Blue Sky and Other Things That Are Good For You

Prologue

“No way am I slacking off or backing out or cracking up with doubt.”Working it Out-Hilary Duff

You know that girl with the bangs that cover her eyes and the oversized hoodie that shows practically no part of her body whatsoever? She sits in the back corner of every class, doodling in her notebook and listening to her music at a volume that lets her neighbors listen too. Most kids would expect her to have dropped out by now, since she doesn’t seem to do anything in class anyways. But she hasn’t. The teacher never calls on her and if by chance a substitute does, because they want to “include everybody in the discussion,” the girl in the corner will give some bullshit answer that makes the teacher think for so long that no other student has to go.

Well, that’s me, Blue Sky Reynolds. And I don’t doodle in my notebook, I write. I’m that kid that isn’t supposed to succeed in life. I go against all odds of going to college, getting a well-paid job, or even having a family. Actually, according to statistics, I should have started my family about a month ago. I’m also supposed to be an alcoholic and a drug addict. But lucky for me, I’m that less than 1% of kids in my situation.

What is my situation? It’s not exactly a situation to me, it’s a life. But the guidance counselor insists on calling it a ‘temporary situation’. I didn’t know temporary lasted 18 years. Anyways, fifteen years ago, my mom had me at the hospital just down the street. She was fifteen at the time. My dad was fourteen. They went to the school I’m at, Ridgeline High, and were what most people would call the ‘It’ couple. Surprisingly, they decided to keep me, my name on the other hand is another question. Supposedly my dad was holding a soda can and it was a ‘Blue Sky’ soda, they thought it would be a cool name. Another shocker is that they’ve stayed together. What’s not surprising is the way they act now. Both in their early thirties and they still haven’t gotten over the parties on Friday nights and hangovers on Saturday mornings.

They spent the rest of their teen years being responsible parents, and until I turned ten they were great. I have memories of these two people who were always there for me, who cared for me. Maybe that’s why I’m beating the odds at this point. But, almost to the minute that I turned ten, that perfect family went out the window. Both of them cut down to part time jobs, and not only do they both drink heavily, but also smoke some illegal substances. I was left to fend for myself, and fending is exactly what I did. When I turned eleven I started babysitting in my neighborhood, and still do after school now. It has paid for a lot of the bills and each week twenty dollars has gone into my college fund. The instant I turned fifteen I got a job at the local frozen yogurt shop. Not the best job ever, but it pays for electricity and phone bills pretty easily. On top of basically working full time, I’m also a straight A student. I have to get into college somehow, and working isn’t going to cut it for me.

My parents don’t even notice that I do all of this. They wouldn’t notice if I was sniffing crack. For all they know I don’t really exist anymore. School is the same way. No one really cares what I’m doing. I’ve never missed a day and I never really speak to people. I learned quickly that to survive it’s best to be kept to yourself. The person who does actually show that she cares is Principal Shaw. She went to school with my parents and after they crashed down as the ‘It’ couple, she became friends with them. Cathy Shaw is the one person that keeps trying to save me, but at the same time understands why I don’t need saving. Sounds contradicting, and it is, but it has worked over the years.

The loud speaker came on and the class went silent, my music seeming louder than ever before. I didn’t pay attention; most of the time is was some druggie that they were calling, so it didn’t affect me at all.

There was a tap on my left shoulder. I look over to see Ryan Richards smirking at me. Ryan was that popular senior football player that was cute, funny, rich, athletic, had that ‘perfect’ cheerleader girlfriend and got straight A’s. Everybody either wanted to be him or to be with him. We met when I was six and sitting all alone at lunch. He came up and sat next to me and gave me his soda. It was none other than a Blue Sky and that’s when we became semi-friends. He sat in the back next to me because, as he told me, he hates having the feeling that everybody is staring at you. Why the hell does he play football then?