My daddy left a week ago, and successfully made it to his destination, New Hampshire. Why New Hampshire? Maybe because it’s a pretty far distance from me and my daddy.
How did she expect to come back…in a week?
From Capital to Capital, Austin Texas, and Concord New Hampshire, there was 1,694 miles of road and whatnot all the way.
Yeah, I did my research. AND luckily, I found out we’re a little closer than that. My daddy and I rented our house (By we, I mean him) and we moved to Florida. Which makes the new record: 1,127 miles.
I am in the car with Sal and Chan when I remember…this…story…about Jake. Oh, this is a story I wanted to share.
“Jake?” Sal asked, as she turned to look at me.
It would have been scary if Chan wasn’t driving.
“Yes, Jake. He was my best friend…You know, Here, in Florida...” I answered.
“Didn’t you say you had this story about him?”
“…Well yeah.”
“Then tell us, Sammy Boy.” Chan looked at my from the mirror, and looked back at the road, “Don’t feel like you’re gonna run outta time, cuz trust your old man here. It’s gonna take awhile.”
“Remind me why we’re going in a car?” Sal asked.
“Dearest!” Chan shouted, “Let’s see this part of ‘Mmmerica with our favorite grandson.”
“I’m you’re only grand son.” I reminded him.
“And the best.” Chan winked at me, “Now, go on. What about Jon?”
“…Jake…”
“Yeah, Jake, that’s what I said.”
“Yeah, well…”
Right after my momma left, daddy and I didn’t talk to each other much after that whole note thing.
Right after my momma left, daddy and I didn’t talk to each other much after that whole note thing.I couldn’t tell if it was because my momma “left him” or if it was because he was stuck with me. The one he doesn’t like to very much.
I went to school, and I never talked to anyone about my mom. They didn’t need to know.
Emerald missed me. I know she did. I feel like an idiot namin’ that tree, Emerald, but I didn’t wanna say “That tree” through the entire thing, but I down right made up the name.
I didn’t climb Emerald for the two weeks after my momma left. I locked myself in my room, afraid of the outside world.
Finally, three months later, Daddy told me two words I’ll never want to hear again: “We’re moving.”
Moving?! MOVING?! What if momma comes back, huh? What is she is coming back right this second and we’re gone! She’ll have no idea where we went!
“MOVING?!” I shouted, “Nah ah. Not happenin’.”
“Sonny, this isn’t your decision, I’m the adult in this household and I what I say goes. We’re moving, and I really don’t care you don’t like it.”
“But…
“Listen, Little boy…”
Oh, I’m in trouble now.
“I know you’re in pain, I know you don’t want to leave, but your momma haunts this place, she’s in everything. The plants, the books, I can hardly look at you without crying.” He stated, hugging me.
I pulled out of the huge quickly.
“What if she comes back?” I asked.
Ulrich came and held me close and whispered to my ear,
“...Son- Sammy Boy. Yumi isn’t coming back.”
“OH!!!” Granny Sal yelled, and also interrupted my story, “Sorry to interrupt Sammy, but we’re in good ‘ol Georgia, now!”I looked out the window and sure enough I saw the Sign:
Say Goodbye to Florida! You’re in Georgia!
“I wanna see that river every-dang-body was talking so smoothly ‘bout.” Chan said.
“Altamaha?” I asked. Or…I…think I said it right…
“That’s the one!!”
I sighed and rolled my eyes, that’s my grand-pop for ya.
“Oh, okay. Continue you’re story.” Sal stated.
“Alright…”
So, off we went out to Florida and on the 2nd day there, Daddy got a job, and I went to school.
So, off we went out to Florida and on the 2nd day there, Daddy got a job, and I went to school.…I hate being new. I hate all the attention.
“Well, class. My wonderful 3rd period class.” The female teacher swooned, “We have a new student.”
I walked inside, oh my gosh. Were all classes this small?
There was twenty living things in that classroom. Subtract 1 for me, 1 for the teacher, 3 for the plants, and 4 for the hamsters I saw in the back of the room.
That’s right. 11 students looked at me. What a small class…I could like this.
“Tell us you’re name!” A kid shouted at me…or maybe I’d hate this for the rest of my life.
“Sam. Sam Stern.”
“Well, Sam. Take a seat next to Rachel. She’s a nice girl.”
Rachel waved at me with a smile on her lips.
If I didn’t know any better I’d say she had a crush on me. Already.
I sat between Rachel and Jen, behind Jake, and in front of Darla.
Ahh! There was wayyyy to many girls in that classroom!
All the dang HAMSTERS were girls.
“Well, I am Ms. Clincher.”
“Clincher?” I repeated, “Doesn’t that mean…kiss of death?”
She laughed at me, but nodded.
“Yes it does.”
“You never told us that!” Rachel bellowed.
“You never asked!”
Oh dear. A teacher that acts like this just creeps me out.“Okay, so welcome to my best class, Sam. They’re my favorite class. My 3rd period class.”
“Okay, so welcome to my , Sam. They’re my favorite class. My 3rd period class.”“Ummm…okay.”
“We’re her favorite class because we’re the smallest.” Jake informed, “Hey, I’m Jake, by the way.”
He stuck his hand out and I shook it. Jake was brunette, like me, but he had blue eyes as I had green. He had shorter hair than I, and it seemed clobbered with gel, as I let mine go any which way it wants to.
Everyone said I looked like my dad. Oh my god, am I really THAT ugly inside?!
