How we operate.

Senior in high school, it’s a big change, not as big as my love life. Some people have it pretty easy finding the right person they want to be with, others not so much. Pleasant Creek Missouri, home of the gremlins. It’s tough being an average girl at Sacred Heart catholic high school, with pale skin black hi-tops skinny jeans and a hoodie with your dark brown hair pulled-up everyday. You look over at the girl who’s got your man you want to be with for the rest of your life. Over there, with her clique, gossiping about sex, hook-ups and if she has anything in her teeth, that would be the girl I envy, Sarah Jean. Yeah she’s got the look, perfect teeth, perfect hair, perfect cleavage, perfect style, not to mention perfect boyfriend. Nyland Davenport, captain of the soccer team, and my best friend. You are probably thinking, how he can be my friend. I’ve been friends with Nyland all my life, we basically grew up together. His mom and my dad were high school sweethearts in high school, and eventually grew apart, his mom moved to North Carolina to become a doctor, and fell in love with his dad. Right when they had Nyland they moved back to Missouri to raise him here, and that’s when I come into the picture, Caitlin Sanford. Nyland and I were inseparable, until when he was 10 he mom died in a car accident. It was tough on him, but we were stronger than ever. Well when you hit your double digit age, you can’t exactly be friends with a boy, so I met my other best friend Samantha Jane Page. She is one of a kind, she is basically the other me, except ten times funnier than and not as uptight as I am, and she’s tall skinny and long sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. It just seems like yesterday we were in junior high.
I never really thought that my senior year of high school, my parents would leave me but they did, they are really involved with their work, and moved to Italy to work on this big top secret project. So they let my brother, Nick, who basically is a lazy bum watch me for 9 months. It always surprises me how close we are, he always gives me great advice, and I hang out with him every time I’m not with Sammy or Nyland.
If you think my life is awesome, its not, I always end up screwing up something, come to find out I screw up a lot of stuff. But in the end, I always find the right path to success.
The bell rings, and Mrs. Walker lets us out early since we are seniors and all. Sammy and I run downstairs to the lunch line. “I hope it’s Sloppy Joes.” Sammy says with a gust of wind right after. We get to the line, and we get our food, and sit at our table, just us two, no one else. “Ugh, this is such a gross lunch.” I said. “I am so taking your sloppy Joseph then.” Sammy said. “Fine with me.” I replied. Sammy is chowing down on her sloppy joe. I look around to find my other best friend but he is no where in sight. Finally I turn back around in my seat. “You know he is probably getting his lunch.” Sammy said. “He always gets his lunch before me.” I exclaimed. “You know, you sound like a stalker.” Sammy said while eating with her mouth full. She was right, I observed him too much, but what if it’s not enough. Sometimes I just wish he would notice how much I care about him. I look around again, and there he is with his shaggy light brown hair, his dark brown eyes, he’s letter jacket fitting his tight body, his jeans that he sags just a little below his waist, and his Nike size 12 shocks.
“Hey you.” He said as he nudges me with his arm, his muscular arm, I got chills when he touched me. “Hey what’s up” I said with my voice a little shaky. I could tell when I was too much when Sammy when kick me under the table. “I’m just about to go to snack” Nyland replied. “Why do you go to snack bar? It's lame.” I was right snack bar is lame. All people do is shoot around a basketball, and talk amongst friends, Sammy and I never went to snack bar. Its much more meaningful having a conversation with your friends when no one is around. “You would know, if you would ever hang out with me at school, its pretty fun.” Nyland said. And he knowingly knew that would hurt me, and stay with me for the rest of the day. I don’t hang out with him at school. When Nyland is at school its more like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. “Never gone to snack bar.” Sammy chimed in. “You haven’t” Nyland questioned. I had a to giggled a little bit since we actually have. “We did that one time.” I said. “Sophomore year, I totally got violated.” Sammy explained. Nyland and I laughed at the thought of someone getting violated at Sacred Heart; it could happen considering we do go to a catholic school. His laugh, it’s like living in a Cheap Trick song, it would never get old.
