Love Always, From Mayberry

Chapter three

The next morning, I took my time getting ready, knowing I was going to have a lousy parking spot anyway. The weather appeared like it was going to be hot like the day before. At least I knew what to expect out of my day this go around.

​Callie was actually waiting for me with Dan at the top of the school. We all three walked to geometry together. I guess I officially had friends! I noticed on the way up the stairs of death that Callie definitely flirted with Dan whenever the opportunity arose. She was constantly finding ways to touch him or laugh at something he said, which wasn't much of anything. He was so quiet.

​Even though I despised math, I could tell this class was going to be a breeze. Mr. Barker was the nicest teacher I'd ever met, but he didn't pay much attention. He sat at his desk and gave us worksheets to work on. Being teenagers it goes without being said, none of us worked on anything. He would look up occasionally and ask us to tone it down but that was about it.

​I found out Callie was actually a cheerleader. She had been since she was five. She was actually captain of the squad even though she was just a junior, like me. This completely and utterly shocked me. Callie just didn't come across as a cheerleader, at least not any I've known. Callie's hair was cut short and a natural, bright red color. She was extra fair-skinned, which really made her stick out with the cheerleaders who were all orange tan. She was shorter than the average girl and was slightly chubby but certainly not fat. You could tell she didn't come from a family with money.

​Dan actually joined in on some of our conversations. He was such a strange young man but I couldn't help but be captivated by him. He didn't smile much but when he did, you couldn't help but fall in love with his dimples. He was tall, definitely six feet or more. He had an athletic build; my guess was from football practices. I heard they were intense at Mayberry. He dressed mostly in black, like Callie. Despite his less than friendly appearance, his blue eyes, dimples and mischievous smile were beautiful.

​Callie was most certainly a chatter, which worked for me. I'd always had difficultly starting conversations with anyone. It was actually pretty interesting to hear her talk. She had the best outlook on things. No matter how evil a person was, she seemed to always have something good to say about them.

​Callie and I walked to theater together, while Dan went to art class.

​"Isn't he gorgeous?" "Dan, he's just, I've had a crush on him for a long time."

​I was correct. She was flirting with him.

​Andrea interrupted our conversation. She had to ask Callie a thousand questions about cheerleading. Andrea was pretty. Like California girl pretty. She had a tan you could tell she worked on daily. Her smile was the whitest I'd ever seen in an actual human being and you could tell her highlighted brown and blonde hair was well taken care of by a professional. I wonder if Callie felt as out of place in her presence as I did.

​Andrea and Callie seemed to share the same passion for cheerleading. It was odd that Callie was so dark and be into such a sport. She was apparently very talented though.

​I unintentionally tuned out Callie and Andrea's conversation. Apparently, during that conversation, I was volunteered for a date at the Quick Lunch after school.

​I was genuinely interested in seeing what all the fuss was about with tourists and the Quick Lunch so maybe this wouldn't be so bad. I did need to get out and socialize.

​My first impression of Quick Lunch was a hangout for the elderly. It seemed like every old man in Mayberry was in attendance, discussing Coach Barker and his team. I quickly learned football was a big deal here. There were pictures all over the small restaurant of the Mayberry High football teams from this year's team to the fifties. There was also a ton of pictures of the actor from Mayberry. He seemed to be an even bigger deal.

​"So, after the game Friday we are all going to go to TeenageLove for an after party. Win or lose."

​"Andrea, it's nothing personal, but you know I'm not going to anything that has to do with TeenageLove," Callie stated in a firm tone.

​I learned from listening to their conversation that TeenageLove was a group that was advertised as a religious group for the students at Mayberry. They went on lavish trips, met twice a week and if you didn't go, you just weren't cool.

​"Well, Callie, you and Dan are the only two on the football and cheerleading them who doesn't go. It doesn't look good on us. It looks like you don't believe in God", Andrea spat out matter of fact.

​"Because God wants us all to get together and get drunk at the beach, right?" Wasn't it just last year over seven students were caught drinking and smoking weed at the beach conference?"

​Andrea grimaced. "Christians aren't perfect. Just forgiven." She stated rudely.

​"Well, that's all fine but doing things you know is wrong and doing them anyway isn't a Christian trait. The one time I went everyone was making fun of anyone who wasn't there. I'm just not into it. I'll skip the after party, thanks."

​Andrea quickly looked at me. "TeenageLove isn't all that bad, Whitney. It's actually a good way to meet people and they always feed us for free."

​"I'm in." I replied without really thinking. It would give me something to do away from home. Things at home seemed tense since the move anyway. I thought it was nice to make friends. I was kind of bummed it wouldn't be an event with Callie and Dan, but Andrea seemed to like me.

​Callie just shook her head and half-smiled at both of us.

​"Great so, be sure you add me on Facebook and I'll send you some more information about TeenageLove."

​"Facebook?" I knew Facebook was some type of social networking. I just wasn't completely educated on it yet. The only thing I'd ever really heard about it was from my dad talking about teenage girls meeting men and getting taken off somewhere and cut into pieces.

​Andrea gave me a "are you really that dumb" look.

​"I mean; I do know what Facebook is. I'm just not sure how to make an account, and if I know my parents, I know they'll make a big deal about me having an account."

​"Just go to Facebook.com, fill out your information, and you're done."

​"I'm on Facebook, it's nothing creepy. It's just an easy way for guys like me to keep in touch with beautiful girls like you."

​I turned around out of shock. Surely, he wasn't talking to me. No one's ever called me beautiful.

​The boy whose voice this belonged to looked to be a copy of  Eminem just with shaggy brown/blonde hair. He was dressed in baggy clothes but well put together. Everything matched and was name brand. He had tanned skin that made his white teeth bright and bright blue eyes shine. His eyes weren't the grey silver blue of Dan's but more like a bright baby blue. His hair slightly covered his eyes, which was cute. He had a strange smell on him. Not bad, just strange. He also had his hand extended my way. Obviously he WAS talking to me.

​Nervously, I took his hand.

​"I'm Steven. I'm a senior at Mayberry. I've seen you in the cafeteria."

​"Whitney," was all I could muster out.

​"Well, if you ever figure out that Facebook be sure you send me a friend request. Last name is Abbas."

​I just nodded my head and tried to smile. I definitely wasn't used to boys approaching me.

​"Have a lovely evening Andrea." He said very sarcastically. He didn't even acknowledge Callie's existence. Andrea smiled back as sarcastically as she could.

​"Be sure you find him and block him as soon as you make a page. He's bad news. Jody used to date him and trust me; he is the last thing you need."

​I just nodded my head with no intentions of blocking him.