "-but we never knew it was that bad-"
         "-One-"
         "-and those poor kids-"
         "-Zero-"
         "-never had a chance-"
         "That’s it." he hooked an arm around me and pressed his palm firmly but gently against my lips. I eyed him reproachfully and bit the soft flesh, making him tear his hand away.
         "Practicing? Aren't I a little old?" I asked, batting my lashes. These were the only people worth being immature with.
         "I can't win with you." he said.
         "Damn right."
         "Ever." he looked at me with those deep dark brown eyes, brimming with pure, innocent love for me. For all those van-rapist jokes I made, he was still kid in that way, where he didn't seem to ever think about unholy stuff. I sometimes felt uncomfortable, like I was defiling him just by being near him.
         "Kat?" Violet asked.
         "Yeah?" I jerked my eyes from Cody's.
         "Did we have Pre-Calc homework?"
         "Yeah, page 86. 2-66 even."
         "Ok, I got 2- 28. Here's to hoping she doesn't collect today."
         "Dude, I'll bet you 25 cents she collects."
         "You're on."
         "Guys, you aren't even in that class with us!" Violet shrieked, glaring at them. She hates anything remotely close to gambling, since her Dad left her Mom for a casino stripper two years ago. The fact that Bruce and Cody bet on everything is a thorn in her side.
         "I bet in your favor, babe!" Bruce said with a smile, toying with a golden strand of her hair.
         "You know I hate it though!" she pouted.
         "I'm sorry. Cody, the bet's off. I don't want to upset my babygirl." he said, looking at her meaningfully and pulling her close. She buried her face into his chest, and he gave Cody a challenging look… and the bet was totally on. Vi came up for air and began praying for deliverance from homework collection.
         "So I was playing call of duty last night…" Bruce began, my cue to blank out.
         I thought about Marley. Her birthday was coming up and I think she was turning thirty again. For like, the tenth year in a row. I had no clue what to get her, but it had better be good because Dad was too busy working to remember birthdays. Let's see, she already had too much perfume and nice sweaters… maybe a spa kit from bath and bodyworks.
         "EARTH TO KAT!" Bruce shouted in my ear. I shook my head and came back.
         "Ugh. What?"
         "You zoned again."
         "Yeah, I know." I said, glaring. "The moment I hear 'Call of Duty' I'm out."
         "But it's an epic game!"
         "It's a waste of life."
         Bruce gasped like I had cursed God in the Vatican.
         "No. You did not say that."
         "I said it with pride."
         "Bitch." he said, smiling a bit to let me know he was joking. Cody sat up and looked over.
         "Don't call Kat a bitch, Bruce."
         "She knows I was kidding."
         "I know you're a smartass." I said.
         "Better than being a dumbass."          
         "Well you are special enough to be both." I said with a wink.
         "Kat, are you verbally abusing my boyfriend?" Vi cut in, smiling at us. While serious spats cause her to break down, these little fights are quite satisfying . 
         "It's not abuse, it's counseling. I'm allowing him to realize that its ok to not be the brightest crayon in  the box…"
         "Hey Kat, sleep with one eyes open." Bruce said, laughing. The bell rang, and there was the usual flurry of activity.
         "C'mon Kat, I don't want to be late!" Vi said, slinging her bag over her shoulder and giving Bruce a kiss goodbye. I waved to the boys and began up the stairs after her.
         The usual companionable silence was broken by Violent renewing her plea to God that she wouldn't get half credit.
         "Hello, girls." Miss James greeted us with a smile, repositioning her glasses on her beaky nose. "Sit down. Your almost late."
         There were only 30 seconds left before class started, and the room was only half full. Upon the bell's chime, the rest of the students poured in chatting noisily as they got settled.
         Violet was so pale that I was worried about her. She didn't see me slip a hand under my desk, and pull out my first answer, but she did see my face light up like a  thousand watt Christmas tree.
         "Kat? What's up?" she whispered.
         "Um… Dominick!" I answered, as sure enough Dominick Garrison stepped into the room.
         Ok, Dominick. 5'10. Dark hair, deep brown eyes. Thin. Artsy looking. He's our school's resident revolutionary, starting petitions and rallies and even wears vegan shoes… whatever those are. Anyways, I find him attractive.
         Vi tossed me a knowing smile. I smiled back and blushed a bit, then fumbled with the note, where blocky letters marched across the page.

Kitty,
         Unfortunately it does rather sound like a name a stripper would make use of. The experiment is quite interesting, though, and I doubt someone forced into a sleazy profession would do something like this. I will participate. I love school in general; however my favorite class would have to be Advanced Chemistry with Biological Applications.
         My Question: What period do you have this class?
         The Whizkid.          So, that little piece of paper was like gold in my hand, I was so damn thrilled my stupid experiment worked. I mostly overlooked the rest of my Calc class to write my answer, while Violet thanked the Collection god that Miss James had forgotten about our homework.

         Whizkid,
                   Thank you so much for replying to me. Totally just made my day, and like I said, I'm not sleazy in the least. Advanced Chem with Bio Apps? Ahhh! That has to be like the hardest class in school! You must be a freaking Genius! I have this class 4th period. What do you consider your hardest class?

         Like I said, I'm not all that good at talking, but at least this way I can pretend.