“No wonder no one likes you.” Nyland said sarcastically. I nudged him, I thought maybe I could drop him little hints, but before he could notice his girlfriend sat by us. I don’t have a problem Sarah, she doesn’t treat me all that bad, but she treats Nyland poorly. “Hey girls.” She said as she put on her fake voice trying to be nice. Sammy and I said hi back trying to be nice. Sarah started to rub Nyland shoulders, with her hand cream filled hands and pink nail polish, those hands were gold, not just because they were smooth and non-chaliced, but they were touching Nyland so gently. “ Come on, babe we’re going to be late for snack bar” Nyland seemed a little agitated, I knew he wanted to stayed because he rolled his eyes, and bit his bottom lip. “We go to snack bar early anyway, senior privilege.” Nyland explained. Sarah knew, she knew the fact that he wanted to stay and eat lunch with me then he wanted to go to snack bar with her. She tapped her black high-heel on the cold cafeteria floor, waiting for a response from Nyland. “Whatever.” She said while she walked at a fast paced. The look on Nyland’s face was priceless, it was like he was caught between two people that he cared about, he had a quest, would he stay with us or would he go with his girlfriend he has claimed many times he loved. “Duty calls.” He said. My heart sank down the tips of my toes, I gripped the table as hard as I could. I said in a soft voice “I understand, go be with your girlfriend.” As hard as it was for me to say that, I knew it was the truth. He looked at me and smiled. That smile, the one wear it make all the problems and troubles go away “Thanks Cait, I’ll see you tonight?” he asked. “Yeah, of course.” I said. I always wanted to see him that night. He left, he left without saying goodbye, I never wanted to say goodbye. “Are you on crack?” Sammy asked. I knew she was joking, because her voice squeaked a little bit when she asked me the question. “What are you talking about?” I said. “You practically wanted to jump on him.” Jump is an unfair word, its so ungraceful, unsophisticated. Pounce sounds a lot better than jump. “Tell him I love him, yes, jump no.” I exclaimed to her. “You’ll get your chance.” Its like the Abba song “Take a Chance on me” If you change your mind, I’m the first in line, honey I’m still free take a chance on me. I was always first in line when it came to loving him, but he never seemed to detect it. “I hope so.” I said.
At snack bar, Nyland was playing basketball with Gavin Elliot. He is Sacred Heart’s biggest jock, he’s on the short side, built, short blonde hair, with green eyes. He is Nyland’s best guy friend, and has a huge crush on Sammy. “Dude major party tonight.” Gavin said as Nyland was shooting the basketball. “I know, I just hope it won’t get busted. The shot barely hits the rim and lands right in front of Gavin. Gavin dribbles the ball around. “You should just stick to soccer.” Nyland starts to laugh, he rubs his arm, and then Sarah comes from behind and grabs his hand. “Come walk with me.” She said. Gavin starts to laugh, and continues to shoot around. Nyland and Sarah walk around when they get around the wall to the bathroom. Sarah pushes Nyland up against the wall, and kisses him. “You know we are going to get caught.” He said. “I don’t think so.” She goes in for another kiss, and Nyland pushes her away. “You are not going to that party.” She sighed. “I’m not going.” Nyland reassured her. “Well it sounded like you were when you were talking to Gavin.” She exclaimed. Gavin raised his hands up and put them over his head, he began walking around in circles because he always goes through this with her. “Gavin believes everything I say, the monkey did better than him on the ACT.” He yelled. “That doesn’t matter, that just means Gavin is dumber than a monkey.” She said raising her voice. “Exactly, so I told him that because that’s what he wants to hear.” He tried to explain to her, without causing a big scene. “I want to hang out with you tonight.” His voice cracked, trying to be sincere, he wanted to hang out her, but he knew deep down all he really wanted to was go out with his friends and party. He knew she didn’t like him partying because of her insecurities. “Do you mean that?” She asked. He looked into her eyes, he took a deep breath. He put his hands on her shoulders. “Of course I mean it, you mean ten times more to me, than a party. Besides I don’t love parties, do I? He said. A tear trickled down her cheek, he watched roll down her face, he wiped it away from her face. “No.” She said. He smiled at her. “No, I love you.” He said. The words that I constantly wanted to hear from him. She smiled at him, as he put her hair behind her ear. “I love you too.” She said. The bell rings, making both of them jump with everyone trying to get to there classes acting like a buffalo herd.