“That’s not true, Jake.” Ms. Clincher stated, “You’re my favorite class because you’re my favorite students. Now, take out your journals.”
Jen shot her arm up.
“Yes, Jen?”
“That’s not fair. Sam wasn’t here. He didn’t have to do it.”
“Oh, he will.” Ms. Clincher said in a little of a creepy voice.
Jen’s the whiner. I already knew that, but, oh, was she pretty. She had shoulder length blonde hair that complimented her slightly round chin, her figure was almost model-like, her eyes were light blue, and..Ohh…did I mention her model like figure?
“She’s Jen.” Jake told me, “That’s Darla you sit in front of…and, well, Rachel, you know her.”
“Well, instead of making you turn in your journals today, I’ll let you write something to Sam, here. Something you want him to know about you, and for his journal, he’ll write you all back.”
“That’s a lot of writing…” a kid on the other part of the classroom stated.
“That’s alright.” I answered, “I like writing.”
“Good, then you’ll like my English class.” And with that, Ms. Clincher walked behind her desk and what looked like, scribbled on papers.
I just sat there…talking with some people that were already talking to me.
Okay, so here are the people in my class: Rachel, Darla, Jake, Jen, Blake, Will, Jess, Heather, Gloria, Anna, and Lara.
I told you there were too many girls.
Jen, Heather, and Lara…I hate to admit, were really pretty.
Rachel was super smart, and I liked her light brown hair and the layers it was cut it, it made her…kinda…well…cute.Darla was the 7th grade cheerleading captain, so you can just imagine what she’s like. Jess was the tom-boy, she liked skating, talking with guys, and the other girls in that class didn’t seem to like her.
Darla was the 7th grade cheerleading captain, so you can just imagine what she’s like. Jess was the tom-boy, she liked skating, talking with guys, and the other girls in that class didn’t seem to like her.Anna and Jake were twin brother and sister. Anna was older by three minutes, and she really liked to use that against him.
Gloria was the gothic person I’ve ever seen, but she was very nice. I liked that, I mean, she wore all black, her eyeliner, and ragged hair style….but a super kind person.
Blake was the…well…player of the classroom, I could tell, by the way he would just flirt with the girls kinda sickened me.
The teacher’s right in front of you.
Don’t make out in a classroom; it doesn’t make the teachers too happy.
Trust me.
I’ve tried.
Will was an actual shy boy to me, and I was the one that had to invite him to the conversation, but after we got on the subject of “Worst and Best teachers” he had a lot to share.
I liked my classroom.
And it figures, that English lasts 2nd period. Or almost 2 hours.
Ms. Clincher would look up at us every once in awhile maybe hoping to hear her name for ‘a good teacher’.
And I felt kinda bad that the only teacher we didn’t say much about her, and there we were, sitting in her classroom.
“Well, I know I haven’t been here for more then an hour, but I’ve seen a lot of teachers, and Ms. Clincher seems to be my favorite.”
“Yeah, she’s a pretty good teacher…”
I glanced over at her, hoping she heard me.
I saw her smile, but she was looking at her papers, she didn’t want us to know she was listening to us.
“Guys.” I whispered, “Ms. Clincher is listening, so tell me all the good things about her.”
“Well, she’s my favorite because she’s nice and kind.”
“She’s got a good fashion sense.”
“I mean just look at her!” Jen pointed to our teacher, and she looked at Jen.
“What about me?” She asked, pretending like she didn’t know.
“How could she not be your favorite teacher? Look how pretty she is!”
“Oh, why, Thank you.” She blushed, “Now, um, are you done with your letters?”
“Yes ma’am!”
“Then give it to him, and just talk like you were…You’re my favorite class, you know.”
“We know!” We answered in unison, ooh, I was gonna like this.
XxX
“HELLO my awful 5th period class.”
Oh geez.
“We have a new student with us!”
“YEAH! HIS NAME IS...”
“HE CAN TALK!” The teacher shouted.
“I’m- I’m Sam, Sam Stern.”
“Well, take a seat next-“
“Oh Mr. Klindy! Can he seat next to me? Please! Please! Please!” Rachel waved her hand.
“Uggh. Go ahead.”
I SWARE I really thought she had a crush on me.
It scared me.
We shared a desk for this class; Science.
After about 57 minutes of hearing Mr. Klindy nag about flowers and their “genetics” or something, the bell rang, LUNCH TIME!
I felt Rachel’s slim hand on my shoulder when I got up.
“Yeah?” I asked her.
“Um, Sam? I was wondering…if you’re not doing anything this Friday.”
“NAH AH!” Sal shouted, “She ain’t asking you out already is she?”“Salamanca!” Chan said, “We would know if you didn’t interrupt!”
“Oh, I ‘m sorry, Sammy. Gran-Daddy, Channy is right. Go on.”
“He can’t NOW Sal, we have to get the hotel room here.”
And the car stopped.
“Did you like Rachel, Sammy Boy?” My Grand-pop asked me as we walked to the front of the hotel.
“Yes, Grand dad. I liked her…a lot.”
“So…tell us a little as we wait, huh deary?”
“Are we could wait for the surprise tomorrow morning.” Grand-daddy said.
“I don’t want no surprises!” Sal exclaimed.
“Sorry, Grand-ma. It looks like my pillow and I need a little one on one.” And we walked to our room.
I slept on the floor.
And I felt different; that was the first night my momma didn’t haunt my dreams.
My daddy with my neighbor in the back yard, with some girl was.
My neighbor grabbed on to the girl and kissed her.
That girl…
Was Rachel.