Chalk It Up To Fate

Chapter 6: Marshall

"It's so much different than when I went there, Mom. Everything has changed."

I hear Sarah go on about her first official school day as the vice principal while slurping the delicious spaghetti Mrs. Peters made for dinner.

After an awkward car ride home from school, Sarah asked me to change into nicer clothes to have dinner at her parent's house tonight across the street.

I dressed up in the nicest jeans I owned and paired it with a red blouse that Sarah bought for me; which I have never worn.

I have only met Sarah's parents once, and from what I remembered seemed nice, but now that Sarah left my father, I don't really know what to expect. I wouldn't blame them if they held a grudge against me for my father's actions.

While Sarah was with my father, we never went to Carolina to visit, and for some reason, her parents never came to see us either. Through the year and a half Sarah lived with my dad and I however, I would sometimes hear Sarah and her mom talking over the phone. Overhearing these conversations left me with mixed emotions. Although I hated to admit it, I was jealous I would never get that same relationship with my mom. So, when Sarah was on the phone for hours, I would stay in my room or take a walk every time these phone calls happened. Sarah barely talked about her parents around me, probably sensing my little bit of resentment of the fact that she had two loving parents, and I had...well zero.

As soon as Sarah and I walked into her parent's house a couple hours later, we were both greeted with suffocating hugs from her mom, Mrs. Peters. Not used to the physical contact, I awkwardly patted her on the back. Mrs. Peters didn't seem to notice my lack of social skills, and rushed us to the kitchen table, where we have been talking ever since. Well... Sarah has been talking.

"You know they got rid of the computer lab? It's now a student lounge! That would have been nice to have in high school. We had to sneak out to the football parking lot to have a semblance of privacy with our friends during school." Sarah went on, "Have you seen it Marsh? It's really nice in there. I've seen a lot of your classmates there throughout the day."

I looked up. She knew the answer to that question. For the first time that night, I felt all eyes on me. "Um, no I haven't seen it yet," I said without looking up from my food.

"How was your first day kiddo? Make any new friends?" Mrs. Peters asked.

I sighed, pushing a meatball around my plate. "Not really." I look up to see Sarah looking at me with pity. I bite my lip and look back down to my plate.
"Marshall is taking Journalism this year. She's not too thrilled about it." Sarah says, shifting the conversation.

"Really?" Mr. Marshall starts, "Sarah was editor of the yearbook when she was in high school. We always thought she was going to be a big shot journalist in New York."

I didn't know that Sarah loved Journalism, but knowing her, it sounded like something she would be great at.

"Oh yeah?" I smiled, "What happened?" from the corner of my eye I see Sarah turn a bit red.

"I wasn't cut out for the big leagues. It only took me one year in college before changing my major to education." Sarah replies a little sullenly.

My smile faded, feeling a little sad for Sarah. I knew she loved her job as a vice principal, but I also know what it feels like to be disappointed by something you love.

"Well, I'm glad you're taking it Marshall. It'll get you out of your shell and more involved in the community," Mrs. Peters replied.

"That's what I'm afraid of," I muttered while taking a drink.